Wednesday 25 August 2010

Karen Culture Day

Today was Karen Culture day, also known as the Wrist Tying Festival.
"The festival is known as Lah Ku Kee Su. Lah Ku means August and Kee Su describes the act of binding the wrist with white thread in the belief that evil spirits causing illness can be exorcized."


I had to wake up at 7am! Eeek. Before I left I realised that my camera had no battery, so I put it on charge and forgot to take it!! I reallyyyy wanted it too. Today was amazing.



So part of this day is the wrist-tying. People give eachother string from their Karen shirts.
Especially young single girls and boys. People who are good friends. But it seemed like everybody gave to everybody.

They elders take the string and rub it upwards on your forearm 3 times, they whisper prayers to send your spirit back to your family. Then they wrap the string around your wrist 3 times, tie and snap off loose ends. They then put the leftover string on your head or shoulder. One of the elder ladies did one for me, but everybody else does it too.
Loads of people would come up and tie you.




I went with Lisa, Ailsa and Say Say (one of the Naw Naw's). A CDC troop were dancing and also another dance troop from the Mae Tao Clinic, as well as many other singers and dancers. There were some very famous Poh Karen singers who the crowd went crazy for.

Personally, I was fascinated by the talented dancers. I loveeeeee Karen dancing. It's so jumpy and fun. So, I have been signed up to Karen dance at Karen New Year in January. I'll make sure to get lots of photos and videos of that. All the girls from the office at the clinic, including Lisa and some other women from around the clinic. We will be doing the 'spinster's dance'. Apparently it's easier than the energetic young person's dance.

We saw teacher Myo Nyunt, he was dressed rather brightly. Bright pink and red Karen shirt. He never fails to impress clothing-wise.

Afterwards, I came home and slept for like 5 hours. Oops. Guess I'm just not a morning person.

:) reallyyyyyyyy lovely morning. I really regret not taking my camera! :( Maybe I'll try to get them to reenact their dance routine.

x

5 comments:

  1. You can't do the spinster dance Louise!! You'll have to ask for it to be renamed. It sounds like an gorgeous day, I love the sound of the string tying.
    Hannah x

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  2. And I just wish you had got a photo of Myo Nyunt in his flamboyant outfit. Hannah, remember you are meant to be finding him something Scottish and stylish! I was glad to hear you say on the phone today, "I feel really settled and happy to be in Thailand." Both times you've gone, you've had tricky starts but you've battled through it and gone on to enjoy life there. Seizing every opportunity like today when you got up at the crak of dawn is the way to go. You absolutely LOVED today. It was great to hear on the phone, even if I did fall asleep 4 times when you were talking to me! Love you, mum

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  3. Hi Louise
    You sound like you are fully recovered from "the fever" but your Mum says Pho Cho is now ill! Was meant to be going out with Hannah and Alicia and a few others tonight - until I discovered the hot water tank has leaked and my dad reckons I will need a new one - and to do that they will have to cut a hole in the newly painted living room wall. But as usual reading your blog and thinking about the Burmese people has given me a reality check - I should be lucky to live safely, freely and have somewhere I can truly call home. Could be so much worse.
    Loved the sound of this wrist tying day - what an amazing experience - would love to do this at school but would be gutted to ruin my beautiful Karen top.
    Can't wait to read the Burmese baby blog!
    Take care Kat x

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  4. I too love the sound of the wrist-tying. i love little things like that :) and the dancing, i'd pay to see that ;) ahaha, still reading up on your happenings :) lovelovelove x

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  5. Hi Louise Laing

    I feel good to read your blog.
    Please share us if you know some thing about Karen struggle in Burma.

    Saimon

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