The Karen Odyssey in the Andaman Archipelago

Dr. Dipon Sharmah

&

Naw Shemlin Samson

(Dr. Dipon Sharmah is the HOD, Botany, at Jawaharlal Nehru Rajkeeya Mahavidyalaya, Port Blair. He can be reached at sharmah.dipon@gmail.com. Naw Shemlin Samson is pursuing her master’s in Botany and is the great-granddaughter of Saw U San Bwe, one of the first Karen families that came to Andamans in April 1925.)

‘The sea, the great unifier, is man’s only hope. Now, as never before, the old phrase has a literal meaning: we are all in the same boat.’

This quote by Jacques Yves Cousteau has a powerful message for humanity - about how the sea plays a role in connecting us all. Similarly, Bhupen Hazarika’s timeless song, ‘Aami Ekekhon Naore Jatri’ which translates to ‘We are in the same boat, Brother’ illustrates how the sea binds the human race of different countries and continents. 

This connection is very vivid in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands - an island chain nestled to the southeast of the Indian Subcontinent where the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea meet. Sharing maritime borders with Thailand, Myanmar and Indonesia, these islands have been well-known since early times. Some great travellers and explorers, from the Chinese Buddhist monk I-Tshing of the 7th century to the Arab travellers of the 9th century to the medieval explorer Marco Polo, have documented these islands. They described these lands as ungoverned, with plenty of spices.  

Currently, the archipelago is etched in memory as “Kala Pani ka Tapu” - the infamous British penal colony. The islands are also home to some of the oldest tribes in the world, who have resided in the lush tropical forests for an estimated 30,000 - 50,000 years. However, the island’s history is not solely defined by these ancient people. The British Raj brought settlers and refugees as prisoners and workers, of diverse social, cultural and religious backgrounds, from various parts of the Indian subcontinent. Their descendants have made these islands their home, thus creating a true ‘Mini India’ where one can witness great demographic and cultural diversity.

One of the early settler communities that came to the Andamans was the Karen. The Karens were originally inhabitants of Burma (now Myanmar). Their history on these islands dates back to 1925. They migrated across the Andaman Sea from Burma - the easternmost province of the British Indian Empire - about a century ago. They set up their first home in Mayabunder, a remote, densely forested island about 250 km from Port Blair, the capital town of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Over time, they spread to faraway and adjoining areas, and are now concentrated in eight villages in the north and middle Andaman. 

The story of the arrival of Karen to the Andamans is quite interesting. In the 1920s, a priest in Myanmar named Dr. H.I. Marshal was sailing back from the United States. He stopped in Port Blair to meet his cousin, Mr. Ferrar, who was then the Chief Commissioner at Port Blair. At that time, the timber industry was flourishing, with American circular and hand mills erected in the early 1920s to extract the Padauk woods in Port Blair and Mayabunder. They discussed the feasibility of bringing hardworking people from Myanmar to work in the burgeoning timber industry. Because of similar climatic conditions and forests, Burmese were seen as especially suitable for contractual forest labour jobs. After returning to Myanmar, Dr. H.I. Marshal published a note in the Karen magazine ‘Hsah Tu Gaw’ about a British scheme offering a year’s rations and land for cultivation for anyone willing to work in the forests of these islands. 

Reverend Lugyi was one of the people who read the newspaper advertisement. He, along with his parishioners - Thra San Bak and Thra Pan Bue - were convinced that this was an opportune time for the Karen people, who were facing a lot of hardships in Myanmar, to move to a new land and grab the opportunity. Many of them were landless labourers. Therefore, all three of them came to the Andamans and found the land fertile. The first batch of 12 Karen families, led by Rev. Lugyi, landed on the shores of the Andamans in April 1925. This was followed by another 50 families a year later. They set up an isolated village, surrounded by lush forests and rivers, and named it Webi. The term Webi translates to ‘hidden city’ in Karen. 

Historically, the Karen people have been agriculturalists. They grow unique rice varieties of Burma Dhan which they brought from Burma. They are skilled in farming and animal husbandry and also possess a deep understanding of medicinal plants. Our unpublished study, based on in-depth interviews with elderly Karens, reveals their rich culture, cuisines, and wealth of medicinal plants used to treat various ailments. This knowledge, however, is diminishing in younger generations due to modernization. Therefore, documenting this age-old knowledge is an urgent necessity. A Google Scholar search for the phrase ‘Phytotherapy and Ethnomedicine in Karen of the A & N Islands’ yielded only a few hits, indicating the urgency of conserving this vast traditional knowledge.

The Karen people are skilled at deep-sea diving, a trait they must have inherited from their forefathers. They have made a mark in the booming water sports industry. The three best diving sites in the Andamans - Dickson’s Pinnacle, Jonny’s Gorge and Jackson’s Bar - are named after three Karen brothers. The Karen people’s innate understanding of the power of the sea is well known. In 2004, when the tsunami struck the islands, an incident occurred at Galathea Bay, a prominent nesting ground for leatherback sea turtles in the Great Nicobar Islands. Some researchers curiously went to the shore to see the unusual receding of water. But Saw Agu, a Karen man assisting the researchers, recognized the danger and urged everyone to flee to higher ground. His warning was not heeded on time, and tragically, no one else survived. Agu later recounted the devastating tsunami and how he was stranded for 13 days before finally reaching a nearby village with fractured ribs and collarbones!

Despite their deep cultural connection with the sea, the Karen community faces a lot of challenges in preserving their unique culture. Although nicknamed ‘A slice of Myanmar in the Andamans’, they have no cultural exchange with the Karen of Myanmar. Therefore, one issue that troubles the elderly Karen is how to keep the language alive. The current generation faces difficulty reading and writing the language fluently. Efforts were made to address this issue. For example, Karen was previously taught up to class three in two schools in Mayabunder. However, after the Covid-19 pandemic, this effort has stopped. Our conversation with a Karen teacher at Govt. Senior Secondary School, Webi, confirmed that the shortage of Karen teachers is a major issue. However, she was optimistic that the teaching of the subject would start soon. The future of the language remains uncertain! Once the teachers retire, this will come to a halt. As a result, measures to preserve their language and rich culture are urgently required. Also, inter-community marriage is leading to a gradual loss of homogeneity. This worries the elderly Karens because future generations may lose their indigenous identity!

The Karen people exhibit the traits of shyness and politeness. However, they are also highly determined. Their determination is evident in their ability to persevere during challenging times. These islands were not only ruled by the British but also occupied by the Japanese forces during World War II. Despite all the hardships, the Karen community flourished because of their quiet perseverance and cultural strength.

Despite their significant contributions, the Karen are a lesser-known community in the history of the Andamans. Today, this community of around 3000 individuals, seeking to attain Scheduled Tribe status, stands as an example of cultural strength and resilience. As they prepare to celebrate their 100th year of presence in the Andamans in 2025, their story reflects the unifying power of the sea. Their journey also resonates with the timeless melodies of Bhupen Hazarika, reminding us of the interconnectedness of humanity!