Karen or Kariang

The Karen are the largest hill tribe group in Thailand. They live in the forested mountains along the Thai-Burmese border. The Karen have tended to move slowly eastward into Thailand for over the last 200 years. The Karen in Thailand are divided into 2 subgroups: the Sako and the Po Karen. Anthropologists consider the Karen as a Tibeto-Burman speaking group. Karen settlements are located in valleys at lower altitude of around 500 meters above sea level. The Karen make their living out of growing paddy rice and vegetables and cyclical farming (back to the same land every 5-10 years); they also raise pigs, chicken, cattle and even elephants, for food, ceremonial offerings, for sale and for working. Family and kinship of the Karen is traced through the maternal line and choice of residence after marriage is matriarchal. The Karen is known for their monogamy, and their family structure is single. They used to have written language. Most of the Karen are animists, but some are Christians or Buddhists, depending on their relationships with neighboring communities, specially those of the lowlands. The Karen New Year celebration takes place in February.