Arakan History Simplified (Part 1)
Maung Aurther
RB History
April 6, 2013
Earliest People of Arakan- The Proto-Australoid Negritos
Historians say the earliest people in Arakan were to be a Proto-Australoid people called Negritos settled in Neolithic period. They were similar to today’s Andamanese (dark-skinned). It is said that they were known as Rakhasha (Pali) or Rakhshasa (Sanskrit) meaning Cannibals. However, according to the historians, there are hardly any archaeological remnants that can prove their existence in Arakan. Therefore, this topic will not be discussed anymore.
Indo-Aryans or the Early People of Arakan
The first Arakanese kings were Indo-Aryans from the Ganges Valley. (Ancient Arakanese Chronicles)
Indo-Aryan people ruled over Arakan dynasty after dynasty, century after century, before the arrival of Burmans who today are called Rakhine. (Maurice Collis + U San Shwe Bu; Into hidden Burma Chapter, Arakan).
The settlements of the people of Indo-Aryan, Mro (Khami) and Thek (Sak) can be traced to the time as early as BC 3323. (Zaa-Lok-Kat-Pho-Lay by San Kyaw Tuan, P.81)
After Negritos, Indo-Aryan people were the second earliest people to have settled in Arakan followed by Saks and Khamis, who can be traced with the archaeological evidences. [Khami and Sak were tribal and hilly people and their remnants can still be found in the hills.] Who were these Indo-Aryans? Let us first define the term “Indo-Aryan.”
http://bit.ly/2tD2Dd defines Indo-Aryan as a member of one of the peoples of the Indian subcontinent speaking an Indo-European language includes Hindi, Bengali, Punjabi, etc. Generally, Indo-Aryans are Indians excluding Dravidians (South-Indians). Today if there are people that can be called Indo-Aryan descendants in Arakan are none other than Rohingyas.
Before 10th century A.D. in Arakan, only Indians and Indian culture including the literature were found. Burmese and Burmese cultures are found only after 10th century. (H. W. Wilson; the history of Indian people, PP. 189 – 204)
Before 10th century in Arakan, the people and civilization all were Indian. (Gordon H. Luce; Early Burma Pre-Bagan)
[As of the dynasties in the history of Arakan, according to the historians, there were Dhannyavati (Dhanyawadi) (in three periods) Vaishali (Vesali) before 957 CE and after 957 CE, the two significant kingdoms were Lemro and Mrauk-U. (Details will be discussed later.)] There are two races in Arakan today: Rohingya and Rakhine. Of the two, who do you think represents those earliest Indo-Aryan (Indian) rulers of Arakan ethnically, culturally, and linguistically on and on? Be honest to yourself and have no malice while answering this.
The Origin of Rakhines
Rakhine and Burman are the same race. Rakhine speak in an accent of early Burman. More importantly, their religion is the same too. (Dr. Htin Aung, Burma before AD 1280; trans: U Aung Than, 2003, pg.40).
Rakhine is a branch of Burman. Their early literatures were found in Burmese. (Dr. Than Tun, 80th Birthday Bulletin).
Presently dominant Rakhine are the last significant group of people to enter Arakan in 10th century and thereafter. (Dr. Pamela Gutman, Ancient Arakan, 1976)
They (Rakhines) no doubt are descendants from ancestors belonging to Mongoloid tribes, closely akin to those from whom sprung- the Burmese of the Upper Irrawadi. Their language is the same, with a few dialectical differences, though the pronunciation as spoken frequently renders it unintelligible to a modern Burmese. (History of Burma, Lieut. General Sir Aurthur P. Phayre, P. 41, 1883)
Moreover, there are a number of evidences brought into light by many illustrious scholars on the origin of Rakhines. I hope the references given above are enough for one this topic. Would you still say Rakhines belong to Indo-Aryan or the Indian Kingdoms earlier to the 10th century? Yet, Rakhine bigotry scholars desperately and disgracefully claim that they are of Indo-Aryan (Indian) descendants to relate themselves to the kingdoms prior to the 10th century. Below are a few examples.
Rakhines’ False Claim
Rakhine people in early period seemed to write Indian language. (Wethali Age Ananda Sandra Stone Monument, by U San Tha Aung, p. 12)
However, their quasi-historical records which are secondary material compiled centuries later, and liberally sprinkled with anachronisms, now maintain that they have been in their country since 5000 BCE. They also claim, quite seriously, the early Indian dynasties of Dhanyavati and Veshali as their own — peopled by the Rakhaing race. (Noel F. Singer’s Vaishali and Indianization of Arakan, P. 14, referring “Shwe Zan, The Golden Mrauk U, p. 149”)
Look at another example of bigotry and desperate Rakhine scholar called Ashin Nayaka living abroad attempted to claim their so-called Indo-Aryan origin.
Those Indo-Aryan are THOUGHT to have mixed and intermarried with a migrant Mongoloid tribe in eastern India and Arakan. http://bit.ly/10eZtIL
It was just what they think. So it is nothing but a baseless and illogical claim. If their claims are to be taken as true, there are a lot of questions needed to be answered. How had the Indian-Language-Speaking people, Rakhine, suddenly, after 10th century, forgotten to speak their own language and lost their linguistic identity so much so that they started speaking a language of Tibeto-Burman origin? What had led them to change the Indian names of their kings (the names such as “Chandra” of the earlier dynasties) to Burman names? Above all, how do Rakhine people suddenly happen to look different from Indians? And many more! These are the missing links.
Sometimes, Rakhines claim they are of Tibeto-Burman group and some-other-times, they are of Indo-Aryan origin. Two contradicting claims! Funny, isn’t it? Probably, they claim to be Tibeto-Burman not to alienate themselves their original stock. And the earlier Rakhine chronicles also claim they are of Tibeto-Burman group. On the other hand, they claim to be Indo-Aryans probably for linkage of the history, earlier civilization and magnificence of the past built by Indo-Aryans who had ruled the region for more than a millennium until it was invaded by Tibeto-Burman of Mongoloid origin.
One more interesting question “do you know what term Burmese and Rakhines use to call Rohingyas, Bengalis, Indians and Pakistanis etc?” Isn’t the term ‘Kular’ originally meaning ‘Noble Race’ they use to call Indians in the derogatory sense? Suppose Rakhines are of Indo-Aryan Origin (i.e. Indian Origin). If so, they are Kulars, too. And if they are Kulars, too, then why do they call others (Rohingyas) ‘Kulars’. On the other hand, do Rakhines call themselves ‘Kulars’. Do Burmese call Rakhines ‘Kulars’? In fact, who call Rakhines ‘Kulars’?
