The Karen: Torn Between Two Lands

This summer I had the opportunity to go to Thailand for a community service trip. We went to a small village in northern Thailand situated near the Burmese-Thai border. This village is inhabited mostly by the Karen people, an indigenous Burmese tribe that belonged to the Golden Triangle. The aim of our trip was to help build a small library for the village school. When I first arrived, I didn't know what to expect because I've never really been to a village before. To reach our destination, we had to take a 7 hour flight from Doha to Bangkok and then an hour flight from Bangkok to Chiang Mai and then a 10 hour drive to the lodge next to the village. The lodge itself was an hour away from the village.





Unlike many of the Mexicans living in the United States as illegal immigrants, although ethnically Burmese, the Karen people of northern Thailand are legal citizens and are issued Thai identities. Similar to the Mexicans who fled their homeland due to economic and personal hardships, the Karen fled Burma to escape conflict occurring between them and the Burmese government, creating a serious internal conflict. Many of these issues are a cause of differences in religious affiliation and political opinion. However, because of these social, economical and political setbacks many of them have formed their own subculture within an already existing Thai culture, yet maintaining their Karen identity.





In the same way the majority of Mexicans in the U.S. belong to the proletariat class, performing all the unwanted jobs that provide no benefits and very little pay, the Karen find themselves in the same situation, working for the bourgeoisie that live mostly in the cities. They also depend heavily on tourism and rely on tourists and visitors purchasing their hand made products. It is undeniable that the presence of Mexicans adds a richness to American culture, history and society. Likewise, this latent function is also visible with the Karen, being a minority in Thailand, they have contributed to enhancing Thai culture and creating social interactions between each other.





From a sociological point of view we see how cultural diffusion exists within the Karen society. I was surprised to find out that they do many of the things that we do despite the difference in environments. For example, there was a proper children's playground in the village that had swings, slides and other games and there was even a football field with a goal post and everything. It may seem that they're so far from civilization but we see how ideas can spread from one society and diffuse quickly into another.




Furthermore, despite their efforts to maintain their own identity it is evident that the Karen have undergone socialization and internalization. They are socialized in the sense that they learn skills and attain norms that allow them to function and adapt to their environment. For instance, I was not used to being exposed to so many different insects all at once, however the children there would chase them play with them and even touch them! The boys there learn how to hunt and fish, while the girls learn how to sew. Although ethnically they are not Thai, I found that they speak Thai but with a different dialect and adhere to Buddhism like the majority of Thais. I noticed that even in their homes and schools they have pictures of the Thai King. They have internalized themselves into Thai society.

Bedouin Culture - The Modern Version

Bedouins have existed for over 1000 years, however over time the exact meaning of Bedouin changed. According to the dictionary they're described as wanderers or rovers, basically people who don't live in a specific place and instead move around depending on the resources available in the place. This may have been true before when they'd change an area once the food was running out or other factors that may make living there harder. However, with all the changes that have happened in the past 60 years or so that has changed. Most Bedouin tribes now live at a set place, in homes just like us. Therefore, some may say Bedouins are no more. However, that is far from true as being a Bedouin is more than what the dictionary makes it out to be Bedouins have their own culture with their own sets of norms, beliefs and traditions. That is what defines them and not whether they wander or migrate.

Bedouins are a prominent group in Qatar and most of the Arab world, including Palestine/Israel, Most of these Bedouins have the same norms, beliefs and traditions. For example, tribes are still very important in Bedouin culture, and the relationships between these tribes can be good or bad depending on the history. For example, if two tribes are not in good terms with one another it is taboo for a women from one tribe to marry a man from the other tribe. On the other hand, a more would be if two tribes have a good relationship and if a man from one tribe is looking to get engaged to a women from the other tribe, to reject that man is seen as an insult and tribal relationship will turn from good to bad instantly.

Whats most interesting is how Bedouins kept their culture intact while still accepting the change that comes from the outside. For example, Bedouins used to live in tents, however, in order to better their living conditions they now live in houses but keep the tent feel to it by keeping the design inside similar to that of a tent or in some cases include a chimney. Another interesting thing is how they've kept their foods the same as they have been in the past. The foods and remedies they would take from the desert, because it was the only thing available, is still what they mostly eat, outside of the weekend McDonalds or KFC. These foods include

camel milk, a kind of truffle called Fagah ( فقع), camel and sheep meat and arabic coffee and if possible all prepared on a fire like the one above. Bedouins have not strayed too far from the desert. On any free day, with no work, they are always at the desert in their tents.

Bedouins, have many traditions and sports that they take part in. Football (soccer) is one however the traditional ones are hunting, with falcons and dogs, and searching for Fagah.

Hunting is a very popular sport and people take pride in having a well trained falcon or dog. Having one's own falcon or dog is a rite of passage for young guys almost as important as getting their first Nintendo. While hunting, in the past people would follow them on camels or on foot, now however each person is equipped with a Land Cruiser to follow the dogs and falcons.

Meanwhile, searching for Fagah, while done by the whole family, is seen as a form of competition for kids. Who can find the biggest one. these two sports like many Bedouin traditions have diffused into Qatari culture as even I remember competing with my cousins on who could find the biggest Fagah or going hunting with my Father.

Interestingly, the biggest change is the use of the camel. The camel, called the ship of the desert in arabic, is what helped people live in the desert before. It provided transportation and food. However, transportation has now shifted from the old ship of the desert to the new ship of the desert, the Land Cruiser. Land Cruisers are a must have in the Bedouin Culture as it provides easy, safe transport through the desert and is much faster than a camel.

In conclusion, Bedouin Culture is a very dominant culture in the Arab world, even diffusing into the country's culture, while the world has changed and Bedouin life has evolved with it, the core beliefs, norms and traditions have stayed the same.