Karen Culture
Introduction:
The Karen people are an ethnic group living in South-East Asia with their own distinct languages and culture. More than 140,000 Karen refugees have fled to Thailand to escape war and human rights abuses. In 1997 Burmese Army General Maung Aye walked on a Karen flag andannounced that “in twenty years you will only be able to find Karen people in a museum”.
A Brief History:
From 1824-1885 the British occupied Burma and destroyed the Burman monarchy. For Burma’s ethnic minority groups, colonization by the British meant liberation from oppressive rule. Fast forward to World War II when the Burmese Independence Army (BIA) was founded with support from the Japanese. When Burma was occupied by the Japanese the BIA carried out many atrocities against the Karen. In many Karen areas the BIA massacred entire Karen villages, where even women and children were affected by the abuse. Despite the atrocities, the Karen consistently supported the British, fighting in small guerrilla units against the BIA and Japanese Army. After World War II, the British granted independence to Burma. However, with this new freedom, the minority ethnic groups were not equal. Heading into the future, Burma could not supply all that its country needed based on the military economy they had chosen. This led to imports being smuggled into the country. The Karen National Union quickly became rich through its use of imported goods and in addition to using the new revenue to purchase weapons, they also built schools. Eventually in 1988, there was a struggle for democracy which led to many deaths. In 2003, a power struggle occurred and the Burmese army lifted its ceasefire, making it quite clear that Karen refugees living in Thailand were not accepted back in Burma. With all of the political ups and downs, there is still strife within the country today where forced labor and destruction still occur among the Karen people.
Flag, Clothes, & More:
The Karen flag is red, blue, and white, which represents bravery, purity, and honesty. Traditionally, the Karen people wear a sarong and sleeveless shirt and depending on your gender, you will tie these in a different way. Aw mee wee lee ar – “Have you finished eating?” Many meals in the Karen culture feature rice with some type of meat like pork and possibly some stir fried vegetables. However, a common meal in a refugee camp may not be as lavish. The people there may eat a small bowl of rice, some vegetables, and fish paste. The Karen born in Burma may eat with their right hand, while those who lived in Thailand perhaps in a camp will have been exposed to eating with a spoon. In addition to all of the above, it is important to know that the Karen people put a high value on education, however in Syracuse, you may run into many SIFE students who due to having to flee or growing up in camps, their education has been interrupted.
For more in depth information, please visit:
http://www.karen.org.au/docs/Karen_people_booklet.pdf
The Karen people are an ethnic group living in South-East Asia with their own distinct languages and culture. More than 140,000 Karen refugees have fled to Thailand to escape war and human rights abuses. In 1997 Burmese Army General Maung Aye walked on a Karen flag andannounced that “in twenty years you will only be able to find Karen people in a museum”.
A Brief History:
From 1824-1885 the British occupied Burma and destroyed the Burman monarchy. For Burma’s ethnic minority groups, colonization by the British meant liberation from oppressive rule. Fast forward to World War II when the Burmese Independence Army (BIA) was founded with support from the Japanese. When Burma was occupied by the Japanese the BIA carried out many atrocities against the Karen. In many Karen areas the BIA massacred entire Karen villages, where even women and children were affected by the abuse. Despite the atrocities, the Karen consistently supported the British, fighting in small guerrilla units against the BIA and Japanese Army. After World War II, the British granted independence to Burma. However, with this new freedom, the minority ethnic groups were not equal. Heading into the future, Burma could not supply all that its country needed based on the military economy they had chosen. This led to imports being smuggled into the country. The Karen National Union quickly became rich through its use of imported goods and in addition to using the new revenue to purchase weapons, they also built schools. Eventually in 1988, there was a struggle for democracy which led to many deaths. In 2003, a power struggle occurred and the Burmese army lifted its ceasefire, making it quite clear that Karen refugees living in Thailand were not accepted back in Burma. With all of the political ups and downs, there is still strife within the country today where forced labor and destruction still occur among the Karen people.
Flag, Clothes, & More:
The Karen flag is red, blue, and white, which represents bravery, purity, and honesty. Traditionally, the Karen people wear a sarong and sleeveless shirt and depending on your gender, you will tie these in a different way. Aw mee wee lee ar – “Have you finished eating?” Many meals in the Karen culture feature rice with some type of meat like pork and possibly some stir fried vegetables. However, a common meal in a refugee camp may not be as lavish. The people there may eat a small bowl of rice, some vegetables, and fish paste. The Karen born in Burma may eat with their right hand, while those who lived in Thailand perhaps in a camp will have been exposed to eating with a spoon. In addition to all of the above, it is important to know that the Karen people put a high value on education, however in Syracuse, you may run into many SIFE students who due to having to flee or growing up in camps, their education has been interrupted.
For more in depth information, please visit:
http://www.karen.org.au/docs/Karen_people_booklet.pdf