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The Karens of the Golden Chersonese by Lieut-Colonel a R Mcmahon, F.R.G.S

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The Karens of the Golden Chersonese by Lieut-Colonel a R Mcmahon, F.R.G.S * A Project Gutenberg of Australia eBook * The Karens of the Golden Chersonese By Lieut-Colonel A R McMahon, F.R.G.S. (fl. 1876) Madras Staff Corps; Deputy Commissioner, British Burma LONDON HARRISON, 59, PALL MALL 1876 PREFACE When in charge of the frontier district of Toungoo, in British Burma, a few years ago, I was called on to furnish information regarding the origin, history, traditions, religion, language, habits, and customs of the various peoples having their _habitat_ therein, in view to incorporation in a Gazetteer. Ethnologically speaking, Toungoo is perhaps the most important district in this region, as in it are found representatives of most of the various tribes and clans known under the generic name of Karen, whose curious traditions, especially those which refer to biblical events, as well as the marvellous success which has attended the efforts of Christian missionaries among them, have enlisted much interest and sympathy in their behalf. The late Dr. Mason and other missionaries who had long devoted themselves to the people, and through whose writings the Karens have become known to the outer world, were fortunately in Toungoo at the time, and owing to their generous assistance I was placed in possession of materials far in excess of the Government requirements. The subject was in itself so interesting, however, that I pursued my inquiries further, and the more I learnt the more fascinating it became, especially when I was able, by intimate communication with the people in my tours through the district, sometimes in jungles where a white man had never been seen before, to confirm by personal experience much of the information I had acquired from others or from books, and also to collect much matter which had not been noticed by former observers. Much has already been written about the Karens, but in somewhat a desultory fashion, and not easily accessible to the general reader. By a diligent search in American publications, secular and religious, most excellent articles are to be found here and there scattered through magazines, and books published in England and India; papers by Dr. Mason, Mr. O'Riley, Mr. Logan, and others are published. But no general account of the people noticing the different heads, indicated in the Government circular, has ever been written. It therefore struck me that I might endeavour to supply this desideratum when the pressure of official work allowed me. But this was not to be while in Burma, and it was only when I obtained leave to visit England, that I was able to carry out this idea. Even then, however, I did not see my way towards publication, as I was aware that the best efforts in this direction would only appeal to the sympathies of a limited circle of readers. Much more interest having lately been taken in Burma and adjoining countries, my friends in England with whom I left the MS., thought this was an opportune time for publishing them. With a hope that this may be the case, and at the same time conscious of many imperfections in the work, it is with much diffidence I submit it to the judgment of the public, whose indulgence I would crave for this attempt to give a general account of a most interesting people. To several friends my hearty acknowledgments are due for their kindly assistance. To none more so than to the lamented Rev. Dr. Mason, who not only favoured me with valuable memoranda on many subjects, but generously allowed me to avail myself of his MS., and published papers. To other Missionaries my thanks are also due for aid in prosecuting my researches. I am further not a little indebted for much valuable information, especially about Karennee, from a perusal of Mr. O'Riley's interesting journals. A. R. McMAHON Prome, 4th October, 1875 CONTENTS I. Introductory II. Etymology of the word Karen----Character and Physical Characteristics of the Karens III. Language IV. Education V. Government VI. Origin VII. Religion, Mythology, Folk-lore, &c. VIII. Rise and progress of Christianity IX. Toungoo: its physical Geography and History X. Nattoung, or "Demon Mount" XI. Reminiscences of an Annual Gathering of Christian Karens XII. Among the Tsawkoo Karens XIII. A Summer Tour in the Bwé-Karen Country XIV. Trip to the Gaykho Country XV. The "Happy Hunting-Grounds" of Meekyin XVI. Karennee, or the Country of the Red Karens [ Illustration--VIEW OF BHAMO WITH KAKHYNI HILLS ] THE KARENS OF THE GOLDEN CHERSONESE CHAPTER I INTRODUCTORY From that comparatively unexplored, although prominent, region on the confines of Tibet, lying between Assam and China, a number of noble rivers rush to the east and to the south, the ethnological influence of which, in reference to the tonic region, or that portion of the world's surface which is solely occupied by peoples distinguished by monosyllabic speech, is so paramount, as to claim more than ordinary attention, when considering the probable directions of migration and connection of the ultra-Indian and Chinese races. In this splendid river system, of which the Hoangho and the Irrawaddy form the eastern and western flanks respectively, we have included the Salwen, Mekong, and Yang-tse-kiang, as well as the secondary basins of the Menam, Sonka, and Hong-Kiang. The great Himalayan chain which forms the southern boundary of its land of origin, is intercepted on the south-east confines of Tibet by a transverse mountain system, originating with the Yunling and allied ranges, and also forming the ultra-Indian peninsulas, by which the Hoangho is forced far north, and ultimately finds the way into the Gulf of Pecheli. The same cause operates in driving the Yang-tse-Kiang in a contrary direction as far as the borders of Yunan, where becoming involved in longitudinal ranges to the east of the Indo-Chinese river system, it is abruptly turned, and, flowing parallel to the Hoangho, effects an exit into the Yellow Sea. We now come to the rivers comprising the western division of this fluviatile region, namely, the Irrawaddy, Salwen, and Mekong. The first two debouching into the Bay of Bengal, and the third into the China Sea, are hemmed in for the most part by subordinate ranges of the Himalaya, which take an independent turn to the south, and after vainly striving, as it were, to emulate in colossal grandeur, the high places of the earth they have left behind, sink into insignificance in the promontory of the Malay peninsula, and are finally lost in the archipelago to the south. These rivers and their valleys were evidently the primeval highways by which the peoples of Farther India came down from the dreary and inhospitable margin of the great central plateau to their present dwelling-places. And no doubt there was a time when there were no other routes available, even in the more favourably circumstanced countries of India and China. In this sparsely populated region, river and streams for the most part regulate the distribution of its human inhabitants, for it is on their banks the great bulk of the population is to be found. This is, and will necessarily for a long time be the case, more particularly in those portions of the country intersected by a labyrinth of tidal creeks, such as characterises the delta of the Irrawaddy. The same phenomenon is observable, although not to the same extent, in the interior of the country, but the natural obstacles to communication therein have been partially overcome by the energy of peoples who have attained the status of separate nations, but who possibly for ages were cut up into petty tribes on the banks of rivers or their affluents. The whole of the region comprised within this river system is well adapted for the habitation of man, as the rich and fertile alluvial plains are capable of sustaining a large population, and the natural means of internal communication by water abundant; while the valleys, although separated from each other by high mountains, are united by the highway of the sea. The ethnology of the region from which these rivers take their rise is still very obscure, but the little data we have is sufficient to warrant us in coming to the conclusion that it will prove of extraordinary interest in determining the many ethnological questions in reference to the peoples of Farther India, which are now necessarily conjectural. For in a country almost inaccessible from lofty mountains and other physical causes, many of the inhabited districts must still be secluded, and the numerous petty tribes to be found therein, retaining their original languages and customs, probably afford the missing links for determining whether the theories in regard to the affinities of language and similarity of manners between the people influenced by these rivers and the great table lands to the north are well founded. The relative positions of the ultra-Indian races, as well as their languages, as far as we known at present, give ample grounds for connecting them, with what are supposed to have been their ancient location and subsequent movements. Geographically speaking, it is also almost a _terra incognita_ even in regard to the sources of those fine rivers, which for a long time, it was hoped, would prove the natural outlets of commerce from the greater part of Western China. The subject was, it is true, exhaustively handled by recent writers,[1] who prove that much of the ancient geography that we pinned our faith upon is no longer to be relied on. No new light, however, has been thrown on the question, and little to the credit of our character for enterprise, no attempt appears to have been made to solve this interesting problem by actual exploration.
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