Rakhaing Marma

The Rakhaing Marma are a subgroup of the Marma people, who primarily reside in the Chittagong Hills region of Bangladesh. The Rakhaing Marma are distinct from the Jhumia Marma as they are more recent immigrants, having relocated from Arakan (present-day Rakhine State in Myanmar) in the late 18th century after their kingdom was conquered by the Burmese.1

While many Marma have adopted Bengali influences, the Rakhaing Marma in the southern Chittagong Hills region have maintained more distinct cultural practices. Their script, dress, and language are of Burmese origin, with their language being an Arakanese dialect. Their religion is animistic Buddhism. They traditionally lived in villages built on stream banks, with houses constructed on bamboo piles.1