In each and every wards and villages in Myanmar, there is someone who is living as a masseur. Most of those masseur is in old age, and if you trace back their family, their ancestors were also acting as a masseur for their living. People call those masseur as “A Hnate Thae” . They are providing Myanmar traditional massage to surrounding community.
Based on the location, their massage techniques is quite difference. These techniques have been passed down from generation to generation in their family. And also Myanmar traditional massage technique is largely influenced by neighboring countries. If you get massage in Eastern Shan state, you will feel massage similar to Thai massage, if you get message in Chin state, it will be similar to India techniques with yoga style movements.
Myanmar traditional massage usually starts with soft pressure on upper part of the body and ends with legs. It main focus is to stretch and relax the muscles.
Myanmar traditional massage mainly use fingers, elbows and feet to give pressure on the muscles, especially to the point where muscles attached to the bones. The concept behind this is to stimulate the energy forces and to regulate blood flow which built up in the body as toxins.
Myanmar traditional massage doesn’t involve applying oil and creams to the body, but sometimes they use Thanakha treatment. You will not have this experience with ordinary masseur.
Thanakha Treatment
Thanakha treatment is quite aggressive, you have to take off all the clothes. Your whole body will be applied with Thankha fluid. Then you will have to sit under then cloth sheet (mostly longyi) for 5 or 10 minutes. During this time, you will feel likes evaporation from your body. After this, you will feel great.