NWA Karen welcome new year

Singing, dancing part of celebration at Jones Center auditorium

SPRINGDALE — Singing and dancing filled The Jones Center auditorium at a Karen New Year’s celebration on Saturday.

The Karen (pronounced Kah- REN) are an ethnic group from Burma. The military government changed the country’s name to Myanmar in 1989. The United States government continues to use the name Burma, according to the State Department.

Many Karen fled the country into neighboring Thailand because of religious and ethnic persecution by the government. The Karen people first arrived in the U.S. in 2004. Minnesota is home to the largest concentration. Other places with significant populations are California, Texas, New York and Indiana, according to the International Institute of Minnesota.

More than 73,000 refugees from Burma have settled in the United States since 2005, according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

There are about 700 Karen in Northwest Arkansas, and most live in Clarksville, said Htoo Aye, a human resource assistant with George’s Inc. Aye said many Karen work in the poultry industry in Northwest Arkansas.

“Our population is growing here,” Aye said.

Aye said he was born in Burma. His family fled the country when he was 13 and

lived in a refugee camp for a few years until they were settled in the United States, he said.

On Saturday, about 300 people celebrated with traditional Karen dress, food and dance. Speeches about the importance of the celebration also were given.

Jenjira Htoo took video of many of events on The Jones Center stage. She also works as a human resource assistant with George’s Inc.

“It’s means a lot,” Htoo said of the celebration. “Many Karen came here as refugees or immigrants. We celebrate our culture at an event like this. We carry on our traditions.”

A reception later was held at Elmdale Baptist Church, and a soccer tournament started Saturday and will conclude today.

Senior Pastor Billy Chidester said the church has worked with the Karen for about two years, mainly providing an event venue.

“They’re a sweet people, very generous and very gracious,” he said of the Karen. “There is so much diversity here. That is what makes this community great.”

Karen New Year is generally celebrated at the end of December or beginning of January. It marks the end of the harvest of one rice crop and the beginning of the next rice crop. Karen New Year is the largest celebration in the community, according to the Karen Organization of Minnesota.

“The new year means new life,” said Morrison Johnny, program manager with the Karen Organization of Minnesota. “We thank God, and we move on.”

This was the second year the local Karen new year celebration was held, Aye said. It was in Rogers in 2018, he said.

NWA Democrat-Gazette/BEN GOFF • @NWABENGOFF A group of Karen dancers from Clarksville performs a ‘Dong dance’ Saturday during a Karen New Year celebration at The Jones Center in Springdale. The Karen people are an ethnic group native to Southeast Asia.

NWA Democrat-Gazette/BEN GOFF • @NWABENGOFF A group of Karen dancers from Clarksville performs a ‘Man dance.’

NWA Democrat-Gazette/BEN GOFF • @NWABENGOFF A group of Karen dancers from Clarksville performs a bamboo dance Saturday during a Karen New Year celebration at The Jones Center in Springdale.