Karen For the past two hundred years the Karen have been entering Thai territory from their indigenous home in the highlands of Burma as they flee from continual conflict with successive Burmese governments. Many Karen remain in Burma to fight the current junta with the dream of establishing their own independent state. The Karen have formed numerous guerilla groups whose efforts have brought the Karen to the attention of the international media. Most notable among these is the Karen Nationalist Union (KNU) and God's Army, the small band of guerillas once lead by eleven-year-old twins. Many Karen, however, choose to leave the bloodshed and cross the border into Thailand, accounting for the burgeoning Karen population in the northwestern provinces of Tak and Mae Hong Son. The majority of new immigrants live in enormous refugee settlements stretching for miles up and down the Burmese border.

Unlike many of the other hilltribes, the Karen have already adapted their agricultural practices for life amongst lowland Thais. The Karen farm a variety of rice,corn and cabbage, as well as raising pigs, chickens and cows. Their knowledge of stationary farming and prolonged residence in Thailand has allowed them to become a part of the Thai farming markets. The Karen are rare amongst the hilltribes in that they are not opium users and therefore do not grow the drug. A Thai public given to distrusting hilltribe people are more accepting of the Karen as a result.

The Karen in Mae Yao district live near the roads, have electricity, access to education, and go to work in the cities. In many ways the Karen are seen as the most "advanced" of the hilltribes by the Thais. Advanced in this sense could also mean assimilated. Certainly the concrete houses and modern amenities of the Karen villages in Mae Yao closely resemble Thai rural settlements in the area.To most appearances the Karen have become all but full integrated in northern Thai society.

The Karen in the Mae Yao area have by and large converted to Christianity, from a mixture of Buddhism and their own spirit-based beliefs. Yet while these factors have resulted in the inevitable loss of many traditions and cultural niceties the Karen have managed to avoid total blending with Thai culture and remain a distinct cultural influence. Due to the size of the Karen population, they do not experience the same fear of extinction suffered by less populous hilltribes, and therefore feel less constrained by adherence to ancient tradition. They are proud that they shall remain Karen despite their adaptations.

Though most Karens can speak Northern or Central Thai fluently, Karen is still the language spoken at home. Karen have developed a script using Burmese characters. There are two dialects of Karen, Sgaw and Pwo. Sgaw is spoken north of Tak province, while Pwo is spoken in Tak, Kanchanaburi and Ratchaburi provinces. Pwo speakers accounts for about 20% of all Karen speakers. The majority of Burmese Karen speak Sgaw. The two dialects are not necessarily mutually intelligible.

Many Karen still dress in traditional clothes, especially when going to church on Sundays. Traditional dress prescribes that unmarried women wear exclusively white, red is used heavily for the men's sleeveless shirts and the women's impressive skirts. Brown and black are also staple colors. There is, of course, a large variation in style and pattern of clothing among the Karen scattered over such a wide area.

Return to Main Page.