A brief history of the Karen

It has been a long while traveling—I’ve lost track of time after a flight to Japan, another to Bangkok, a night’s sleep in the airport, and an early flight to another northern Thai city. From there I will meet with our partner that runs the orphanage, and after a truck ride, finally meet the kids that everyone has heard so much about.

But I’m not there yet, and in the meantime Ive been doing some reading: A Land Without Evil, by Benedict Rodgers. The book details the Karen people’s struggle in Burma, beginning with the foundations of their culture.

The Karen have a uniquely monotheistic background, oddly parallel to Judeo-Christianity. Their traditions go hundreds of years before the first missionaries and include a legend about a “golden book.” This book contained the truth of life and although they had lost it, a “white man” would return with it. They believed in one all-powerful God, called Y’wa, the creator of the universe. When he created man he gave him a “fruit of trial,” and told them not to eat it. Mu-kaw-lee, a servant of Y’wa who rebelled and became the devil, tempted the first humans:

Mu-kaw-lee deceived two persons
He caused them to eat the fruit of the tree of trial
They obeyed not; they believed not Y’wa
When they ate the fruit of trial,
They became subject to sickness, aging and death.

There are other striking parallels, causing some historians to suggest a connection to ancient Judaism. This strangely monotheistic belief was at odds with the larger Buddhist ethnic group called the Burman. [Burman is a term used to differentiate the majority ethnicity from other Burmese minority ethnicities, which are Karen, Karenni, Mon, Chin, and Shan among others.] Because of the Karen’s unique belief system, when Christian missionaries first came they found a ready audience. Adoniram Judson is counted as the first, reaching the Karens in 1828.

The history of these groups and the Burman people is important to understand the conflict today. The Karen, along with other minorities, sided with the British when they invaded Burma in the 1800’s. The Burman people didn’t forget this when the British left, and thus began a history of attacks and counter attacks until 1941 when the Japanese invaded Burma. The Burman people sided with the Japanese while the Karen joined with Britain against. The Japanese overran the resistance, and the Karen resorted to guerilla tactics. Some British officers stayed to train the Karen, and one in particular, Major Hugh Seagrim, lived for years narrowly evading the Japanese until finally being caught and executed. By 1944, the tide of power changed and Britain again invaded Burma. With the help of the Karen, they eliminated Japanese resistance in 1945. What followed is still not clear; some British officials promised the Karen a homeland while others deals were struck with the Burman. It is clear that within a few years, the Karen found themselves again under Burman rule. The Karen set up a resistance, and engaged in guerilla warfare that has continued to this day. I’ve got to run to catch the next flight—much more to say, but it will have to wait.