Karen Organization of Minnesota KOM

It has been more than 10 years since the first Karens from Burma arrived in Minnesota as refugees. KOM staff Marner Saw and Saw Morrison discuss a decade of successes, challenges, and lessons learned from other Southeast Asian communities. Read the full article of Karens in Minnesota at the Asian American Press.

Join the Asian New Year Celebration February 3

Whether you are celebrating the year 2012, 2751, or the Year of the Dragon, the New Year is an important holiday in many cultures around the world. Metropolitan State University’s Asian Student Organization invites you to join them for an Asian New Year Celebration on Friday, February 3. The event is free and open to the public.

This event will feature a diverse array of traditions celebrated in East, South, and Southeast Asia in forms of music, dance, games, activities, and delicious food. The Karen Cultural Organization’s Don Dance Group is honored to be one of the groups selected to perform at the celebration. Come watch their performance and ring in the New Year!

Thank you for joining us to celebrate Karen New Year

Nearly 2,000 people from many states traveled to St. Paul to celebrate the Karen New Year on December 31 and January 1. The two-day event, held at Washington Technology Magnet School, was a joint effort between the Karen Organization of Minnesota (KOM), the Karen Cultural Organization, and the Karen Celebration Days Committee (KCDC). Festivities included dance performances, speeches by Karen leaders, a formal Karen New Year ceremony, and volleyball and caneball tournaments. Guests on January 1 also enjoyed a traditional Karen meal.

Throughout both days of the event, more than 10 dance troupes from Minnesota, Nebraska, and California graced the stage with their performances of traditional Karen dances including Pe Pee Yaw and the Bamboo Dance, which are performed specifically at the Karen New Year. The ceremony on Sunday also featured traditional dances and songs as well as a storytelling group and speeches by Karen community leaders and St. Paul College President Rassoul Dastmozd. Another important piece of the ceremony was giving thanks to the elders in the community for their leadership and provision.

The Karen New Year is celebrated on the first day of Pyathoe, a month on the Karen calendar that corresponds to December/January. The event symbolizes Karen unity and harmony through the past year and the year ahead. These important cultural events allow the community to pass on their history and traditions to their youth. They are also important opportunities to introduce our neighbors to Karen culture and facilitate goodwill and mutual respect.

The members of KOM and KCDC wish to thank this year’s sponsors of the Karen New Year Celebration: St. Bernard’s Church, Golden Karen Grocery, Guadalupe Alternative Programs, Vietnamese Social Services, Wells Fargo Bank, and Children’s Dental Services, as well as St. Paul Public Schools, which provided us with the space to host this large event. We also thank members of the community for their financial support of this event. It would not have been possible if not for such dedicated community members. “Ta blut doe mah” (thank you very much) for your support, and thank you to everyone who joined us for this celebration!

Join the Karen New Year Celebration

Karen Celebration Days Committee (KCDC) and Karen Organization of Minnesota (KOM) cordially invite you to be our guest at our Karen New Year Celebration events, which will take place from December 31, 2011-January 1, 2012 at the Washington Technology Magnet School.

Karen New Year Celebration is a time for the Karen to reflect on what has gotten us through this past year through challenges and successes. The event symbolizes of Karen unity and harmony through the year and the year ahead. These important cultural events allow the community to pass on their history and traditions to their youth. They are also important opportunities to raise awareness about the Karen and to facilitate goodwill and mutual respect with our new friends and neighbors. This year we anticipate that 4,000 people will attend the New Year Celebration events.

31. Saturday, December 31 and Sunday, January 1 - Karen New Year Celebration
Location: Washington Technology Magnet School, 1495 Rice Street, Saint Paul, Minnesota, 55117

Through your office all refugees including the Karen are looked after and their health needs are met. The work that you do with the Karen Community, your love to helping refugees, and the collaboration your office has with KOM we would like to invite your office to be an official sponsor of this year’s events. Sponsorship at the following levels offers these benefits:

This year the activities will include a Kengball and Volleyball tournament. All events will be free of charge, and free traditional Karen food will be provided on Sunday. In the past, the Karen community has taken donations from within the community to fund this important event. As the number of Karen and friends of Karen in Minnesota continues to grow, the financial burden of putting on such an event is beyond what the community can provide.

With the founding of the Karen Organization of Minnesota, the first Karen-led 501c3 nonprofit in the United States, you are now able to receive a tax-deductible receipt for your financial support of this event. Please make your checks payable to Karen Organization of Minnesota, memo stating Karen New Year Celebration. Mail check to:

Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. Thank you for your consideration of generously supporting this year’s Karen New Year Celebration.

Chong B. Vang
Executive Director
Karen Organization of Minnesota
651-788-7593 x306
cvang@mnkaren.org

Tun Naing
Chair
Karen Celebration Days Committee

News and Events Archive: 2012

KOM Staff featured in Asian American Press

Join the Asian New Year Celebration February 3

Thank you for joining us to celebrate Karen New Year

Join the Karen New Year Celebration