An interview about race and ethnicity in my country Bangladesh

Barua

I interviewed my friend Titu barua from Bangladesh. His race is Barua. And his ethnicity is Chittagong. Barua is a common Bengali Buddhist surname. The surname Barua is synonymous to the surname Buddhist. The surname Barua is associated with someone who is a good Buddhist as this surname belongs to people who hail from Chittagong Buddhists and predominantly associated with the Bangladesh Buddhist community. However, though less realized; now days it is the shared surname of an ethnic minority in Bangladesh, and a Hispanic surname. Bengali Baruas of West Bengal and Bangladesh are a distinct ethnic minority of 'Buddhist' origin who survived in the coastal areas of "Chittagong" as Buddhism declined in India between 13th and 19th century. Barua is the Proper Brahmin Identity Surnames. Even Barua and others with middle title or surname such as, Ram, Prasad, Ranjan, Krishnakant, Govind, and Chandra Barua mostly belong to these upper castes community.

Barua is the last name of Bengali speaking People who are almost exclusively Buddhist and are concentrated heavily in the Chittagong and nearby hill tracts of Bangladesh, who migrated to Rangoon, Calcutta and many other cities during British Raj as Chefs and restaurant owners. The plain Buddhists of Bangladesh known as the Burua-Buddhist are the ancient peoples of Bangladesh who have lived here for five thousand years according to Arakanese chronology. They insist that they came from the Aryavarta or the country of the Aryans which is practically identical to the country later known as the Majjhimadesh or Madhyadesh in Pali literature.

Bengali speaking Barua people of Chittagong are all Buddhist by religion. All the publications and articles for the history of Barua Buddhist community are partial snap-shot of different thoughts, ideas and perhaps based on the legendary story from ancestors but a solid research work based on archeological and historical background is still pending. This is where my friends’ race people live.

Social norms

Social norms are the behavioral expectations and cues within a society or group. Social norms of barua people are the followings.

To approach and speak with other people politely;

To learn about acts and science.

 To live in a suitable place;

To set oneself in the right course;

To get a well trained discipline;

To Supply the need for parents;

To give alms;                                   

To live a right way;       

To help relatives;

To go to see, listen and practice the doctrines of the Buddhist monks.

To respect all of the saints.

Barua Tradition

There are twelve months in the traditional Burmese Buddhist calendar and twelve corresponding festivals. Most of the festivals are related to Burmese Buddhism and in any town or village the local paya pwè (the pagoda festival) is the most important one.

The most well-known festival is Navavassa, a four-day celebration of the coming lunar new year. This festival is held prior to the bangali New Year (first day of chattaribbe, around 14 April). Similar to other Southeast Asian new year festivals. However, Navavassa has religious significance, marking the days in which Buddhists are expected to observe the Eight Precepts of Buddhism.

About Marriage, traditional Buddhist folklore considers love to be destiny, as the Hindu god Brahma writes one's destiny in love on a child's brow when he or she is six days old. A Barua wedding can be religious or secular and extravagant or simple. Traditionally, a marriage is recognized with or without a ceremony. Dowries are typically heard, and arranged marriage is a custom of the Barua people.

However, many Barua couples opt for more extravagant affairs. Generally speaking, Buddhist monks need to be present to conduct the wedding and solemnize the marriage. A more extravagant wedding requires months of preparation, including consultation with an astrologer in choosing the most auspicious time and setting of the event. Also, a master of ceremonies, typically an elder, is hired to preside over the ceremony. The bride and groom sit on cushions next to each other. At the beginning of the wedding, the elder blows a conch shell to commence the ceremony and then mother and father join the palms of the couple, wrap them in white cloth, and dip the joined palms in a silver bowl. After chanting a few pali suttas by the monks the elder takes the couple's joined palms out of the bowl and blows the conch shell to end the ceremony. Afterward, entertainers perform, and the wedding is ended with a speech by a guest of higher social standing. Wedding receptions at a hotel, serving tea and ice cream, are common in urban areas.

Barua Culture

Barua culture had to communicate with the Buddhism and the barua culture and tradition. In fact, the culture of Baruas has been heavily influenced by Buddhism and the Hindu people. Its neighbors, particularly India and Bangladesh, have made major contributions to Barua culture.

Social problems

All social problems also depend on responsible ones in Bangladesh. Sometimes, the Buddhist people, Christian, Islamist and Hindu fight each other without Loving-kindness due to their unknowledgeable ones and the dirty policy of some responsible ones.  In this way, some races fight each other even though they are the same religious ones as they have no religious useful knowledge.

However, in Bangladesh, some responsible foolish ones kill the Buddhist monks and people doing demonstration in Loving-kindness for all of the people in 2006. Even now, the people still face the Social problem from the foolish men. All responsible ones in the World, giving only oral-help for barua Social problem, are way from them.

Actually, they have no good way to realize their religion and they do not try hard to understand and practice the religious doctrine. Even if knowledgeable ones give good solution of the Social problem, they do not want to take them carefully. So, they still lose the solutions of Social problem. Without seeing whatever happens around us, we live with Muslim like brothers.