You-Me-We-Us: The Pwo Karen and Their Changing Art of Weaving
Karen weaving art
An attempt to record stories and customs around the Pwo Karen weaving art and to show the influence of the social, cultural and political changes in Thailand.
This documentary (see below) is part of the research work on the changes in weaving of the Pwo Karen group in the Tanao Sri Range in Suan Phueng District of Ratchaburi Province.
The Suan Phueng District is located on the Thailand/Myanmar border, 150 km west of Bangkok. This area has a population of 15.000 ethnic Karen, the highest number of any district in this province.
Despite coming to live in Thai territory 100 years ago, the Karen still have to adapt to modern society in order to keep up and be accepted. In addition, for security reasons, the Thai government strives for 'Thai becoming' in the sense that minorities adapt to standard Thai traditions and culture. And that is why many tradition-based Karen art and culture expressions have been diminished, modified or mixed with local Thai customs.
Although they have tried to adapt to survive in the changing circumstances, Karen people are still ridiculed and regularly labeled 'savage' for their Thai accent, their alternate Thai and Karen clothing or their habits, such as smoking or chewing betel.
The respect for Thai people of Karen descent seems to be too limited, just like their rights as citizens. Nevertheless, the 'being Karen' comes out clearly at every opportunity and in 'safe' places where they can be themselves, such as, for example, at the Karen New Year's Eve party or during Sunday Masses in the Catholic Church.
In addition, the Karen cultural features are hidden in daily life such as their fashion. Still, given the above factors, it is worrying that this culture will disappear if left unchecked.
The documentary 'Karen Textiles: The Changes through Time' is an attempt to record stories and habits of the Pwo Karen weaving art and to show the influence of the social, cultural and political changes in Thailand.
For the documentary with English subtitles see the site or this 15 minute film on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eRlFw3NiDo
Source: https://you-me-we-us.com/story-view Translation and editing Erik Kuijpers. The article has been shortened.
Text and documentary made by:
Nantana Boonla-or.
Lecturer and researcher at the Social and Cultural Innovation Lab of the School for Architecture and Design, King Mongkut's University of Technology, Thonburi, Thailand. Her specializations are research and design of handicrafts, as well as group activities for social and cultural innovations.
Teerapoj Teeropas.
Lecturer and researcher at the Social and Cultural Innovation Lab of the School for Architecture and Design, King Mongkut's University of Technology, Thonburi, Thailand.
Thanks again Eric.
You write: “Yet, given the above factors, it is worrying that this culture will disappear if left unchecked.”
In my opinion, the government is already intervening too much and those people should be left alone and have the same rights and obligations as all other Thai citizens.
What strikes and surprises me now: why is this population group with the name กะเหรี่ยง (Kàriàng) called Karen in English spelling and not something like Gariyaeng?
Theo B, that 'intervention' will have to come from the Karen community. It is their culture and their youth that must warm up to it. But that is an international problem: let a young person choose between a beautiful IPhone or a course in bobbin lace…
As far as the name 'Karen' is concerned, I found a link and saw that it is a corruption which, I presume, gained a foothold during the British rule. The vast majority of these people still live in Myanmar. This is the link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_people
Unfortunately, the word Karen is now also used for 'anti-vaccers' and women in other areas who are unruly in the USA…..