Animism
Before the large scale conversion of the Christian missionaries in the 1800s the majority of the Karen worshipped a form of animism with a belief that every living thing contained a spirit (K’la) and that every place, river mountain or forest had its own Lord with a number of servants (ghosts) made from the spirits of those people who had died a violent death. These servants, smoking pipes with gold and silver stems and armed with swords and spears were said to lurk throughout the Karen homeland, and should anyone accidentally touch them then the unfortunate victim was stricken with diseases that could only be cured by blood sacrifices.[1]
Similarly, other legends tell of the Na, an animal spirit, formed by Ywa (God) who in olden times had mixed together the flesh of every animal and beast and then instructed the Karens to eat them, if they failed to consume the flesh of every animal then that creature’s spirit would eat them. They failed to eat the flesh of the Na and since that time it preyed upon them causing sickness and death.[2]
However, the most dangerous are seven spirits who will kill the Karen, one by the mouth of a tiger, one by old age, one by sickness, one by drowning, one by the hand of man, one by a fall and the last by every other means.[3]
The Karens’ main belief is that the body is separated into two parts the ‘tha’ or soul and the ‘K’la’ or shade. The ‘tha’ is more concerned with the moral nature and forms conscience. The ‘K’la’ on the other hand is seen more as the flesh, which performs actions including that of keeping the person alive. It is the K’la’ that is constantly under attack from the spirits mentioned above, thus necessitating charms and herbs to protect against malevolent spirits. The ‘K’la’ is said to leave the body at death and then reappear in the form of the ‘K’la’ of a newly born child. Additionally it is also believed that the ‘K’la’ leaves the body at times of sleep and should the body be woken before the ‘K’la’ returns then death will ensue.[4]
In addition to the ‘K’la’s’ Karen animism also contains a number of spiritual beings who must be appeased. [5]. The most important of these beings are considered to have human attributes and are able to control the destinies of mankind they include ‘Mu xa’ and ‘Hti k’ sa Kaw k’sa’, who are attributed to containing divine, god-like powers. Also in the group is ‘Naw k plaw’ or ‘Mu kaw li’ who forms the opposite of the two akin to Satan, others are ‘Hpi Bi Yaw’ the rice maiden who is responsible for the crops, ‘Hku Te’ the ruler of hell and ‘Teu Kweh’ the rainbow.
It is now common to find that even though many Karens consider themselves Buddhist, a high proportion of them still continue to believe it traditional animism often mixing the two beliefs together.
Buddhism
Buddhism is the predominant religion in Burma with 85% of the population classed as Buddhist[1] however it is extremely likely that Karen figures (most Pwo Karens are usually classed as Buddhist probably due to the Mon introducing the religion to them) are likely to merge with those of animists with a very thin line being drawn between the two. Whilst very few figures are available regarding the percentage of Karen Buddhists in Burma, a recent education survey conducted in refugee camps on the border shows that out of the refugee population taking part 28% are Buddhists in comparison with 65% of the population being Christian[2].
Census figures from 1901 put the total Karen population at 727,235 of this the Pwo Karen represented 174,070 with S’gaw (most likely Christian) at 86,434 the total figure included the Bghai at 4,936 with a large proportion of the figure 457,355 being returned as unspecified.
Current SIL figures put the predominantly Christian S’gaw Karen with a higher population rate than the Buddhist Pwo with many of the animists and Buddhists being converted by mainly Baptist missionaries in the early 18th century. Whether a true classification of Buddhist as opposed to Buddhist-Animist exists is hard to say.
Whilst religious conflict is often stated as being a major factor in the split in the Christian dominated Karen National Union, in December 1994, with the formation of the Democratic Karen Buddhist Organisation (and armed wing the DKBA) it is probably unfair to place the blame solely on religious differences, rather than inequality between the ethnic Pwo and S’gaw races.
It is still believed that if you are Christian the possibility for advancement is disproportionately higher than if you are Buddhist and Buddhists are often encouraged to convert with the premise offered that they will be given more opportunities in relation to education[3] and status.
Christianity
Christianity was first properly introduced into Burma in the early 18th Century, although protestant missionaries had unsuccesfully been operating prior to the turn of the century, with the annexation of Araken and Tennesserim in the first Anglo-Burmese war. The annexation led to a number of mainly Baptist missionaries making contact with the predominantly animist Karens who were able to cross into the newly acquired territories.
Karen oral legends told a story of the parents of the Karen race living in the garden of Y’wa, the creator (see God traditions), and the temptation of the parents to eat forbidden fruit by some mythical beast, this and many other legends shared a very close similarity to Christian teachings and this meant that the Karens were easily able to identify with the teachings of the Christian missionaries.
Adoniram Judson is said to have gained the first Karen convert to Christianity in Ko Tha Byu in 1828[1], two years after the first Anglo-Burmese war ended, he then proceeded in spreading the word of the gospels throughout the Karen people. The beliefs of the Karen relating to the one God was easily transplanted to the Karens and many crossed into Arakan and Moulmein to hear the words of the Christian God.
The Burman rulers however considered Christianity to be another tool of the British oppressors and therefore thought of Christian Karens as agents of the Empire and thus persecuted them to an unbearable degree. Christian Karens found themselves imprisoned and in the most extreme cases even crucified[2].
A large number of Baptist schools, including a Karen college, were set up providing the Christian converts with a high level of education and opportunities to travel to America to study. Missionaries like Dr Wade introduced a written Karen script, based on the Burmese alphabet, whilst another, Reverend Mason, printed the first Karen newspaper as early as 1841[3].
Today as little as one sixth of the Karens are Christian and yet due to the educational opportunities and support given by missionaries the Christian Karens still hold larger social positions then many of the Buddhist or Animist majority.
The Lehkai (Ariya) Religious Sect[1]
One of many animist sects that mix Buddhism and the traditional Karen legends of the Golden book. The Lekei was formed in the early 1860’s and bases its beliefs on a prophetic book (consisting of 49 scriptures) that is written in Leit San Wait, a type of writing best described as Chicken Scratch Script (literal translation of the words). Orginally from the Kyondo area, the sect still flourishes with monastries and schools in Kya-in-Seikkyi, Pa-an, Hlaingbwe and Kyaik-marraw townships with the latter being in Mon state.
In Karen state there are 17 schools teaching over 1000 students.
The Lehkai continue to hold ceremonies to the traditional Karen spirit (see animism) of Hpee Bu Yaw in addition to three other major festival, a bonfire festival combined with that of Hpee Bu Yaw, another for the safe spawning of marine life, another for the safe return of those spawns and finally a thanksgiving festival to celebrate a bountful harvest.
Similar to animist rites, the tying of a couples hands are used as the main part of the Lehkai wedding ceremony, where the couple to be married are required to make an offering of uncooked rice in a bowl, 3 balls of cooked rice, patties of sticky rice, bunches of bananas, flowers and skein of white thread. After the hand tying ceremony a large vegetarian feast is held. 
Funeral rites share similar animist overtones with corpse being bathed by the sons and daughters of the deceased, scented water of Thanaka is then applied. Three bowls containing bananas, betel leaves, nuts, tobacco, edibles limes and candles. In one of the bowls 1 Kyat 25 pyas and a 4-cubit length white cotton cloth is placed. Before leaving Three lamps are lit, the room sprayed with scented water whilst the priest recites prayers. The coffin is taken out of the house whilst water is poured behind it from an earthen pot. The coffin is placed in the ground with the head facing east a bowl is place at the head, one in the middle and, one at the feet. The money is for the priest performing the ceremony.
The children of the dead invite the corpse for a last meal after this a coconut is cut open and nuts and juice are into the grave. The ceremony concludes with a vegetarian meal, after which the preist must spend the night in the funeral house. The next morning members of the household have their wrists tied with cotton thread
The stated five aims of the Lehkei are:
- To spread knowledge of the Lehkai religious sect.
- To the spread knowledge of the chicken scratch script and writing.
- The maintenance of’Zayats’ and monastries belonging to the Lekhai.
- The continued maintenance and storing of the communal granary of Hpee Buh Yaw.
- The prohibition of the cooking of meat and flesh for meals in the Zayats and Monastries and the prohibition of alcoholic drinks.
Priests are forbidden from involvement in politics and must venerate the 3 gems, namely: the Lord Buddha, the Law and Priesthood
Telahkon
The Telakhon was formed around the same time as the Lekhai in the early 19th century in Kyain district by a prophet known as the Phu Chaik. By the early sixties, under the seventh Phu Chaik, the sect had over several thousand adherents in the eastern hills with a fairly complex village administration system and forms of ritual worship.
In the 50’s the AFPFL government concerned by the growth of the movement failingly attempted to try and turn them into a force against the KNU and later in the 1960 the Burmese government used Christian missionaries from Thailand exploiting Karen God traditions and the Golden book to convert them to Christianity.
In the 60’s the Phu Chaik, believing that the age of Arimetteya was upon him, broke with the Phu Chaiks lineal vow of celibacy and got married. After this he attempted to recruit KNLA soldiers to attack government towns under the belief that the Telakhon was the true nationalist movement of the Karen.
In 1967 the Phu Chaik ordered an assault against Kyaikto town in a battle that cost over 24 Telahkon followers. The KNU by this time decided that action had to be taken against the movement. The Phu Chaik, was arrested and executed for the murder of his wife.
There remain around 2000 to 3000 followers in the KNU’s 6th Brigade and Thai border areas.[1
