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The Karen also known as the Kayin, Kariang or Kawthoolese, are an ethnolinguistic group of Tibeto-Burman language-speaking people from Burma (Myanmar). Karen groups reside primarily in Kayin State, southern and southeastern Myanmar. Many Karen have migrated to Thailand, having settled mostly on the Myanmar–Thailand border.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_people

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According to their mission statement, Karen Organization of Minnesota's purpose is, "Building on the strengths of refugee and immigrant communities and removing barriers to achieving economic, social, and cultural wellbeing." They provide a deep pool of resources and opportunities for Karen families in Minnesota. Some of these resources contain interpreters, other organizations, businesses, religious centers, language support and more. They also promote the following 5 services: Employment, Social, Youth Development, Community Health, and Walk-ins. Each has their own set of extensive subtopics. They even have history sections for any other groups to learn about the Karen's history.

The mn.gov website directly links the Karen Organization of Minnesota website as it's primary resource for information. This is a great place to find almost anything you could need if part of the community.

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KOM Has a New Mission Statement!
To build on the strengths of refugee and immigrant communities and remove barriers to achieving economic, social, and cultural wellbeing.
Job Openings

We have 4 new job openings here!

Events

December 15th, 11:00am - 12:30pm: Karen Culture Presentation Online!

December 22nd - 25th, 2023: KOM Office Closed

December 30th - 31st, 2023: 2763 Karen New Year Celebration

January 1st, 2024: KOM Office Closed

New Walk-In Hours

Monday: 9:00am - 3:30pm (lunch break from 12:00 - 12:30pm)
Thursday: 9:00am - 3:30pm (lunch break from 12:00 - 12:30pm)

Check our Facebook page for other immediate updates and information.

Your donation will help us continue to provide immediate assistance as well as ongoing support to refugee and immigrant adults, youth, and families in Minnesota.

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Building on the strengths of refugee and immigrant communities and removing barriers to achieving economic, social, and cultural wellbeing.

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Grocery Stores

Karen Groceries, Inc – 162 W Pennsylvania Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55103

Shwe Karen Market & Deli – 230 Front Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55117

Kwe Ka Baung Grocery – 1133 Rice St, Saint Paul, MN 55117

Mae La Grocery, Inc – 1101 Rice St North, St Paul, MN 55117

Kyaw Karen Market: Asian Grocery & Deli – 945 Rice Street Suite D, Saint Paul, MN 55117

Pu Taw Mel Pa Grocery – 946 Rice St, Saint Paul, MN 55117

Karen & Hmong Market – 1648 Rice St, Saint Paul, MN 55117

Karen and Nepali Foods – 160 Larpenteur Ave W Saint Paul, MN 55113

Karen Village Inc – 2150 McMenemy Street, Maplewood, MN 55117

Salween Grocery – 1543 Payne Ave #102, Saint Paul, MN 55130

Little Burma Grocery – 1234 Payne Ave, Saint Paul, MN 55130

Original Karen Market & Deli – 1377 Arcade St, Saint Paul, MN 55106

Karen Family Asian Market – 991 Arcade St, Saint Paul, MN 55106

Peaceful Land Grocery – 924 Arcade St, Saint Paul, MN 55106

Karen Market – 814 White Bear Ave, St Paul, MN 55106

Karen Asian Market LLC – 2007 E Main St, Albert Lea, MN 56007

Restaurants

Karen Thai Food – 300 Larpenteur Ave E, Saint Paul, MN 55117

Friends Café – 1711 Rice St, Saint Paul, MN 55113

Asian Fusion Kitchen – 1700 Rice Street, Suite G, Saint Paul MN 55113

I Love Pad Thai – 2900 Rice Street, Suite 360, Little Canada, MN 55113

Nan Mu Htoo Deli – 1377 Arcade St, St Paul, MN 55106 (previously called Original Karen Market)

Kyaw Karen Market: Asian Grocery & Deli – 945 Rice Street Suite D, Saint Paul, MN 55117

Karen Asian Thai Food LLC – 12621 Nicollet Ave, Burnsville, MN 55337

Mandalay Kitchen – 383 University Ave W, St Paul, MN 55103

Auto Shops

SKD Auto Tek – 80 Cottage Ave W, Saint Paul, MN 55117

Knyaw Auto Repair, LLP – 1735 Van Dyke St, Maplewood, MN 55109

All information from mnkaren.org

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It is estimated the Karen people migrated to Burma ~2000 years ago from areas like Tibet and China.

https://mnkaren.org/history-culture/karen-history/

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Karen History - Karen Organization of Minnesota

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Migration to Burma There are few written records of the Karen origin story. The Karen people began to inhabit what eventually became Burma about two […]

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The main types of the Karen languages are S’gaw Karen, Western Pwo Karen and Eastern Pwo Karen. S’gaw is spoken by over one million people in Burma, and Thailand.

https://mnkaren.org/history-culture/karen-culture/communication/#:~:text=The%20Karen%20languages%20are%20comprised,Karen%20and%20Eastern%20Pwo%20Karen.

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The Sound of the Eastern Sgaw Karen language (Numbers, Greetings, Words & Sample Text)

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Known religious beliefs of the Karen: Animism, Buddhism, Christianity, the Lehkai, and Telahkon. The first three make up the majority.

https://ethnomed.org/culture/karen/

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Integrating cultural information into clinical practice

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During WWII, the Karen sided with the British and the Burmans with the Japanese with the promise of independence for the Karen from Burma after the war. This promise went unfulfilled.

https://ethnomed.org/culture/karen/#history-and-politics

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Integrating cultural information into clinical practice

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The Karen people have been involved in one of the world's longest-running civil wars, fighting for autonomy and recognition from the Burmese since 1948.

https://mnkaren.org/history-culture/karen-history/

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To escape the conflict, many Karen flee as refugees to other countries. Minnesota became a significant resettlement location for Karen refugees starting in the early 2000s, due to its strong support services and existing Southeast Asian communities.

https://mnkaren.org/history-culture/karen-history/

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The Karen languages are written using the Karen script which is derived from the Burmese script.

https://www.drumpublications.org/speakkaren1.php

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Booklet of basic phrases in S'gaw Karen and English. Includes audio file to practice pronunciation.

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Website created by independent Karen community-based organization providing education of the cultures in Burma. Includes bookstore, educational materials, videos, links, and more for the education of Karen people and those interested in the Karen language.

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Established in 1998, the Group has published educational materials in Burmese, English and Sgaw Karen languages and distributed them free of charge to schools, libraries and centers of education within Burma and along the Thai / Burmese border. Our current catalogue includes over 200 titles and well over 500,000 copies of Drum materials have been distributed to the target group to date.

The Drum website aims to provide Karen people and all those interested in Karen language, access to Drum's educational materials and includes a collection of downloadable Karen language materials as well as the group's on line Drum Reference Of Karen Language Database. Hard copies of select Drum publications are also available to purchase on line with all proceeds going to support our work.

In addition to Karen language materials, this site is intended to help provide information and raise awareness of the richly diverse histories, cultures and backgrounds of the peoples of Burma and the plight they have suffered for far too long. To learn more about Drum, see the Drum donors page and any comments, esquires or offers of support would be most welcome.(see contact us)

Drum Activities

Educational materials Drum publishes a wide variety of educational materials in Sgaw Karen and Burmese languages suitable for all ages from pre-school to vocational training level. Along with more general topics, special emphasis is placed on producing publications which include traditional knowledge and cultural aspects. The
current catalogue contains over 200 publications.

Bilingual Dictionary Development
An English - Sgaw Karen Dictionary is continually being expanded which includes over 25,000 English head words with their translations and or definition in Sgaw Karen.

Mission Statement

The Drum Publication Group was founded in May 1998. The goal of the Drum Publication Group is to promote literature in both Karen and Burmese languages with the overall objectives of developing education for Burmese people wherever they might reside.

The Group wishes to establish contact with as many other groups and individuals as possible who are involved in literature and education, and to be involved in all aspects of literacy development and the ensuing work of printing suitable books and teaching aids. As well as translation and typesetting we would like to assist those NGOs involve in education work at all stages.

The Group will promote, through its own practice, transparency and accountability, in all dealings. The Group is not affiliated with any political or religious organization and stands for racial and sexual equality. The main aims and objectives of the Drum publication Group are:

To preserve and promote the linguistic forms of the Karen and other indigenous peoples of Burma while promoting national, second languages through publishing and disseminating educational materials.

To document traditional knowledge, practices and cultural forms of expression of the Karen people.

To promote the empowerment of the Karen people to contribute towards maintaining, protecting and developing manifestations of their culture, language and literature.

To assist organizations working for the benefit of the Karen people by providing translation and type-setting services.

A catalogue of our publications is available on this web site. Publications are distributed at cost price, or less, to groups and individuals involved in formal or non-formal education or training. Those ordering large numbers of books as well as overseas institutes are requested to pay the full cost of the order plus postage costs

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Several programs provided by KOM including youth development programs that provide academic support, cultural activities, and leadership development.

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Programs - Karen Organization of Minnesota

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The Karen Organization of Minnesota's mission is to build on the strengths of refugee and immigrant communities and remove barriers to achieving economic, social, and cultural wellbeing.

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SPPL provides books in Karen, DVDs, and other resources for learning and reading in Karen. These include folktales and culturally relevant books.

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Explore Saint Paul Public Library. New titles, recently rated, and recently tagged by the library community.

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1. The Karen people have been subject to systematic oppression by the Burmese military, including violence, forced displacement, and lack of access to resources.

2. The long-standing conflict between the Karen National Union and the Burmese government has led to instability and unsafe living conditions.

3. Many Karen fled to refugee camps in Thailand due to persecution.

https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/struggle-survival-life-indigenous-person-under-burmese

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The Karen settled in Minnesota due the open policy on receiving refugees. The VOLAG (Voluntary Agency) Resettlement agency promoted Minnesota as a destination for the refugees.

Minnesota has one of the largest Karen populations in the U.S., providing a strong support system for new arrivals. More than 17,000 Karen have resettled in St. Paul since the early 2000s.

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Understanding how the Karen language and grammar differ from English.

English proficiency of students may vary, especially for students recently resettled.

Pronunciation problems cause students to feel nervous. The new language slows them down with catching up to learning the subjects. Understand how to help Karen students increase their self-esteem as they learn the English.

Consider language support, such as translators or bilingual aides, for effective communication with students and families.

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Karen people prefer to work with partners and in small groups to support one another.

One of the best ways to build a good relationship with students is to attend their cultural events.

Being trauma-sensitive is important when working with this group. Learn more about each child's background and needs in order to identify and recognize the need of students as refugee children may experience difficulties in different areas (including social, educational, mental health).

Traditionally, Karen people do not have a family name or last name.

Respect for elders, modesty, and conflict avoidance are important in Karen culture. Teachers should avoid direct confrontation and build trust through patience and respect.

Karen people do not like talking about themselves, even to the point of not really wanting to say their name.

Karen people think that self-promotion is shameful, so they will downplay their skills.

The Karen are polite, and it can be hard to correctly assess their needs.

Karen children are taught not to ask questions of their elders, including their teachers, because it is considered rude and disrespectful.

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Culturally Responsive Teaching to Support Karen Newcomers

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Most Karen practice Christianity, especially Baptist or Catholic, or Buddhism, while some hold animist beliefs.

Religion can play a central role in Karen students' lives, and teachers should be respectful of their religious practices, including prayer times or religious holidays.

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This is a Minnesota based resource that works very closely with the MN Department of Health. Resources here provide information on mostly health related statistics/opportunities for Karen immigrants, but also includes information on topics such as language and social structure.

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Karen in Minnesota

The Karen people have three main languages: S'ghaw (pronounced Skaw) Karen, Eastern Pwo Karen, and Western Pwo Karen. S'ghaw Karen is the most commonly spoken and understood. In a Wilder study, 80 percent of Karen reported they speak English "only a little bit" or "not at all." Burmese is the language of the military who continue to attack the Karen and drive them from their traditional lands. Thus, Karen people may be uncomfortable with a Burmese translator.

Limited health data is available about Karen-Americans. Some health issues could be biologically tied to race; many are tied to social inequities, including poverty. When included in the data for Asian-Americans, the true picture of Karen-American health may be missed.

Diseases more common in Karen than the general Minnesota population include malaria, hepatitis, and gastric ulcers.

Minnesota patients who indicated Karen as their preferred language had the lowest rate of optimal diabetes care (32%), significantly below the statewide average of 45 percent, 2017.

Karen speakers had the lowest rate of optimal vascular care at 42 percent, significantly below the statewide average of 62 percent, 2017.

Social determinants of health are economic and social conditions that influence the health of people and communities. Recent refugees often have high rates of poverty, which can result in lack of preventive health care and limited health choices.

30 percent of Burmese Americans and 50 percent of Karen in Minnesota live below the poverty line.

79 percent of Burmese Americans in Minnesota have not graduated from high school.

Karen families are often large, and many generations may live together. The society is matriarchal, and women and men are considered equal, and girl and boy children equally prized. Men become members of the wife's clan when a couple is married. Traditionally, the Karen do not use surnames. For example, married couples do not share a last name. This can cause confusion in the U.S., where last names are used as important identifiers.

Smoking is traditional in Karen society. Some children start as young as 10 years of age. Karen also use chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco and cheroots. Harmful alcohol use has risen in the Karen population as people left traditional village life and were dislocated to refugee camps and resettled.

Many Karen feel ill at ease when confronted with American communication styles. Loud speech, direct address, and Western body language, such as direct eye contact, are considered impolite. Karen people demonstrate respect by standing back and folding their arms in front when speaking. Disagreement is avoided and direct displays of anger are considered shameful.

Making and sticking to strict schedules is difficult for many. Karen do not come straight to the point. Many other subjects might be discussed first.

As Karen acculturate, they replace traditional meals with fast food, contributing to an increase in obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. Traditional food consisted of rice, vegetables, and meat or fish. Karen cuisine features many spices including turmeric, ginger, garlic, lime, and cardamom. A traditional meal might feature a large bowl of rice, and smaller amounts of meat or fish as well as vegetables and flavorings or spices such as fermented fish pastes and chilies, garlic, ginger.

Most Karen come from rural areas and had little experience with going to doctors. Western medicine is accepted by most, but many are reluctant to speak openly with doctors. One strategy to help ensure better care is to have Karen case workers follow up with patients after the visit, to allow the patients to ask questions or clarify what the doctor said. Karen patients may be reluctant to question or contradict what the doctor says, as doctors are often held in high regard. Asking open-ended questions is a good strategy to provide Karen patients with the opportunity to voice concerns or issues with a doctor's orders.

Approximately one in five of all adults in the U.S. experiences mental illness in a given year. Many Karen refugees in Minnesota were exposed to torture and war trauma. As a result, they experience post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and various physical ailments. Like many patients with a history of trauma, Karen people are often reluctant to discuss this history. A 2014 screening of Karen people in Minnesota found:

27.4 percent reported that they had experienced torture directly, and 51.4 percent, reported secondary exposure to torture (someone in their family was tortured)

86 percent experienced war trauma

Discrimination, torture, relocation, and loss of cultural heritage have resulted in direct and historical trauma to Karen Minnesotans. The effects of historical trauma are being studied. Older immigrants are less likely to have English skills, which may increase the loneliness, isolation, and depression.

When discussing end of life issues with any patient, health care providers need to understand preferences based on personal and family views. Almost all Karen in the U.S. are Christian and may follow the traditions of their faith.

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Infectious diseases represent the greatest health challenges for Karen immigrants.

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All information from mnkaren.org

Minnesota

Karen Community of Minnesota

The Urban Village

The Karen Football Association (KFA)

U.S.

Karen American Communities Foundation

KCO-USA

Karen Organization of San Diego

EMBARC

International

Karen National Union

Karen Women’s Organization

Karen Human Rights Group

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Every month, KOM put on a culture presentation to a large group setting. You can sign up to attend on their website. It is a grant chance to learn more about what events are upcoming in the community. At this presentation you can also sign up for the various volunteer positions that KOM have available. They are looking for volunteers of many different skill sets to help them reach their mission plan. By volunteering, you will participate in many of the opportunities of local representation.

Here is an exact link: https://mnkaren.org/events/ to all of the events happening in Minnesota.

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Are you interested in learning more about Karen culture from a KOM staff member?
KOM's Karen Culture Presentation provides an overview of Karen history, culture, and refugee resettlement in the U.S. We explore the history of the Karen and how they became refugees, and discuss how the Karen have adapted to life in the U.S. We also give a brief overview of Karen culture, covering everything from food, to clothing, to family, to communication styles, and more. The full presentation is about 1 ½ hours and we leave time for Q&A.

Large Group Presentations: KOM gives presentations to schools, nonprofits, churches, and other community groups who want to learn more about Karen culture. KOM will not travel more than 50 miles from St. Paul, MN for presentations. We ask that you submit a request at least 3 weeks in advance to give us time to tailor our presentation for your group, as well as secure available staff to present. Our fee is increasing in 2024 to $400 for groups within 25 miles of our office, or for virtual presentation requests. For presentations outside of those limits, please contact us. There is an option for a fee reduction for groups, subject to approval. Fill out a form to request a presentation for your large group.

Presentations for Individuals: KOM holds bi-monthly presentations at our office to individuals from all over the community. We ask for a $15 donation at the time of the presentation. Learn about upcoming presentations.
Karen Culture Presentation Frequently Asked Questions Sheet View a past presentation given to City of St. Paul employees.

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Karen Culture Presentation - Karen Organization of Minnesota

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Are you interested in learning more about Karen culture from a KOM staff member? KOM's Karen Culture Presentation provides an overview of Karen history, culture, and [...]

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Many Karen refugees have lived in refugee camps with limited access to formal education.

Teachers should build the native language content and literacy instruction in order to build on English.

Use of graphic organizers is helpful to make learning visual and to incorporate thinking skills, and it can be done without any writing.

Use reading logs and journals to incorporate reading and writing.