by Paul Keenan and Nan Mu Chaung Ku The purpose of this paper is to contribute towards a better understanding of the Sgaw Karen language in terms of security and how the Karen,[1] who have been fighting a civil war since Burmese independence in 1947, conceptualize these terms relating to their own belief in an [...]
Entries Tagged as 'Karen'
Karen – Dta bee Dta ber
May 27th, 2011 · No Comments · Karen, Security
Dta bee Dta ber Relates to security (More literally: ‘evasive protection’) Security is seen to have been a major problem for the Karen people both recently and historically. It is often repeated that prior to the colonisation of the country by the British, the Karen found themselves trapped between the emergence of both the Mon [...]
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Karen – Bwa Gay Wor Dta Bee Dta Ber
May 27th, 2011 · No Comments · Human Security, Karen
Bwa Gay Wor Dta Bee Dta Ber Relates to human security The Karen term used to imply human security takes the original word for security and attaches the word ‘people’ to clarify the form. However, most Karen are not familiar with the Western conception of the term, and instead view it as related purely to [...]
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Karen – Dta p’tu Dta Ka
May 27th, 2011 · No Comments · Ceasefire, Karen
Dta p’tu Dta Ka Relates to ceasefire The Karen word for cease-fire translates as ‘stop shooting,’ and does not necessarily convey the same meaning as the English equivalent. Literally: - Dta p’tu – stop - Dta Ka – shooting It may be applied to very local situations and conveys the idea of a general suspension of hostilities, [...]
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Karen – Kawthoolei
May 27th, 2011 · No Comments · Karen, State
Kawthoolei Relates to ‘Karen state’ or ‘Karen land’ Literally: - Kaw – Land/Country/State - Thoo – Black - Lei – None The first reference to the name of a Karen country called Kawthoolei appears in the Karen history written by Saw Aung Hla, published in 1939. It can be translated as either ‘a land without darkness’[1] or alternatively, [...]
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Karen – Dasinyaw Bper law tha
May 27th, 2011 · No Comments · Karen, Self-determination
Dasinyaw Bper law tha Relates to self-determination The Karen leadership places a strong emphasis on the concept of self-determination which connotes an autonomous (‘autonomy’ can also be a translation of the same word) state ruled by the Karen. The Karen use two terms to describe such an autonomous country. The first is ; and has [...]
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Karen – Ta daw Tha de
May 27th, 2011 · No Comments · Defence, Karen
Ta daw Tha de Relates to defence Literally: - Ta daw – Shield - Tha deh – Umbrella (material covering) The speeches of KNU leader Saw Ba U Gyi linked the idea of defence to the retention of arms on the part of the Karen. This particular understanding of self-defence has continued to surface throughout a number [...]
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Karen – Dta Muh Dta Ku
May 27th, 2011 · No Comments · Karen, Peace
Dta Muh Dta Ku Relates to peace The Karen word for peace implies more than the absence of fighting. It carries the notions of tranquillity and peace of mind. The term used suggests the Karen desire to live free from the hindrances of conflict. Its direct translation is: - Dta Muh – Satisfied - Dta Ku – [...]
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Karen – Dter Nu Law Ma Ba Kha Tha Bah
May 27th, 2011 · No Comments · Karen, Non-interference
Dter Nu Law Ma Ba Kha Tha Bah Relates to non-interference The Karen concept of non-interference is defined literally according to the term for not doing anything to come between disagreeing sides. The term is generally used regardless of the situation: - Dter Nu Law – Do not enter (or get) - Ma Ba Kha Tha Bah [...]
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Karen – Na Ni
May 27th, 2011 · No Comments · Karen, Trust
Na Ni Relates to trust The Karen word for trust, (na ni), is similar to Western conceptions, though it carries also the notion of ‘belief’. Literally: - Na – faith/belief - Ni – have Whether these terms were so closely related prior to the mass Christian conversions that took place in the 1800s is unclear.
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Karen – Ta Traw Ka
May 27th, 2011 · No Comments · Deterrence, Karen
Ta Traw Ka Relates to deterrence The word for deterrence is actually a direct translation from the Burmese and shares a similar meaning with the Karen word for defence. Literally: - Ta Traw Ka – Obstruct Neither this term nor the concept it refers to can be found in the Karen Dictionary, even in its most [...]
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Karen – Hawkulaw gerwaw
May 27th, 2011 · No Comments · Karen, Region
Hawkulaw gerwaw Relates to region The Karen words for region are exclusively used to refer to Burma and its peoples, with the language having no particular word to embody any of the other countries in the area. The concept of region has two words, both with the same meaning, but classified by the use of [...]
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Karen – Terrorist
May 27th, 2011 · No Comments · Karen, Terrorism; terrorist
Terrorist Relates to terrorist Despite constant accusations in the Burmese media that the Karen National Union is a terrorist and insurgent organisation, the Karen have no distinct word to refer to the common concept of ‘terrorism.’ Instead they use the English term, frequently denying counter- allegations of similar tactics made against them. The Burmese press [...]
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Karen – Dta Thu Taw Dta Na Ni Lo Tha
May 27th, 2011 · No Comments · Confidence, Karen
Dta Thu Taw Dta Na Ni Lo Tha Relates to confidence-building A word for confidence-building emerged in the post-Manerplaw years after the KNU, still reeling from the loss of its headquarters, embarked on a number of peace negotiations with the Burmese military. In 1996, a number of Karen leaders were sent as envoys for the [...]
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Karen – Tee Kaw Dta Ka Lu
May 27th, 2011 · No Comments · Karen, Order
Tee Kaw Dta Ka Lu Relates to order Literally: - Tee Kaw – State - Dta Ka Lu – Command/Order The Karen language does not have an expression to convey the meaning of order, as in the meaning of state of affairs or of maintaining a status quo. Rather, the Karen word for order dta ka lu [...]
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Karen – Dta maplaw mashel gwi Bwa kalu
May 27th, 2011 · No Comments · Community, Karen, Race
Dta maplaw mashel gwi Bwa kalu Relates to racial purity; community How important is race as a referent as security? One indication of the importance of race is a stress on racial purity. While there is no real term in relation to racial community the term for racial purity refers more to social rather than security [...]
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Karen – Dtamersu Bwamadta
May 27th, 2011 · No Comments · Forced Labour, Karen
Dtamersu Bwamadta Relates to forced labour Literally: - Dtamersu – Demand - Bwamadta – Hard work The Karen are familiar with a number of terms for forced labour, the most widely used being the Burmese expression of Lok-a-pei or Loh Ah Pay. The term loh ah pay has been traditionally used in the past to refer to work [...]
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