Part of the appeal of living in a big city is the opportunity to experience cultures and traditions outside of the average person’s background. Life in a mid-sized city means you sometimes have to look a little harder to find those cultural niches, but they’re still out there for the curious who seek them. 

Few events fit this mold better than the annual Fort Wayne celebration of Mon National Day, celebrating Southeast Asian Mon culture in the area more than 25 years.

Culture seekers can join the festivities on Sunday, Feb. 9, when Mon Youth Group hosts a celebration from 1-6 p.m. at University of Saint Francis’ North Campus Auditorium. 

Who are the Mon?

You can be forgiven if you have little familiarity with the Mon people. They represent an ancient ethnic group coming to us from Southeast Asia, predominantly Myanmar (once known as Burma) and Thailand. 

The history of the Mon stretches back to the earliest civilizations in the region and extends all the way to the tip of the Malay Peninsula. 

The Mon have long celebrated their National Day to commemorate the establishment of the Hanthawaddy Kingdom nearly 800 years ago. During the time of Kublai Khan and Marco Polo, the Mon people established their rule over much of what is now known as Myanmar. 

Their advances in irrigated rice agriculture helped the kingdom thrive more than 250 years. 

Modern Mon culture that spread out from its Asian roots has made a tradition of gathering to commemorate their history and acknowledge their part of the community they find themselves in. Wherever there are significant groups of Mon people, one can find annual National Day celebrations, with the exact date based on the lunar cycle.

Sharing culture

On Feb. 9, Mons in Fort Wayne will gather for an afternoon of fellowship, celebration, and education. 

Sharing their history and culture is a priority for the Mon who have settled in the Hoosier State. 

It’s an important part of keeping their culture alive among their younger generations. It’s also a way to share their perspective with the larger community they have settled in.

Visitors to this year’s celebration can look forward to traditional dance and music performances, along with lectures and speeches about Mon history and culture from experts within the Mon community and from outside it.

This gathering is also an opportunity for folks to show off traditional clothes. 

Mon tradition includes wearing the longyi, a cylindrical cloth worn cinched around the waist. Longyi can be as simple as cotton cloth or elaborate patterns on the most luxurious silk fabric. 

Mon National Day is a day to show off, so participants will be bringing their finest designs.

Like any ethnic festival, there will be food. 

Mons are traditionally very hospitable, and the Fort Wayne National Day will be no exception. 

Traditional food will be shared free to anyone who wants to join the celebration. The exact menu had not been released at press time, but it’s typically a Mon-style fried noodle dish with meat and veggies that will have Mons reminiscing about big family dinners and reward newcomers with a new and delicious taste experience.

Longtime Fort Wayne residents already know about the big cultural festivals downtown in the summer. They’re familiar, fun, and well-attended. 

But the curious and adventurous among us can’t resist the appeal of something new, something different, something you can brag to your co-workers about on a Monday. 

Make your way to Saint Francis on Feb. 9 to find just the thing, along with an awesome free lunch, at the Mon National Day celebration.