On Wednesday, June 17, 2026, we had a video conference with Siwakorn – known as Swae – who is one of the spiritual leaders of the Karen in Thailand. The Karen are an indigenous Thai and Burmese community that is known for protecting nature and the environment. In our conversation with Swae, we – students from the bilingual studies course  – talked about the Karen culture and traditions and the Karen’s way of living with nature. Some of us will now share with you what we have learned. 

The Karen 

The Karen people have lived in the rainforest of Southeast Asia for thousands of years. Today, the border between Thailand and Myanmar separates them, but the villages stay connected as a strong community. Every family in a village lives together in one household. They keep animals there, and they live in and with nature. They don’t act as if they had more rights than the forest. They respect the forest and always remember that it has existed much longer than their community.

In their village, every family keeps their own animals, for example pigs, cows, dogs, cats and sometimes even elephants. The people use a traditional farming system called rotational farming. They burn parts of the forest and grow their food in the fields. After the harvest, they wait about seven years until nature has recovered. A field is only burned when the elders of the village believe it is ready. They often rely on their dreams and if they dream about a “good” animal, they believe the field is ready.

The most important part is that they do not farm or slaughter animals to make money. They only produce enough food to survive. Of course, nowadays the Karen sometimes have to buy things like salt, but they are mostly self-sufficient. Siwakorn told us that money has very little value in their village. People care more about living with their families and nature than about making money. They build their own houses, make their own clothes and grow their own food, so they don’t need much money. Today, money is becoming more important because of school fees and healthcare, but the Karen still don’t produce much food just to earn money. The Karen people live in a very respectful way – in and with nature.

Friedrich, Year 9

Nature

What impressed me most is the strong bond within the Karen community. Looking after each other is a natural part of the Karen’s everyday life, but not only do they care for their people, but also for nature and animals. They understand that humans are part of nature and therefore have the responsibility to protect it. I found it especially meaningful that every child receives their own tree which they can choose themselves. This tradition teaches children from a young age to appreciate and take care of nature.

The Karen people also place great importance on preserving their culture and traditions. Instead of letting old customs be forgotten, they actively pass their knowledge on to the next generation. In the evenings for example, children gather to listen to stories told by the elders. This way they can get to know their history and shared values.

Naz, Year 9

Animals

Siwakon told us a lot about the Karen culture and answered all of our questions. He also talked about the animals, or pets, that they keep, including dogs, cats, chickens, cows, pigs, and sometimes elephants, which are used for work. Siwakon also explained that they only slaughter animals very rarely.

Karen houses are usually built on two levels. The animals are kept on the ground floor, while the family lives on the upper, or second, floor. When we asked how they keep their animals safe and protected, Siwakon told us that they build a fence around the ground floor to keep predators away. He also shared a story that showed how important it is to protect the animals, especially at night. Since dangerous animals such as tigers, snakes and other wild animals live in the rainforest, a tiger in the story hid in the dark and waited for its prey. When no one was watching, the tiger snatched one of the animals.

Lisanne, Year 9

Food

The Karen’s entire way of life is deeply connected to nature. This connection is visible in how they produce their food. They practise rotational farming and cultivate over 30 different varieties of plants in a single field. This traditional method allows them to live directly from their harvest. Additionally, their bond with nature extends to healthcare, as they primarily use natural herbs as medicine.

If the Karen need essential things that they cannot produce or harvest themselves, such as salt, they simply trade other goods for them. Sharing and solidarity are thus extremely important. Every single member of the community helps one another, which is considered essential for harmony.

Lilien, Year 9

Living in the Rainforest

Because the Karen live – and have been living for a long time – surrounded by the rainforest, they have learned how to live in harmony with nature, nurturing it while also being nurtured by it. They know how to cultivate many different plants at the same time, which helps them provide food for themselves while preserving the forest and its fragile ecosystem. The Karen are the carers of the rainforest. They use slash-and-burn methods and allow time for the soil to regenerate so that the forest is not only preserved but can even expand. Their way of farming actually helps the environment by storing more carbon than it emits.

Inga, Year 9

Religion

The leader explained that the Karen practise Animism, which is the ancient belief that everything in nature, for example trees, mountains, rivers and rocks, has its own spirit. It’s very important to understand that humans are not the masters of the earth. Instead, we are just guests. If villagers cut down trees without permission – that is withou asking the forest spirits first – or if they pollute a river, the spirits can become angry. In the Karen culture, protecting nature is not a political choice, but a deep religious duty to keep the peace between humans and spirits. 

Sophia, Year 9

Drink water, take care of the water;
use the soil, take care of the land.

Syncretism

Today, many Karen people are Christians or Buddhists, but they have retained many of their traditional animist beliefs. Their religion is therefore syncretic, meaning it combines elements of different faiths. They celebrate Christian or Buddhist holidays while also continuing to observe traditional ceremonies, including the wrist-tying ceremony. For the Karen, these different beliefs coexist and help preserve their culture and history.

When we asked how children learn about religion, Siwakorn explained that they learn through everyday life rather than in a classroom. Children observe their parents showing respect for nature, listen to stories told by the elders around the fire, and help prepare ritual threads for ceremonies. For the Karen, religion is not simply a school subject; it is a way of life that is passed down from generation to generation through daily actions, traditions and shared experiences.

Mina, Year 9

Name-Giving

Siwakon told us that we could call him Swae. To us, his indigenous name sounded really interesting. He explained that in the Karen culture people’s names have a deeper meaning – in contrast to western cultures where choosing names for newborns often follows fashion trends and names are sometimes selected from a catalogue. In contrast, Karen newborns are named after the events that occurred around the time of their birth. At first, the idea sounded a bit strange, but when he started to explain the tradition, we realised that giving people unique, meaningful names has its own cultural value. Swae referred to his own name as an example. In his Karen language, the name Swae means “rough”. His parents gave him this name because when he was born, mosquito bites made his skin rough. Most of us would see this as a tiny and irrelevant detail, but in the Karen culture it becomes a unique feature. The name reminds the person of their birth and remains a lifelong connection to it.

Antonina, Year 9

Oral Culture

One of my favorite Karen traditions that Swae introduced us to was their naming tradition. Swae explained that newborns are named after a specific event that occurred around the time of their birth or after a particular characteristic the baby has. For example, if someone from abroad happened to visit the village when a child was born, the baby’s name might be something related to that event, such as “Steve Came.” I find the Karen naming tradition incredibly interesting and personal because every individual receives a unique name with a meaningful story behind it, rather than sharing a common name with millions of other people, as is the case in many parts of the world.

After learning about Karen names, we became curious about how the Karen celebrate birthdays, especially since choosing a name can take some time. To our surprise, Swae explained that birthdays have no particular significance in Karen culture. I personally found this shocking, considering how highly the Karen value life and caring for one another. I assumed that the day a person is born—and another person was given the responsibility of taking care of this new life—would be considered a very meaningful occasion.

After discovering that birthdays are of little importance to the Karen, one might wonder how they keep track of their age. Since the Karen community has traditionally been an oral culture, they do not rely on calendars to measure time. Instead, they keep track of time through seasonal changes and memorable events.

Anna K., Year 9

Family and Marriage

Family structures in the Karen community are very traditional. Karen people are generally expected to marry and have children to help preserve their culture and pass on their knowledge. Since their traditions are primarily oral rather than written, elders pass their wisdom down from generation to generation through storytelling and everyday life.

If you want to join their community, you have to learn the Karen language and you are expected to marry a Karen. Weddings are joyful celebrations that include singing and drinking homemade whiskey. Same-sex marriage is not permitted in the community, although same-sex relationships are generally tolerated.

A Karen family is usually huge. Swae showed us a picture of his cousins and siblings and he had a lot! The village is built in such a way that each family has their own house but you still live very close to each other. The roles in the community are clear: children go to school, adults work in the fields and the forest, elders may become experts in medicine or other specific areas of knowledge. So in the Karen community everyone is important.

Lara, Year 9

Rituals and Traditions

I will discuss the traditions of the Karen people while highlighting beliefs that have been passed down through generations. One important custom involves a child choosing a tree to which they feel a strong connection. The child’s life is believed to be spiritually linked to this tree throughout their lifetime. They take good care of their tree and no one is allowed to cut it down. This practice is known as the Umbilical Cord Tree tradition.

Marriage is an important social tradition in Karen culture and is usually a community event in which the entire village participates. While homosexual relationships are not very common, they are generally accepted, even though having children is considered an important part of family life. If a husband or wife dies, it is customary to wait two years before remarrying.

There are also significant death rituals. When a person dies, community members gather around the body and sing for three nights. This practice is an important way of showing respect and honour to the deceased, as well as supporting the family.

Beyond rituals related to death, dreaming is considered highly meaningful in everyday life, especially in relation to agriculture. Dreams are often interpreted as signs for farming decisions. For example, dreaming of elephants is seen as a positive sign that a field is suitable for rotational farming, while dreams of insects or fire are interpreted as negative signs.

Melina, Year 9

Final Words

Photos published with kind permission of The Pgakenyaw Association for Sustainable Development.