oh138.xml Karen Community Oral History Project: An Inventory of Its Oral History Interviews at the Minnesota Historical Society Finding aid prepared by J. Huebscher Minnesota Historical Society

St. Paul, MN.

Oral History Collection

Finding aid encoded by J. Huebscher March 2012 Finding aid written in English. OVERVIEW Minnesota Historical Society Karen Community Oral History Project. Oral history interviews of the Karen Community Oral History Project. 2011. Materials in English. The Karen are an ethnic minority group in Burma and Thailand. In southern Burma, in Kawthoolei state, the Karen have been involved in a struggle for independence since the end of World War II. The Karen villages continue to suffer frequent attacks and persecution from Burma's ruling military junta. Many Karen fled to safety across the eastern border into Thailand. Since 2000, Karen have been arriving in Minnesota. At the time of these interviews over six thousand Karen live in Minnesota. Interviewed by David Zander. Sound recordings: 3 master cassettes (60 minutes each) and 3 user sound discs. Transcripts: 3 volumes (138 pages); 28 cm. OH 138: See Detailed Description for shelf locations. SCOPE AND CONTENTS

The Karen Community Oral History Project is part of a larger Asian American and Pacific Islander Oral History Project. The project was a partnership between the Minnesota Historical Society and the Council on Asian Pacific Minnesotans.

CATALOG HEADINGS

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics: Asians -- Minnesota. Emigration and immigration. Immigrants -- Minnesota. Karen (Southeast Asian people) -- Minnesota -- Social life and customs. Karen (Southeast Asian people) -- Minnesota. Persons: Say, Bless, interviewee. Thweet, Eh, interviewee. Zan, Robert, interviewee. Zander, David, interviewer. Document Types: Interviews. Oral histories. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Karen Community Oral History Project. Oral history interviews of the Karen Community Oral History Project. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession number: AV2011.44

Processing Information:

Processed by: J. Huebscher, March 2012

Catalog ID number: 007495572

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Bless Say, November 5, 2011, Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Biographical Information: Bless Say was born in Burma on August 8, 1950. She came to the United States in 2008.

Scope and Content: Subjects discussed include early life; family; school in Burma; dangers of being Karen in Burma; farming; Karen communities in Burma; fleeing to Thailand; refugee camps; moving to Minnesota; citizenship; working in Minnesota; and learning English.

Interviewed by: David Zander.

Use Restrictions: None.

OH 138 1 33 pages. OH 138 1 1 master sound cassette (1 hour) and 1 user sound disc. Eh Thweet, November 5, 2011, Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Biographical Information: Eh Thweet was born in Burma in 1986.

Scope and Content: Subjects discussed include early life; Burmese military burning his village; struggle to pay for school; running from the Burmese army; finding food; landmines; fleeing to Thailand; living in a refugee camp in Thailand; religion; religious persecution; taking children from Burma to Thailand; coming to the United States; working for Catholic Charities; hopes of further education in Minnesota; and Karen folktales.

Interviewed by: David Zander.

Use Restrictions: None.

OH 138 2 51 pages. OH 138 2 1 master sound cassette (1 hour) and 1 user sound disc. Robert Zan, November 5, 2011, Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Biographical Information: Robert Zan is the son of Mahn Ba Zan who was a prominent leader in the Karen struggle for independence. In turn, Robert Zan was a leader in Karen struggles for independence. He is the author of the concise history, Mahn Ba Zan & the Karen Revolution, published in 1993.

Scope and Content: Subjects discussed include early memories of Burmese atrocities against the Karen; family; his father Mahn Ba Zan, the founder of Karen National Defense Organization and leader of the Karen resistance; becoming a solider; fighting in Burma; Karen weddings; religion; Karen student movement; finding strength in psalms; becoming a refugee; the importance of educating the Karen population; immigrating to the United States; learning English; serving people; and the First Baptist Church of St. Paul Minnesota and its relationship to the Karen.

Interviewed by: David Zander.

Use Restrictions: None.

OH 138 3 54 pages. OH 138 3 1 master sound cassette (1 hour) and 1 user sound disc.