Karen

Karen

Any member of a variety of tribal peoples of southern Myanmar (Burma). Constituting the second largest minority in Myanmar, the Karen are not a unitary group in any ethnic sense, as they differ among themselves linguistically, religiously, and economically. Rather, they have defined themselves in terms of their common distrust of political domination by Myanmar, which has persisted since the country attained independence in 1948.

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Karen 

a people living in southeastern Burma (approximately 2.4 million persons; 1970 estimate) and western Thailand (more than 100, 000).

Significant vestiges of tribal division have been retained among the Karen; the principal groups are the Sgaw, the Pwo, and the Bghai. The dialects and customs of the groups differ sharply from one another. The Karen language is a member of the Tibe-to-Burman branch of the Sino-Tibetan family. Buddhism, Christianity (in particular, Baptists), and ancient animistic beliefs are widespread among the Karen. The Karen have an autonomous national state (Kawthule State) in the Union of Burma, but the majority live outside its boundaries (in the Irrawaddy Delta). The chief occupation of the Karen is farming (rice, beans, cotton, tobacco, fruits, and vegetables).

REFERENCES

Narody lugo- Vostochnoi Azii. Moscow, 1966. Pages 350–53. Birmanskii soiuz. Moscow, 1958. (Collection.)
Marshall, H. I. The Karens of Burma. London, 1945.