I

Images from Karen State

Richard Humpheries

Traditional Dancing

(Black and White)

Jason Miller

Karen New Year 2003

 Shwe Koako, Karen State

Sylvia Murcfeld

Karen State

Photographs

 Jean de La Tour

Manerplaw

Richard Humphries

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Version Date

June 2004

12/01/2005

Website: Designed, Built and written  by Paul Keenan

Telahkon

The Telakhon was formed around the same time as the Lekhai in the early 19^th century in Kyain district by a prophet known as the Phu Chaik. By the early sixties, under the seventh Phu Chaik, the sect had over several thousand adherents in the eastern hills with a fairly complex village administration system and forms of ritual worship.

In the 50’s the AFPFL government concerned by the growth of the movement failingly attempted to try and turn them into a force against the KNU and later in the 1960 the Burmese government used Christian missionaries from Thailand exploiting Karen God traditions and the Golden book to convert them to Christianity.

In the 60’s the Phu Chaik, believing that the age of Arimetteya was upon him, broke with the Phu Chaiks lineal vow of celibacy and got married. After this he attempted to recruit KNLA soldiers to attack government towns under the belief that the Telakhon was the true nationalist movement of the Karen.

In 1967 the Phu Chaik ordered an assault against Kyaikto town in a battle that cost over 24 Telahkon followers. The KNU by this time decided that action had to be taken against the movement. The Phu Chaik, was arrested and executed for the murder of his wife.

There remain around 2000 to 3000 followers in the KNU’s 6^th Brigade and Thai border areas.[1