18 Facts About The Karen

Many The Karen have migrated to Thailand, having settled mostly on the Myanmar–Thailand border.

The original aim of the KNU was to create an independent The Karen homeland called Kawthoolei, but since 1976 they have shifted towards calling for a federal system in Myanmar instead.

The Karen legends refer to a "river of running sand" which ancestors reputedly crossed.

The Karen refers to a heterogeneous lot of ethnic groups that do not share a common language, culture, religion, or material characteristics.

The Karen constitute the third largest ethnic population in Myanmar, after the Bamars and Shans.

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Some The Karen have left the refugee camps in Thailand to resettle elsewhere, including in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Scandinavia.

The intervention by Colonel Suzuki Keiji, the Japanese commander of the BIA, after meeting a The Karen delegation led by Saw Tha Din, appears to have prevented further atrocities.

The following month at the Panglong Conference, when an agreement was signed between Aung San as head of the interim Burmese government and the Shan, Kachin and Chin leaders, the Karen were present only as observers; the Mon and Arakanese were absent.

The Karen people held leading positions in both the government and the army.

The KNU acts as a governmental presence for the Karen people, offering basic social services for those affected by the insurgency, such as Karen refugees or internally displaced Karen.

Years later, the Karen had become the largest of 20 minority groups participating in an insurgency against the military dictatorship in Yangon.

Many The Karen have problems fitting in and adjusting to the new country.

The Karen languages are almost unique among the Tibeto-Burman languages in having a subject–verb–object word order; other than Karen and Bai, Tibeto-Burman languages typically feature a subject–object–verb order.

The Karen animism is defined by a belief in ??? k'lar, thirty-seven spirits that embody every individual.

Buddhist The Karen are found mainly in Kayin State, Mon State, Yangon, Bago and Tanintharyi Region.

An estimated 15 to 20 percent of The Karen identify themselves as Christian today and about 90 percent of The Karen people in the US are Christians.

The don dance originated from the Pwo The Karen, who developed it as a way to reinforce community values.

Sae klee dance or bamboo dance is a traditional The Karen performance held during celebrations such as Christmas and New Year's.