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MINGALABA!Assimilation to the American way of life may be a fearful undertaking for refugeescoming out of refugee centers in Thailand. The very idea they are travelingthousands of miles away from their beloved homeland is a stark reality, there isno question. Since the world has not responded to the plight of the Karen andother tribal people of Burma they are forced to seek asylum in other nationsbefore they are taken as slaves, raped or murdered. They have no other options.The propaganda machine of Than Shwe continues to spread lies and rumors in aneffort to quell the mass exodus of witnesses to his atrocities.I interviewed many Karen and other tribal people who’ve managed to make thejourney to America. In the beginning they were very fearful of this strange newland called America. They heard a multitude of rumors about this crazy wild placecalled America. Streetlights, bustling roadways and a completely different way oflife await those who come to the United States. It’s quite a contrast to thejungle and the refugee centers along the Thai/Burma border.One woman I met when she first arrived was very scared and told me she should havewaited by a tree and let the Burmese soldiers kill her and finish her suffering.Months later she was loading up her family and going to a Karen church forservices and helping other refugees assimilate to this strange new land. Fact is,we prepared a banquet for other refugees who were arriving almost daily fromThailand. Their fear turned to joy as these beautiful people of the junglediscovered they were not alone. They also discovered their culture was still alivein America and their countrymen were here to greet them.Granted, life in American is an absolute contrast to life in the jungle but it’snot the insurmountable obstacle these jungle people once thought. It’s as if aperson was placed in a time machine and sent to the future filled with technologybeyond the imagination and a culture far removed. Culture shock yes, but not theplace of fear, loneliness and isolation many first feared. I know many Burmesepeople in the USA and I am well aware of the agencies that are providingassistance and teaching refugees how to enjoy this new and exciting way of lifeAmerica has to offer.With fellow refugees already assimilated to the American way of life new comersare not alone by any means. There is a welcome wagon and people waiting to greettheir countrymen. They are as eager to hear the gossip from back in the refugeecamps as the new arrivals are curious. Don’t toss your longyi since this still thedress of choice for many refugees and political exiles. Gads, I need an extralarge one to fit my butt eh. The smell of shrimp paste still fills the air asfamilies prepare traditional meals and there are plenty of Asian Markets you canfind with familiar foods from Burma. I’ve attended Karen functions, celebrationsand danced many tribal dances. So it is clear the Karen are not lost or forgottensince their culture flourishes in this strange new land. If they come to DallasTexas they will find me with my Karen friends and most likely singing or dancingtribal dances. I’ll be the 900 pound gorilla in a longyi surrounded by smiling andlaughing children from the jungles of Burma.I’ve taken a personal interest in the plight of these people since it is areflection of the struggle my people faced not 100 years ago. My friends rangefrom jungle people to heroes of Democracy (NLD) that survived torture in InseinPrison and I am honored to be in their company. I’m a survivor and so are thesebeautiful people from Burma.Kaba Ma Kyay Bu!
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