History of ARAKAN (Collection)

The history of ARAKAN dates back to ancient times and involves a complex web of differing races, religions and kingdoms. The ARAKAN region is located on the Western side of what is now known as Myanmar (Burma) and although it is separated from the rest of Burma by a vast mountain range, it has felt the consequences of sharing close proximity with Burma, Thailand, China, India and Bangladesh.

During its long (as far back as 2666 B.C.) history ARAKAN is reputed to have had in excess of 145 kings divided up into a number of dynasties including the Chandra dynasty and the Mrauk-U dynasty.


Throughout its long history as many as 8 capitals have been established with each capital hosting a succession of kings. ARAKAN was influenced by the Mongols, Burmese, British, Thai, Mons, Tibetans, Arabs, Moors, Turks, Pathans, Moghuls, Central Asians, Bengalees and many more. These peoples came to ARAKAN in the form of traders, invaders, pirates, captives, warriors and holy men and have had a significant role to play in the development of the ARAKAN people both culturally and racially. At one time the ARAKAN region became a significant trade port particularly by sea with hundreds and hundreds of ships mooring on her shores. This led to the region becoming synonymous with pirates and raiding and for hundreds of years those on the sea and in nearby lands would live in fear of the ARAKAN pirates.

As a region ravaged by war it became necessary for warriors to be trained specifically to protect the Kings from invading forces and from assassins sent to kill them. Some of the weapons used by the warriors would be spears, swords and daggers amongst many others. Many of the ARAKAN kings were also Battle Kings taking the fight directly to the enemy.

The elite guard would protect the kings at all times. Within the castle walls they would blend themselves into the regular community so that would-be assassins would not identify them as a threat. Even amongst the regular warriors not all of the elite guards identities would be known, this helped to provide the king the maximum protection from betrayal. Many of the guards would be cooks, servants and other court aides to help conceal their presence. The elite guard would train as much as possible in an effort to defeat future enemies. Their intricate understanding of their techniques passed down from generation to generation made them formidable opponents.

Almost without exception a person would have to be born into the elite guard, only very rarely would an outsider be considered to join the ranks. For an outsider to join they would have to come to the attention of the elite as a baby and have a bloodline that met the harsh scrutiny of the warriors. Only then may an outsider be permitted to join.

As time marched forward many of the ARAKAN kings knew blood and death. Battles would be followed by peace then again would come the battles. This would continue until ARAKAN came under the control of Burma. This saw an end to the ARAKAN kings.


ARAKAN Martial Art has a direct lineage to the elite guards who fought to protect their kings and takes great honour in sharing these amazing skills with you.

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Arakan, coastal geographic region in southern Myammar (Burma). It comprises a long narrow strip of land along the eastern coast of the Bay of Bengal and stretches from the Naf estuary on the border of the Chittagong Hills area ( in Bangladesh) in the north to the Gwa River in the south. The Arakan region is about 400 miles (640 km) long from north to south and is about 90 miles (145 km) wide at its broadest. The Arakan Yoma, a range that forms the eastern boundary of the region, to some extent isolates it from the rest of southern Myanmar. The coast has several sizable offshore islands, including Cheduba and Ramree. The region's principal rivers are the Nafestuary and the Mayu, Kaladan, and Lemro rivers.

Only one-tenth of Arakan's generally hilly land is cultivated. Rice is the dominant crop in the delta areas, where most of the population is concentrated. Others crops include fruits, chilies, dhani (thatch), and tobacco. The natural hillside vegetation of evergreen forest has been destroyed over wide areas by shifting cultivation (slashing and burning to clear land for cultivation) and has been replaced by a useless tangle of bamboo.

The main towns are coastal and include Sittwe (Akyab), sandoway, Kyaukpyu, and Taungup. Long accessible only by sea, the Arakan region is now linked by air and road with the rest of the country. An all-weather road running through a pass in the Arakan Yoma connects Taungpu with Pye on the Irrawaddy River.


Arakan Mountain Range, Burmese ARAKAN YOMA, mountain arc in western Myanmar ( Burma), between the Arakan coast and the Irrawaddy River valley. The arc extends northward for about 600 miles (950 km) from Cape Negrais (Myanmar) to Manipur (India) and includes the Naga, Chin lushai, and Patkai hills. The mountain range itself is about 250 miles (400 km) long. Its highest point is Mount Victoria ( 10,150 feet [ 3,094 m]). Dividing the Arakan coast from the rest of Myanmar, the range historically has been a barrier between Myanmar and the Indian subcontinent. It functions as a climatic barrier, cutting off the southwestern monsoon rains from central Myanmar. Arakan Mountain Range is crossed by the An route to Ngape and Minbu and by an all-weather road from Taungup to Pye on the Irrawaddy.


Arakanese, member of a Myanmar (Burmese) ethnic group centred in the Arakan coastal region of southern Myanmar (Burma). The Arakanese are Buddhists of Myanmar stock and possess a dialect and customs of their own. Separated from the parent group in central Myanmar by the mountains of the Arakan Yoma, they trace their history to 2666 BC, have had a lineal succession of as many as 227 princes, and claim that their empire once extended across Myanmar into China and Bengal. Although history does not corroborate these claims, the Arakanese's nost sacred image of the Buddha, the huge Mahamuni statue (now in Mandalay), is alleged to predate the Pagan Kingdom (1044-1287) by a millennium. An independent Arakanese kingdom was probably established as early as the 4th century AD. The Mongols, Pegus, and Portuguese invaded Arakan at different times. Myanmar forces conquered the Arakanese kingdom, carried off the Mahamuni statue to Mandalay, and made Arakan a part of the Myanmar kingdom in 1785. As a province, Arakan was ceded to the British in 1826 by the Treaty of Yandabo. Arakan became independent from British rule in 1948 together with the rest of Myanmar. See also Mrohaung, Arakanese Kingdom of.

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