By Cameron Weston
MEMBERS of the Pwo Karen community have found a place to worship together in Hobsons Bay, establishing an important cultural hub in their adopted home.
Members of the group have begun holding services in their native language at the Newport Baptist Church hall, following the regular English-language Sunday church service, which members also attend.
Win Ko, a member of the Pwo Karen fellowship, said it was important that the group, a distinct cultural entity within the Burmese Karen population, could gather and worship together in Australia.
“It is important for the children that we are speaking Pwo Karen.
“Our people have a different way of speaking, a different culture.”
Adults wanted to maintain the Pwo Karen culture but realised the importance of children embracing Australian culture, Mr Ko said, and becoming part of a local church was a positive step for the group.
With several extended family groups living in the Newport area and around the Western suburbs, forming a new congregation at the church created a weekly focal point and was becoming an important social event.
More than 50 people are already attending special church services, which are also conducted by John Saw, a Pwo Karen pastor.
Services were previously held in the house of one of the members of the members, an arrangement that quickly became untenable as the congregation expanded.
Pastor Peter Clark said the church was delighted to welcome members of the Pwo Karen community, who began informally attending the English service about two months ago.
“A large number of Pwo Karen people have moved into the area.
“They have been through terrible persecution, especially in the last five or 10 years.
“I discovered that this group has a different dialect from the Karen group that was meeting (nearby).
“They invited me to their house for a Sunday afternoon church service.
“I thought it was going to be a birthday party, but I ended up being the preacher.” Mr Clark said.
