The celebrationthat started on March 26 attracted 10,000 people who came out to enjoy the important 3-day long event that promotes Ta’ang culture and only happens every 4 years. The celebration is held to increase awareness of Ta’ang literature and culture, according to Tha Win Kyaw, a member of the Ta’ang Literature and Culture Organization and the main organizer of the celebration.

Preservation of the Ta’ang culture and building unity were the main topics discussed during the conference. Several attendees highlighted the importance of Ta’ang literature, and how there has been a resurgence of ethnic pride.

Tha Win Kyaw commented that it has been 40 years since the first conference was started. Tha Paul Sanis credited for organizing the first one back in 1972. It was during this timethat the Samlong language, one of the two main languages for Ta’ang (the other being Rumai), became the accepted form for most of the literature for the ethnic group.

During the colonization period, the Ta’ang people fought against outside forces and also struggled for partial-autonomy. Ta’ang leaders Taung-Paing Saw Bwa Khun Pan Sein collaborated with General Aung San. In 1946, the Palaung Nationalities United League was formed, but was later abolished by the Revolutionary Council of the military regime in 1962.

The Palaung State Liberation Party (PSLP) took up the cause in 1963 to continue the struggle for equal rights. The PSLP formed the military wing the Palaung National Force (PNF) on January 12 of the same year.  During this time, the PSLPPresident Tha Eik Phone assigned Samlong as the dominant language for the ethnic group’s literature; it’s a tradition that is still followed by most Ta’ang.

In 1976, the PNFreformed into the Palaung State Liberation Army (PSLA) under the leadership of Chairperson Tar Khon Taungto organizean armed revolution against the government,and defend the southern parts of Palaung regions in northern Shan state.

The PSLP entered into a ceasefire with the Myanmar regime led by Gen Than Shwe in 1991.

After the abolition of the PSLA, former party members started the Ta’ang National Party (TNP) and won 6 seats in the parliament during the 2010 election.