Western Karen in Myanmar (Burma)


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Identity

With a population in excess of a quarter million, the Western Kayah are the largest ethnic group in Kayah State in eastern Myanmar. One source states, 'Myanmar's Kayah State sits on its eastern border with Thailand, directly opposite Mae Hong Son Province. The entire state is consumed by a range of mountains that stretch the length of the eastern section of the country, varying in elevation from 3,000 to 8,000 feet within the Kayah State itself. Two major rivers, the Nampawn and the mighty Salween, run on a north-south route through the area, and have served as geographical landmarks throughout the fierce fighting which has raged here for over 20 years. The majority of the population lives in the military occupied towns and villages of the western third of the state and along the rebel borderlands near Thailand as IDPs (Internally Displaced Peoples). The entire state is off-limits to foreigners.' The main centre for the Kayah people is the town of Loikaw in north-western Kayah State.

An additional 20,000 Western Kayah refugees are presently stuck in refugee camps across the border in Thailand. Large numbers started fleeing Myanmar in the early 1990s, escaping the war between the Burmese military and the KNPP (Karenni National Progressive Party), an anti-government faction operating in the Kayah State. Numerous horrific human rights abuses such as genocide and mass rape have been committed against the Kayah people by Burmese soldiers. Many Kayah are always on the move, travelling just ahead of the war parties from one location to another. The Kayah are an 'often confused or misunderstood group of people. They are regularly confused with the term Karenni, a blanket term used to cover all groups living within the Kayah State of eastern Myanmar. Karenni can include the Padaung, Sgaw Karen, Kayah, and a couple of other small groups.... The true Kayah live primarily in the northern half of the State, and speak their own language, though most also speak Sgaw Karen.' The Kayah are also called by the nickname Red Karen because of their brightly-coloured red head-cloths and shawls.

The Western Kayah speak a different language from the Eastern Kayah, a group of about 70,000 who live in eastern Kayah State and in Thailand. Speakers of Eastern Kayah 'have difficulty understanding Western Kayah of Myanmar '. The Eastern Kayah have not been included in this book since only a minority believe in Buddhism.


Religion

The Western Kayah are 'primarily Buddhist in name, though there are very strong animistic characteristics woven throughout their belief system. They observe Buddhist rituals and make periodic visits to pagodas and monasteries, but almost all villages participate in spirit worship, paying homage to the nats, or other spirits. '


Christianity

Because Kayah State is completely off-limits to foreigners, it is difficult to gauge the number of Christians among the Western Kayah today, though the number is small and not likely to exceed one or two per cent of the population. Perhaps a thousand of the Western Kayah refugees in Thailand have turned to Christ, the result of practical love and evangelism by Karen Christian refugees and foreign missionaries.


Prayer Points

Scripture Prayers for the Karen, Kayah Western in Myanmar (Burma).


Profile Source:   Peoples of the Buddhist World, Asia Harvest  Copyrighted ©   Used with permission  

The Kayah

Source:  Asia Harvest      Download

People Name General Karen, Kayah Western
People Name in Country Karen, Kayah Western
Natural Name Western Karen
Alternate Names Darieng Daeng; Karenni; Karieng Daeng; Karrenyi; Kayah; Kayah Li; Red Karen; Western Karen; Yang Deang
Population this Country 162,000
Population all Countries 185,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 5
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
People ID 12587
ROP3 Code 104775
ROP25 Code 303839
ROP25 Name Kayah
Country Myanmar (Burma)
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 17  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Kayah state and Kayin state: east of Thanlwin river; Shan state: Pekon township south. Shan state: north of Loikaw (northern dialect); Dimawso and Hpruso townships south of Loikaw (southern dialect).   Source:  Ethnologue 2023
Country Myanmar (Burma)
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 17  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Kayah state and Kayin state: east of Thanlwin river; Shan state: Pekon township south. Shan state: north of Loikaw (northern dialect); Dimawso and Hpruso townships south of Loikaw (southern dialect)..   Source:  Ethnologue 2023
Primary Religion: Buddhism
Religion Subdivision: Theravada
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
50.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 20.00 %)
28.00 %
Ethnic Religions
22.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Kayah, Western
Language Code kyu   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
Kayah, Eastern
Primary Language Kayah, Western
Language Code kyu   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
  Kayah, Eastern
People Groups Speaking Kayah, Western

Primary Language:  Kayah, Western

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (2008)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (2009-2016)
Bible-Complete No
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Kayah, Western Jesus Film Project
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Kayah, Western YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Bible app direct APK download SIL
Mobile App Bible app direct APK download SIL
Mobile App Bible app direct APK download SIL
Mobile App Bible app direct APK download SIL
Mobile App Bible app direct APK download SIL
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Kayah, Western YouVersion Bibles
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Peoples of the Buddhist World, Asia Harvest  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source Anonymous  
Video Source Asia Harvest
Profile Source Peoples of the Buddhist World, Asia Harvest  Copyrighted ©  Used with permission 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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