Loudspeaker Culture in Myanmar

The following essay was submitted by a Burmese contributor who asked to remain anonymous:

“As you know, our country is plagued by war, disaster and famine. However, this current period we can enjoy the Ka Htein Festival period for Buddhist people where we do charity work and donations the whole month. 

Ka Htein festival involves many different Myanmar festivals as Burmese people usually celebrate by showing their nature of offerings to the monastics. Ka Htein Ceremonies are held to donate new robes to monks after the end of the rainy season. Sets of new robes and other necessities are donated to monks and cash donations are also displayed and donated on wooden frames in the shape of a tree.

In Ka Htein, most of the people in the neighborhood village go around for donations. Then they use loudspeakers to play songs and dance while walking around. From this, “Loudspeaker Culture” emerged!

In the villages, whoever who can rent a loudspeaker is recognized by many as a rich man! If there is a funeral or donation event in the village, the first thing people go to is the monk and then second priority is Loudspeaker renter. As a result, the economy of Loud Speakers also flourished. Town-to-town speaker competitions also took place.

As you can see in the videos from this Facebook link, loudspeaker competitions are held on boats and cars. How to decide the winners and losers? Well, only the "loudest speaker group" always wins.

Dear readers, I am curious how things are in your countries. Do you also celebrate something like Loudspeaker Culture? How do you transmit sounds of various political, religious, and social events? Please let me know!