Karen people

E32254

The Karen people are an ethnolinguistic group from Myanmar and Thailand, known for their distinct languages, cultural traditions, and long history of political struggle and displacement.


Statements (64)

Predicate Object
instanceOf ethnic group
ethnolinguistic group
indigenous people
armedWing Karen National Liberation Army
borderRegionPresence Thai–Myanmar border
continent Asia
countryOfOrigin Myanmar
Thailand
culturalIdentity distinct from Bamar majority in Myanmar
distinct from Thai majority in Thailand
culturalPractice animist rituals
distinctive musical traditions
elaborate silver jewelry
oral storytelling
weaving of traditional textiles
demographicStatusInMyanmar one of the largest ethnic minorities in Myanmar
diaspora Australia
Canada
Norway
Sweden
Thailand
United Kingdom
United States of America
surface form: United States
historicalEvent Karen insurgency in Myanmar
displacement due to civil war in Myanmar
refugee flows to Thailand
language Pa’O language
Pwo Karen language
Sgaw Karen language
languageFamily Sino-Tibetan languages
languageGroup Karenic languages
majorPopulationCenter Chiang Mai
surface form: Chiang Mai Province

Karen State
Mae Hong Son Province
Mon State
Tak Province
Tenasserim
surface form: Tanintharyi Region
notableCulturalRegion Hpa-an area
Thandaunggyi area
politicalOrganization Karen National Union
politicalStruggle autonomy in Myanmar
self-determination
primaryRegion Southeast Asia
refugeeStatus protracted refugee population in Thailand
religion Animism
Buddhism
Christianity
Spirit worship
scriptUsage Latin-based Karen script
Myanmar script for Karen languages
subgroup Bwe Karen people
Kayah people
Kayah people
surface form: Kayin people

Sgaw Karen people
surface form: Pa’O people

Pwo Karen people
Sgaw Karen people
traditionalClothing handwoven tunics
striped cotton garments
traditionalHousing stilt houses
traditionalLivelihood animal husbandry
rice farming
shifting cultivation
subsistence agriculture
weaving

Referenced by (6)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Cynthia Maung ethnicGroup Karen people
Karen State ethnicGroup Karen people
Mae Sot hasSignificantCommunity Karen people
Shan Hills inhabitedBy Karen people
Sino-Tibetan languages spokenBy Karen people