Pre-research Perception

Before embarking on research, my impression of Maehongson, the place where the Karen-Padaung reside, is that it is a highly unsophisticated village which resembles the ‘kampongs’ Singapore used to have. Maehongson would be a patriarchal society where women are submissive and have no voice of their own. At the same time, there is social order and a culture which is very rich and unique – the Karen-Padaung would be traditional people who esteem and respect their ethnicity very much.