When Burma (Myanmar) came under military rule in 1962, war was waged against the Karen and other ethnic groups in Burma by burning their villages, forcing them to work as laborers, and murdering countless men, women and children. Since 1975, more than 150,000 Burmese refugees have moved into refugee camps in Thailand and thousands have migrated from these camps to the United States.

The Karen people are grateful for the opportunity to live in the U.S. but they also feel strongly that they need to maintain many of the traditions of their people including their language and weaving. 

By providing a space for women to practice traditional weaving, pass the skills onto future generations, and educate the broader community, the Ei Mer Karen Weaving Group of Utah give the Karen who are living outside of their home country a way to maintain their culture and practices.