Thingyan Is Here! We Will Fight! Burmese Popular Sounds and Protest Verses for H5K’s “Revolutionary Thingyan Anyeint ”

Abstract: Traditionally performed during the water festival ( Thingyan ) for the celebration of the Burmese New Year in April, than gyat verses, accompanied by music, dance, and songs, often address social injustice and political issues. As a response to the February 2021 military coup d’état, a “boycott Thingyan ” movement emerged in April 2022. People chose not to participate in the celebrations in urban centers and the countryside, leaving the streets dry and quiet. To support this boycott movement, the exiled comedy group Har Nga Kaung (H5K), from a concealed location on the Thailand–Burma border, broadcast a Facebook performance titled “Revolutionary Thingyan Anyeint .” The performance criticized the military regime and encouraged people to stay home. After introducing the tradition of than gyat protest verses and other subversive theatrical traditions in Burma/Myanmar, this article describes the context of the H5K’s “Revolutionary Thingyan ” performance and the sociopolitical messages it conveys. Drawing from online interviews with the performers and digital ethnography, it explores the life stories that compelled the five comedians to perform in exile. The article examines how the comedy group employs protest verses, performative gestures, and references to Burmese popular culture (popular songs, poetry, and Buddhist prayers) as strategies that aim to support the revolutionary cause.