Kyin: The traditional Rakhine (Arakan) wrestling

Htay Win

Kyin wrestling is favorite sports of the Rakhine National people since ancient

time. Kyin wrestling, being a kind of national identity for Rakhine people, is one of national

sports in Arakan (Rakhine) that is very popular up to this day. Kyin means a spinning top

in Rakhine language. Some point out that Kyin was derived from Kyar Yin. 

The Kyar Yin was being corrupted to Kyin. Literally, Kyar means the tiger and Yin means the fly. But some people there called wrestling jun. In many part of Rakhine any large festivity wouldn’t be completed without the Kyin tournament. 

In the first round, one athlete has to act like a tiger or as an offensive wrestler while another one is acting like a fly or as a defensive wrestler. During the second round, defensive one in the first round becomes the offensive one while the offensive

one in the first round becomes the defensive one. They change the roles alternatively until the game is over. 

In a wrestling tournament, it needs two athletes to compete for the first  session. and the winner has to compete against another opponent in the second session. Thus, winner

competes against a new opponent in each session eliminating them until he reaches the  final session for getting the trophy. The offensive wrestler is called Aphan and defensive wrestler is called Akhan in Rakhine language. 

In neighboring India, there was ancient art of wrestling called Malla-Yuddha. That art after combining with the Iranian and the Mongolian wrestling becomes the present day wrestling, which is called Pehelwini in India. 

The ancient civilization between southern India and ancient Arakan(Rakhine)was inseparable in terms of the trade and military relations. The demonstrative stone sculptures of Kyin wrestling can be seen in the Pagadas and Temples built between 15^th and 18^th centuries in the Arakan(Rakhine). But according to the oral tradition, it dates back earlier periods than those centuries. During the Vesali period, the king preferred the wrestlers and the boat rowers for the military service. It was probable because Rakhine kings already possessed formidable navy in the Bay of Bengal in the 16^th and 17^th centuries.

 Kyin wrestling is slightly similar to Pehelwini wrestling of India but, actually, it is different from that, with its own creation and style. Rakhine dynasties prioritized their own creations and styles in the architecture, the culture and the sports. During the tournament, the person who falls on the ground or whose hands touches the ground during

the alternative rounds is a loser in the competition but the person who is capable to fall his opponent on the ground or able to make his rival’s hand touches the ground during the alternative rounds is the winner in the competition. 

In the Arakan(Rakhine), Kyin wrestlers come from four provinces to participate in the famous religious festivals. Among them, the wrestlers from TwaPhyarChaung area in Ponnagyun township and wrestlers from RanPyay Township are famous and, mostly, they won trophies. The first class wrestler can get golden trophy and second class wrestler can get silver trophy. Actually, the Kyin wrestlers in the Arakan (Rakhine) are not professionals, but they participate in the Kyin wrestling tournament as a tradition. In terms of quickness, mindfulness, stamina and wits, the wrestlers have great powers to fight against their opponents. (A kyin wrestler is called a kyin thann, meaning a strong wrestler) There are two or three referees to decide who the winner is and to monitor wrestlers whether they abide by rules and regulation or not in the tournament. 

The offensive wrestler can entwine the opponent’s leg and wrap around his leg to throw him to the ground. But defensive wrestler has to try to escape from him. And sometime, the defensive wrestler can also slam down his opponent using his arms while he is struggling for the fighting. All wrestlers in Arakan compete with the sporting spirits although they come from different provinces they are friendly to one another. They use force and aggressive tactics in the competition, but they are very kind to each other outside of tournament. This is lovely tradition there. 

According to the village tradition, the wrestlers practice Kyin wrestling on the bank of the lake in the late afternoon when the girls come to the lake to fetch water with the zinc or clay water pots which are still used in India. And they share their experiences from the competitions one another in the evening conversations. 

Kyin wrestling tournaments are held in the religious festivals and merrymaking , especially , in the winter and summer times. 

In concluding, Rakhine or Arakan people take much pride in this sport as a national identity and they desire to preserve Kyin wrestling as an ancent Rakhine culture by being listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Lists.