Danu people

The Danu people (Burmese: ဓနု) are a government-recognized ethnic group in Myanmar (Burma), predominantly populating the areas near the Pindaya Caves in Shan State.^[1] They speak the Danu language, which is closely related to Burmese.^[2]

Danu

ဓနု
A troupe of Danu dancing girls in Pindaya (c. 1906)
Total population
255,477
Regions with significant populations
Around Pindaya Caves, Shan State, Myanmar
Languages
Danu, Burmese
Related ethnic groups
Bamar, Arakanese, Intha

Etymology

The name Danu derives from the Pali term dhanu, which means "archer" or "bow."^[3] The term dhanu is a reference to the legend of Prince Kumarabhaya, whose bow and arrow rescued seven princesses trapped in the caves by a giant spider.^[3]

Origins

Some oral traditions trace the ancestry of the Danu to the intermarriages of Burmese men and Shan women in the 16th century, coinciding with the expansionist policies of King Bayinnaung, who oversaw the establishment of Burmese administrative posts throughout the kingdom, including in Shan city-states.^[3]

Notable Danu people

• Aung Myat - former Chief Minister of Shan State