The primary challenge for Myanmar`s nation-building is whether ethnic minorities can accept an overarching national identity, a difficult task evidenced by long-running ethnic insurgencies. With a nationwide ceasefire with ethnic armed groups in sight, creating a national identity has become an ever more pressing issue. This study goes back in time and examines mass-level minority attitudes toward national identity in non-conflict zones of pre-reform Myanmar. Preliminary survey data collected in Yangon in 2002-2003 suggest that although ethnic identity was strong, minorities there had developed positive attitudes toward the national identity, which contradicts the prevailing idea about minority identity development in Myanmar at that time. The results also show that positive interethnic contact was associated with national identification despite strong ethnic consciousness and feelings of alienation. This suggests that minority identities were indeed more complex than commonly thought and promoting intergroup solidarity will be important for achieving Myanmar`s national reconciliation.