Karen in Australia: Keeping culture alive by weaving Karen traditional clothes (Final)

Maintaining culture and language is very important for the Karen ethnic group from Burma/Myanmar particularly when resettling to other foreign countries. Decades of civil wars in the country drove hundreds of thousands of Karen people to seek refuge in the neighboring country, Thailand. Life in refugee camps is no guarantee of a better future. The uncertainty pushed thousands of Karen refugees to resettle to third world countries after the year 2000s. Australia is one of the countries that accepted the Karen refugees. According to the 2016 Australian Bureau of Statistics – ABS report, more than 10,000 Karen are living in Australia, mostly in Melbourne. To be able to maintain the Karen traditional clothing, The Western Karen Elders Group is now creating a weaving project and teaching the younger generation how to make Karen traditional clothes. The project also supports those who are having difficulties finding jobs. …… Have a listen to the story final part.

A Karen woman weaving Karen traditional longyi on a loom machine. Source: Shah Paung/SBS Karen