Karen are one of the major ethnic groups in Burma. They call themselves “Pa Ge Njaw” which translates to “the easy people” and many of them are situated in Karen State, which they call “Kaw Tho Lei”. It is often translated to “land of green ghost” or “land without evil”. After second world war, this area, together with other minority areas, were promised to be states of their own within a federal Burmese national system. The areas were marked on the map, but the agreement was never ratified. This was the start of a civil war going on until today where the Karen, in line with the Burmese population in general, have fought for their survival as much as their independence. After a calmer and more democratic period, starting in 2010, on February 1.st 2021, a new military coup threw the country back to a violent reality of civil war.
More about Karen and the history here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_people
Gyaw Gyaw’s projects are implemented in our own neighborhood, the rugged mountain range along the border. The mountains are covered with the subtropical rainforest and small hidden villages are scattered along both sides of the river.
It is in these small villages that we work.
The people who live here mostly survive from day to day on what the jungle can offer. They hunt and gather, but also have livestock and grow rice and vegetables for their own use. Rice is grown on terraces in the valley bottoms, as are vegetables such as cassava, maize, sugar cane and tobacco.
Traditional houses are structures on wooden stilts with bamboo floors and walls, and thatched roofs. As the villages become more permanent, some houses get steel roofs and elements of concrete are also added. Some have eventually also received small solar cells for private use, mainly used to charge their mobile phones.
There are three distinct seasons in the area: cold season, hot season, and rainy season.
From October to February the cold season reigns. The nights are cold, and the days are warm, the climate is drying following the humid rainy season. This season is a time of harvesting as all natural materials have completed their seasonal growth, have lower levels of sugar, and the insects are dormant.
From March to May marks the warmest period of time in the area. The landscape becomes dry and brown, and everything green withers. At the end of the season, blooming begins, the temperature sinks, and the insects begin to reproduce.
June marks the beginning of the rainy season. Summer storms with heavy rain and strong winds, the world comes alive. Up until September, everything turns green, and the nature becomes lush, and all living beings thrive.
