Karen is one of the mountain tribes living in Thailand on the hilly terrain of northern Thailand. This tribe lives in parts of Myanmar. The Karen people moved to Thailand in the 17th century. There are two main subgroups in Karen: Skaw and Pwo. About 280,000 Karen live on the hills of Thailand.
Karen lives in bamboo houses that have been lifted on piles and have the benefit of raising pets such as pigs, buffalo and chickens. Swedish agriculture and rice fields are irrigated. All of Karen's family members live under one roof. Parents are married and married children can live together. The village priest has the highest authority to run the village along with the elders.
Karen women are known for their weaving skills. They wear clothes that are hand-woven on the back straps. Each group has its own dress style. Unmarried girls wear blouses with loose white water, while married women wear blouses and skirts in thick colors, usually blue and red. Karen men produce musical instruments and tobacco pipes and sell them in the towns of the Great Plain.
Most Karen people are animists who believe in supernatural elements. They provide rituals to the gods of earth and water. They also believe that spirits live in rocks, trees, and mountains. Karen tries to live in harmony with nature and think that the caring spirits help them in harmonious life.
Source by Pauline Go