Karen; Refugee Camps]]> Karen; Refugees; Karen Refugees; Thailand; Refugee Camps; Burma; Burmese Military; Porter; United States Immigration]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Refugees, families, Immigration & culture, social justice]]> lithograph, burma, pagoda]]> Cache Valley Refugee Project Interviewees ]]> map, Eritrea]]> Wikimedia Commons]]> Map of Burma]]> Valley
Refugee
Oral
History
Project]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Gross, Susan;]]> transcripts;]]> application/pdf;]]> 189532 Bytes]]> Text;]]> 2010-2019; 21st century;]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> oral histories (document genres);]]> audio/mp3;]]> 59624475 Bytes]]> Sound;]]> 2010-2019; 21st century;]]> Valley
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CACHE VALLEY REFUGEE ORAL HISTORY PROJECT
TRANSCRIPTION COVER SHEET
Interviewee(s): Kaw Lay
Present: David Giles, Cami Dilg, Deanna Allred, Kaw Lay, Har Be Bar, Khin Mar
Cho (Kaw Lay’s wife)
Place of Interview: Kaw Lay’s home, Logan, Utah
Date of Interview: May 16, 2015
Language(s): Burmese
Translation:
Interviewer: David Giles
Interpreter: Har Be Bar
Recordist: Deanna Allred
Photographer: Cami Dilg
Recording Equipment: Tascam DR-100mk11 linear PCM recorder; Senal ENG-18RL
broadcast-quality omnidirectional dynamic microphone
Transcription Equipment: Express Scribe with PowerPlayer foot pedal.
Transcribed by: Susan Gross, May 25, 2015
Transcript Proofed by:
Brief Description of Contents: Mr. Kaw Lay discusses being born in Burma, and then the
conditions during the war. He talks about his wife and children escaping to a refugee camp in
Thailand, with him following later (after having earned more money to support the trip). He talks
about the journey to the United States, and what it took to adjust and get settled in Logan, Utah.
He and his wife talk about the struggles they’ve had, as well as daily life for their family in the
United States.
Reference: DG = David Giles
DGI = David Giles’ words interpreted by translator
KL = Kaw Lay
KLI = Kaw Lay’s words interpreted by translator
DA = Deanna Allred
DAI = Deanna Allred’s words interpreted by translator
CD = Cami Dilg
CDI = Cami Dilg’s words interpreted by translator
KC = Khin Mar Cho
KC = Khin Mar Cho’s words interpreted by translator
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NOTE: [You will have to modify this as appropriate—whether using CommGap or in-person
interpreter.] The interview was conducted with CommGap Interpretive Services; the interpreter
joined the interview via a cell phone. False starts, pauses, or transitions in dialogue such as “uh”
and starts and stops in conversations are not included in transcript. All additions and added
information to transcript are noted with brackets.
TAPE TRANSCRIPTION
[00:01]
DG: Okay. This is David Giles; we are recording an interview for the “Voices: Refugees in
Cache Valley” project. Also with me we have Cami Dilg and Deanna Allred (I
completely spaced). Today is the 16th of May, and it is about one o’clock in the
afternoon. We also have Har Be Bar, who is the interpreter today, and Kaw Lay, who we
will be interviewing. Is there anything else we need to put on the tag, or is that it? Okay.
Sorry?
CD: Go ahead and ask who else is in the room –
DG: Okay.
CD: And have them be identified.
DG: Okay. Could you do me a favor and just tell us your names?
??: My name is [??]
DG: Okay. Sean[??], would you mind?
KC: My name is Khin Mar Cho, his wife.
DG: Okay.
[Inaudible discussion with folks in the room.]
DG: [??] okay.
DA: How do you spell that?
??: T-H-U-V[??]
DG: Oh, I think you were here yesterday.
??: Yeah.
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DG: Okay; alright.
DA: How do you spell your name?
KC: Khin Mar Cho: K-H-I-N space M-A-R space C-H-O.
DA: C-H--?
KC: C-H-O.
DA: C-H-O? Thank you.
DG: Okay. Now, before we start Kaw Lay, just to make sure on Har Be Bar, it’s easiest if we
just speak one or two sentences at a time, give her time to translate.
DGI: [Repeating the statement in Burmese.]
DG: If you would like to speak in English, that’s fine; if you feel more comfortable speaking
in Burmese – that’s fine as well; just whichever you prefer.
DGI: [Repeating the statement in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: He will speak in English – oh, Burmese.
DG: Okay.
KLI: Yeah.
DG: Alright. So my first question: can you tell us your first name and your birth year? And
what languages do you speak?
DGI: [Repeating the questions in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: First name is Kaw and the last name is Lay; he speak Burmese. His birthday is –
KL: [Speaking in Burmese.]
KLI: [Speaking in Burmese.]
KL: [Speaking in Burmese.]
KLI: [Speaking in Burmese.]
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KL: [Speaking in Burmese.]
KLI: It’s 1963.
DG: 1963, okay. Now let me see, tell us a little bit about your family – you know, how many
children do you have? And how long have you been married? That kind of thing.
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: He don’t remember exactly how long he been married. And then he has five children.
[Speaking in Burmese to interviewee.] Two girls and three boys.
DG: Okay, thank you. Let me see – can you please describe the ethnic or religious community
that you belong to? So you know, tell us about being a Burmese Muslim.
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: [Speaking in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
[04:33]
KLI: I’m kind of Muslim ethnic group.
DG: Okay, thank you. Now let me see – can you tell us a little bit more about Burma? You
know, how long you lived there, why you left?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: He was born in Burma, and then there was civil war going around, so they had to move
around in Burma. So he had to leave Burma because of the war to Thailand camp.
DG: So you went to Thailand first?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
Yeah, Thailand first.
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DG: Okay, so what was that like – having to move around, having to move to Thailand?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: [Speaking in Burmese.]
[Discussion in Burmese between several people.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: [Speaking in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: Well everything was destroyed, so we have to move around. Well he have to, so it’s kind
of not good.
DG: Um-hmm.
KLI: Yeah, that’s what he try to say.
DG: Okay. Let me see – okay. So about how old were you when you had to leave to Thailand?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: Forty-four[??]
DG: Okay. And do you remember how many kids you had at that time?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
[08:23]
KLI: At that time he only have four childrens, and then in the camp she was born.
DG: Wow, okay. What was that like having little kids with you when you needed to leave?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
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KLI: Yeah, it was the worst time ever, because the whole family cannot go together. At first
his wife and two childrens went there first; and then he followed them.
DG: Wow that sounds scary.
KLI: Um-hmm.
DG: Did you have to go separately because if immigration restrictions, because of laws?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: First because their family over there in the camp – they went first – and then they support
them to get there. Yeah, he stay in Burma, work for a little bit and then get money, and
then go.
DG: I understand; okay, thank you. What was it like living in a refugee camp? What were
your experiences there?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: He don’t have much experience – he get free food, he live with the food because he don’t
work (in the camp there are no jobs).
DG: Um-hmm. So what kind of food did you get?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: Rice, beans, salt, oil, chilies.
DG: Wow, so not very much?
KLI: Not very much.
DG: Not very much. Let me see – now what kind of medical care was there in the camp?
What would you do if you got into an accident, or you got sick?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
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[13:07]
KLI: In the camp there are clinic, and then if he get sick he will go there. If the health is getting
worse, and like dying, the clinic will support him to go to a Mae Sot hospital (he will get
take care of him); he don’t have to pay for it.
DG: Okay, thank you. What kind of hospital was it?
KLI: It’s a clinic – in the camp? The clinic.
DG: Oh, well you said if they got worse then they’d go to a hospital?
KLI: Uh-huh, like in Mae Sot – in the big city.
DG: Oh, okay; alright. Let me see – now you said there wasn’t any work that you could do in
the camp, no jobs?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: No.
DG: Okay, wow; wow. Okay, now when you were in the camp did you celebrate in holy days
or any holidays?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: [Speaking in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: There are a lot of people (like Muslim people); so that way he could celebrate the Eid
(they call the Eid). First he went to the mosque and then pray, and then come back and
have fun with families.
DG: Cool. Was there a mosque in the camp?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: Yeah, they were.
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DG: Okay, wow. What was the mosque like – like what was it made out of? What did it look
like?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: It’s made of wood and bamboo tree.
DG: Okay. Was it specially decorated, or was it just you know, just a house?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
[16:12]
KLI: It’s kind of like a house, but it’s a lot bigger because a lot of people go there and kind of
decorated.
DG: Okay, thank you.
KLI: Um-hmm.
DG: Let me see – now what was it like politically? Like what was your relation – when you
were refugees, what was your relationship with Thailand?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: You don’t have a lot of like relationship with Thailand – just live in the camp, and then
their like government help.
DG: Okay, thank you. Did you feel safe in the camps?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: It’s not safe over there; the Burmese people will come and burn them, but he was afraid.
DG: That does sound scary. Thank you. Let me see – so how did you first hear about the
United States’ refugee program, and how did you apply for it?
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DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
[19:19]
KLI: There is a group that called –
[Speaking in Burmese to interviewee.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: UNHI –
[Speaking in Burmese to interviewee.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: It’s called UI – he don’t really know. And then he had to register for to come here (like a
lot of people were).
DG: Okay, thank you. Did you get any help applying?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: Yeah, the UI group helped with everything, because they don’t know anything. So they
helped.
DG: Okay, thank you. I have a question about the paperwork – was it all in English, or did you
have to fill it out in Burmese?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: [Speaking in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: Yeah, it’s in English, but there are translator that helped them.
DG: Wow that sounds like a nightmare.
KLI: [Laughs] Yeah.
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DG: Let me see – so what was it like coming to the U.S.? What was your experience with the
move?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: From the camp he had to go to the city, in Thailand city – he had to like stay there three
days in the church, and then he had to take the airplane (like three to four airplanes); and
he went to New York, and from New York to here.
DG: Wow.
KLI: Yeah.
DG: Wow.
KLI: It’s a long way.
DG: Um-hmm. Kaw Lay’s wife has just sat down with us. Let me see – now you said when
you went to the camp you had to go – it was your wife and a couple of children, and then
you came afterwards? Did you all go at the same time to the United States, or did you
have to go twice like that?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
[22:54]
KLI: All together.
DG: All together?
KLI: Um-hmm.
DG: Okay. Let me see – so when you first got to the United States, what was it like for those
first couple months? Did anyone help you out, or were you just on your own?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: He get a little bit help with the renting and stuff, but there is a problem with his son
broken leg; yeah.
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DG: Um-hmm. So who helped you with the rent?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
[Discussion in Burmese among several folks present.]
KLI: There is a group (IRC) help pay the rent for six months.
DG: Oh, wow. That might have been the – Cache Valley group? We’ll look it up –
[Discussion in Burmese.]
You mentioned there was a problem when your son broke his leg – what happened then?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KC: [Responding in Burmese.]
[Discussion in Burmese among several folks present.]
KCI: They get separated – he is in the hotel, and then she is in the hospital with the broken leg
child; and then there is no phone, no number that to call. And then they don’t know how
to contact each other.
DG: Wow. And you’re saying this is Kaw Lay and his wife (for the recording)?
KCI: Um-hmm, yeah.
DG: Okay, wow; sounds very scary. Let me see – now did the hospital charge you for that?
How did you get help paying for that (the broken leg)?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KC: [Responding in Burmese.]
KCI: The IRC helped them to pay for it.
DG: Okay; alright, thank you. Let me see, next question – so how long have you guys been
living here, in Logan?
[27:44]
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DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
[Discussion among Kaw Lay, Har Be Bar, and Khin Mar Cho in Burmese.]
KLI: Like five to six year.
DG: Okay, let me see – what is life like here? What do you do (what kind of work do you do)?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
[Discussion among Kaw Lay, Har Be Bar, and Khin Mar Cho in Burmese.]
KLI: He work in Miller, and then he is saying that he don’t get food stamps now – so with his
money he buy food and stuff, and live like that.
DG: What specifically do you do at Miller (like what’s your job)?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: He had to do the inside of the cow’s stomach –
DG: Oh, goodness.
KLI: [Laughs] Yeah.
DG: Khin Mar Cho (is that how you?) –
KC: Khin Mar Cho.
DG: Khin Mar Cho – what do you do for work here, or do you work?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KC: [Responding in Burmese.]
KCI: She sew, she cook – she sew for other people like – she sew for my clothes too, and then
I pay for it.
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DG: Oh cool; awesome, thank you. Let me see – do you feel included in the Logan
community? Do you feel a part of the group here?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: Yeah, he feel like it.
DG: Good, good. Let me see – now tell us a little bit about your home here: like how is it like
the house you had back in Burma, and how is it different?
[31:13]
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
[Discussion among Kaw Lay, Har Be Bar, and Khin Mar Cho in Burmese.]
KLI: Thailand – the camp houses are like sometime missing a wall –
KL: [Speaking in Burmese.]
KL: Made with the bamboo trees.
DG: Um-hmm?
KL: And then here it’s like completely a lot better; yeah.
DG: Um-hmm; okay, thank you. Let me see – oh, have you had any problems with your
landlord, or have they been nice and helpful?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: The best landlord ever, he said, because whenever he need something he call it, and then
that person come.
DG: Okay, so the landlord is helpful then?
KLI: Yeah, it’s very helpful.
DG: Okay. Good, good; we’ve heard some stories where that wasn’t the case.
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KLI: Um-hmm.
DG: If you could translate that.
DGI: [Repeating the statement in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: The others are not that helpful. Yeah.
DG: Okay; wow, it sounds like you got lucky [laughs].
DGI: Um-hmm. [Repeating the statement in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.] Very, very.
DG: Um-hmm. Now let me see – so what would you like people in Logan to know about you
and your family?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KC: [Responding in Burmese.]
[34:44]
KLI: If they’re interested in them, they can come and ask about it; yeah [laughs].
DG: Okay. Alright, let me see – now if you could, would you like to go back to Burma?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: He would like to go back because he have like a lot of friends. And then if he goes
somewhere else (like in the jungle) he is happy to live in there, because he feel like it’s
his place – and here he don’t feel like it’s own place. And then his child would not go
back because they live here, they feel like it’s their place. So yeah, he would like to go
back.
DG: Okay. I’m sorry – what was your name again?
KC: Khin Mar Cho.
DG: Khin Mar Cho – would you like to go back?
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DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KC: [Responding in Burmese.]
KCI: She doesn’t like to go back because there are still problems and then she doesn’t want to
like get problem anymore – she just want to get free.
DG: Um-hmm.
KCI: Yeah.
DG: Okay. Now let me see – I’d like to go back and ask about the move to the United States.
Is there anything that you think that people could do to make that move easier, to make
that transition?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
[Discussion among Kaw Lay, Har Be Bar, and Khin Mar Cho in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
[38:25]
KLI: He want to get like easiest way that he could, if he can – but he had to go around because
– [speaking in Burmese to interviewee]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: It’s the traveling stuff, so –
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: Yeah, he cannot just go straight –
DG: Are you talking about he would have liked to have flown into Salt Lake –
KLI: Uh-huh.
DG: Instead of going to New York and back?
KLI: Um-hmm, yeah.
DG: Okay. Okay now let me see – now just a couple more questions. So what are you most
proud of?
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DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: He is very proud that he could come here, and then like his childrens can go to school
free. Yeah.
DG: Good. Now Khin Mar Cho – what are you most proud of?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KC: [Responding in Burmese.]
[Laughter]
KCI: She said nothing because she can’t speak English until now.
KC: [Responding in Burmese.]
KCI: Yeah, she wants to like speak English and then get better health.
DG: Get better health?
KCI: Um-hmm.
DG: Okay. Are you having medical problems right now?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KC: [Responding in Burmese – crying.]
KCI: Yeah, she is having with medical; she want to have medical care.
KC: [Responding in Burmese.]
KCI: Yeah, they don’t help.
DG: They don’t help?
KCI: Um-hmm.
DG: Okay. I’m not sure –
DA: Where does she go to get medical help?
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KCI: She just go to the hospital, but she has insurance in the JBS, but the JBS didn’t help them
much; so, yeah.
[41:27]
DA: For her specific problem?
KCI: Um-hmm.
KC: [Responding in Burmese.]
KCI: The thing is that they could pay, but they did not pay. And then there is like a lot of
paperworks come, and then she don’t know how to read and stuff.
DG: Would you like us to see if we can help with that?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KC: [Responding in Burmese.]
KCI: Yeah, she would like you to.
DG: Okay, alright. I don’t know how much we can do, but I’ll ask and see if there is someone
who can help.
DA: It sounds like there’s just a translation problem. Is it more than just a translation problem?
DG: Yeah, it sounds like a problem with the insurance.
KCI: Yeah, with the insurance – and then she don’t get the medical care from the government.
DA: Okay.
DG: If you could tell her we will try and help, but –
KC: [Speaking in Burmese.]
[Discussion among Kaw Lay, Har Be Bar, and Khin Mar Cho in Burmese.]
KCI: There is still a problem with his son leg, and that he had to go every year and then he
cannot go because of the medical problem that nobody problem.
DG: Okay. Can you tell her we’ll talk to some people and see if there is something we can do
– if there is some way we can help.
DGI: [Repeating the question.]
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KC: [Responding in Burmese.]
KCI: She doesn’t want any food stamps or stuff, she just want the medical care.
DA: She doesn’t the what?
KCI: The food stamps.
DA: Yes, um-hmm.
DG: Yeah, we’ll try to help. I don’t know much about –
KC: [Speaking in Burmese.]
DG: Okay, we’ll see what we can do.
DGI: [Repeating the statement in Burmese.]
DG: Now just a couple more questions. What are your dreams for yourself and for your
children? We’ve already talked about medical care –
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KC: [Responding in Burmese.]
KCI: She wants her youngest daughter to be a doctor – she really wants –
DG: Um-hmm.
KC: [Speaking in Burmese.]
[Laughter]
DA: Is that you?
??: Yeah.
DG: Yeah, that would be very good.
DA: That would be wonderful.
DG: Now Kaw Lay, what are your dreams – for yourself and for your children?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
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KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
[45:44]
KLI: He don’t have a dream for himself, but for his daughter and son – he don’t to be like him
(like working hard), he just want like their lives to get better and better. That’s his dream.
DG: Okay. Now let me see – is there anything else (this question is for both of you) – is there
anything else you’d like to talk about that we haven’t asked?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: Nothing.
DG: Okay. Now those are all the questions that I have, but do either of you have questions?
DA: I have some questions. If there were English classes available, do you have transportation
to get there? Do you know if there are English classes?
DAI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KC: [Responding in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KC: [Speaking in Burmese.]
KCI: There is people that come her house and like teach her English, but she don’t get it
because of problem with the brain, I don’t know.
KC: [Responding in Burmese.]
KCI: Yeah, she don’t learn anything.
DG: I’m sorry –
KC: [Speaking in Burmese.]
KCI: When they teach she get at first, and then later she forgot all.
DG: That’s kind of how it is for us too, actually [laughs]. Like in the classes that we’re taking
for school, we need to learn things over and over. So, yeah.
DGI: [Repeating the statement in Burmese.]
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DG: Okay, any other questions.
DA: I do have a question: when you were in the hospital with your son right after you got
here, and you were at home – how did you find each other? How did you get back
together your family?
DAI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KC: [Responding in Burmese.]
KCI: They take a weeks, then the IRC come and then they find a way –
DA: To get them all back together?
KCI: Um-hmm, yeah.
DA: They were separated for weeks?
KCI: Um-hmm, yeah.
DA: Because they couldn’t get back together?
KCI: Um-hmm. That’s crazy [laughs].
DA: That is crazy.
KC: [Responding in Burmese.]
KCI: Yeah, the IRC take –
KC: [Responding in Burmese.]
KCI: [Speaking in Burmese.]
KC: [Responding in Burmese.]
KCI: The IRC took them to the hospital.
DA: Okay.
KL: [Speaking in Burmese.]
KLI: Yeah, from hotel they rent and then once he got the home, and then they took him to the
hospital.
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DA: Um-hmm; okay.
[49:47]
DG: Okay, wow.
KC: [Speaking in Burmese.]
KCI: They can only drink water because they couldn’t eat the American food.
DA: I’m sure; I’m sure it was very different – yeah.
DG: And hospital food isn’t good anyways.
DA: Yeah [laughs].
DGI: [Repeating the statement in Burmese.]
KL: [Speaking in Burmese.]
KC: [Speaking in Burmese.]
DA: Is there any American food you like now?
DAI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KC: [Responding in Burmese.]
KCI: Like pizza.
[Laughter]
DA: Yeah, pizza [laughing].
DG: Okay. Now Cami, do you have a question?
CD: Were you finished?
DA: I’m done, thank you.
CD: Um-hmm. I guess to follow up with the food question, where do you purchase your food?
Do you do that here in the valley, or do you travel somewhere to get the food that you do
eat?
CDI: Now?
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CD: Um-hmm.
CDI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: Yeah, from Salt Lake – they get from Salt Lake.
DG: Wow.
CD: How often do you make the trip down there?
CDI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: Once a month.
KL: [Speaking in Burmese.]
KLI: There is not a lot of Asians food in here, so they have to go to Salt Lake and once a
month buy a lot of food.
DA: Um-hmm.
DG: Um-hmm.
[52:05]
CD: How do you get down there? Do you go with a family? Do you drive? Do you take public
transportation?
CDI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KC: [Responding in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: They go as a family because he don’t know how to drive, so he had to take his older son.
DG: Is his son [??]
KLI: Yeah [??]
DA: [??]
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KLI: Um-hmm.
DG: Okay.
CD: What is the traditional role of male or female, or father – or say husband and wife – in
your culture?
CDI: What is the traditional –
CD: The traditional role – does the wife play certain roles, the husband play certain roles?
CDI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: There is no traditional role, specifically, that they do; they just go to work, she just stay
home; that’s it every day.
DG: Okay.
CD: I’ve got one or two more questions.
DG: Okay, sorry [laughs].
CD: If someone wanted to learn more about your community (so someone from Logan), are
there events or, you know, gatherings that they could attend to learn more about your
community or to meet people from Burma?
CDI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: [Speaking in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
[54:41]
KLI: Yeah, they could come like when the Eid (the holiday) come – we cook, and then
everyone like around the community come and eat.
DG: Okay. When is Eid?
DGI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
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KC: [Responding in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: Next month is the Ramadan –
DA: Uh-huh.
KLI: That we have to fast; and then after Ramadan is the Eid.
DA: After Ramadan?
KLI: Yeah.
[Discussion among Kaw Lay, Har Be Bar, and Khin Mar Cho in Burmese.]
KLI: It’s April 6th – [speaking in Burmese], like the 18th.
DG: Okay, thank you.
KLI: No, it’s June –
DG: [Laughs]
KLI: Sorry [laughs].
KL: [Speaking in Burmese.]
KLI: Yeah, June 20th or the 18th.
DG: Okay.
CD: And then last question – on the reverse side (or the flip side), are there certain events that
take place in the community (American events, I guess) that you participate in – or
maybe just in general – are there things that you do outside of the home? I know you’re
busy with work and taking care of the family – what are some things that you like to do
outside?
CDI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: [Speaking in Burmese.]
KL: [Speaking in Burmese.]
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KLI: [Speaking in Burmese.]
KL: [Laughs] [Speaking in Burmese.]
[Discussion among Kaw Lay, Har Be Bar, and Khin Mar Cho in Burmese.]
[Doorbell rings]
[57:48]
KLI: Like they would like to go other people houses and visit – that’s what they like to do.
DG: Okay; so they like to go to other people’s homes, and they like to visit?
KLI: Um-hmm, yeah.
DG: Okay.
KC: [Responding in Burmese.]
KCI: They also like to go to Americans [??] houses, but they don’t know how to speak so –
yeah, if they invite, they would like to go.
DG: Okay.
DA: Oh, well we can do that.
CD: That can be arranged.
[Laughter]
DA: She can come visit us.
KC: [Speaking in Burmese.]
KCI: Yeah, they usually stay home because of like problems speaking English; and they don’t
even go to the parent-teacher conferences.
CD: Would they attend school events, or something like that (parent-teacher conference) if
they had someone to translate?
CDI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
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KC: [Responding in Burmese.]
KCI: Yeah.
DG: Okay; alright, any other questions? Okay – if you could translate this for me –
DGI: Um-hmm.
DG: We are done with the interview now. We are going to transcribe this interview (we’re
going to write it down), and we can also burn you a CD of what we talked about today.
DGI: [Repeating the statement in Burmese.]
DG: This interview that we’ve had today – the recording and the text – will be stored in the
Utah State University Library.
DGI: [Repeating the statement in Burmese.]
DG: And we’ll also use this information to put together an exhibit about Burmese Muslims
here, in Logan – and that will be coming up soon –
DA: At the end of the month.
DG: Do we have invitations?
DA: Yes, I do.
CD: We do, and we’d like you to attend – your family and your friends – if you would; we’ll
give you the information.
CDI: [Repeating the statement in Burmese.]
DG: And thank you again very much for allowing us to come and interview you.
DGI: [Repeating the statement in Burmese.]
KL: [Responding in Burmese.]
KLI: It doesn’t cost anything?
DA: No.
DG: No. Can you do the release forms?
[Discussion among Kaw Lay, Har Be Bar, and Khin Mar Cho in Burmese.]
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DA: May I take some pictures?
DAI: Yeah.
DA: So can I take pictures of you two?
DAI: [Repeating the question in Burmese.]
DA: Thank you.
DG: Now we do have two forms: one form we’d like each of you to sign. This is just a form
giving us permission to use this interview and to, you know, store it like we’ve talked
about.
DGI: [Repeating the statement in Burmese.]
[Discussion among Kaw Lay, Har Be Bar, and Khin Mar Cho in Burmese.]
DA: Okay, I only have –
[Background discussion between the interviewers.]
[Discussion among Kaw Lay, Har Be Bar, and Khin Mar Cho in Burmese.]
[End recording – 62:06]]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Gross, Susan;]]> transcripts;]]> application/pdf;]]> 182922 Bytes]]> Text;]]> 2010-2019; 21st century;]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> oral histories (document genres);]]> audio/mp3;]]> 59624476 Bytes]]> Sound;]]> 2010-2019; 21st century;]]> Mae La Camp, Thailand]]> Ya He Ma, 1972-; Ka Ma Din, 1973-;]]> Giles, David, 1986-;]]> Har Be Bar, 1996-;]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Dilg, Cami, 1986-;]]> Dilg, Cami, 1986-;]]> photographs;]]> image/jpeg;]]> 1407726 Bytes]]> eng; bur;]]> Image;StillImage;]]> Burma; Thailand;]]> Ya He Ma, 1972-; Ka Ma Din, 1973-;]]> Giles, David, 1986-;]]> Har Be Bar, 1996-;]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Dilg, Cami, 1986-;]]> Dilg, Cami, 1986-;]]> photographs;]]> image/jpeg;]]> 1149458 Bytes]]> eng; bur;]]> Image;StillImage;]]> Burma; Thailand;]]> Ya He Ma, 1972-; Ka Ma Din, 1973-;]]> Giles, David, 1986-;]]> Har Be Bar, 1996-;]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Dilg, Cami, 1986-;]]> Dilg, Cami, 1986-;]]> photographs;]]> image/jpeg;]]> 1155518 Bytes]]> eng; bur;]]> Image;StillImage;]]> Burma; Thailand;]]> Ya He Ma, 1972-; Ka Ma Din, 1973-;]]> Giles, David, 1986-;]]> Har Be Bar, 1996-;]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Dilg, Cami, 1986-;]]> Dilg, Cami, 1986-;]]> photographs;]]> image/jpeg;]]> 1183710 Bytes]]> eng; bur;]]> Image;StillImage;]]> Burma; Thailand;]]> Ya He Ma, Ka Ma Din, Har Be Bar, Maung Maung, Fareda, family, refugee, Burmese Muslim, Burmese, Muslim, Burma, Myanmar, violence, Thai camp, Thai refugee camp, Mae Sot immigration, Cache Valley, JBS Miller, Logan, immigrant housing, home, apartment, Voices: Refugee Project, folklore, Library of Congress, sewing, translator, life in America, dream]]> Ya He Ma, 1972-;]]> Giles, David, 1986-;]]> Har Be Bar, 1995-;]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Dilg, Cami, 1986-;]]> Dilg, Cami, 1986-;]]> oral histories (document genres);]]> audio/mp3;]]> 62731776 Bytes]]> bur; mya; eng;]]> Sound;]]> Burma; Thailand; Salt Lake City, Utah; Logan, Utah; Cache Valley, Utah]]> Ya He Ma, Ka Ma Din, Har Be Bar, Maung Maung, Fareda, family, refugee, Burmese Muslim, Burmese, Muslim, Burma, Myanmar, violence, Thai camp, Thai refugee camp, Mae Sot immigration, Cache Valley, JBS Miller, Logan, immigrant housing, home, apartment, Voices: Refugee Project, folklore, Library of Congress, sewing, translator, life in America, dream]]> Valley
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CACHE VALLEY REFUGEE ORAL HISTORY PROJECT
TRANSCRIPTION COVER SHEET
Interviewee(s): Ya He Ma
Present: Ya He Ma (43 years); Har Be Bar (Translator; Ya He Ma’s eldest
daughter, 20 years); Ka ma Din, (Ya He Ma’s husband, 42 years); Fareda
(Ya He Ma’s youngest daughter, 16 years); Maung Maung (Ya He Ma’s
son, 5 years); Deanna Allred (recordist), Cami Dilg (interviewer); David
Giles (photographer)
Place of Interview: Ya He Ma’s apartment: 274 Riverbend Road, Apartment 4, Logan, Utah,
84321
Date of Interview: 18 May 2015
Language(s): Burmese; English
Translation:
Interviewer: Cami Dilg
Interpreter: Har Be Bar
Recordist: Deanna Allred
Photographer: David Giles
Recording Equipment: Tascam DR-100mk11 linear PCM recorder; Senal ENG-18RL
broadcast-quality omnidirectional dynamic microphone
Transcription Equipment: Express Scribe Transcription Software
Transcribed by: Cami Dilg, 23 May 2015
Transcript Proofed by:
Brief Description of Contents: Ya He Ma, a Burmese Muslim refugee from the Mae Sot
Thailand refugee camp talks about living and working in Mae Sot, violence in the camp,
applying for immigration to the United States, arrival in Salt Lake City, Utah, working with
caseworkers and aides from the Salt Lake City mosque, working at JBS Miller (both she and her
husband Ka Ma Din are employed there), Har Be Bar’s role as translator in the family, and life in
America. Ya He Ma’s son Maung Maung and daughter Har Be Bar were in the front room during
the interview. Her husband Ka Ma Din joined part way through the interview. Her daughter
Fareda was in her bedroom until the interview concluded and we took pictures of the family.
Reference: CD = Cami Dilg (Interviewer)
HBB = Har Be Bar (Translator; Ya He Ma’s eldest daughter)
YHM = Ya He Ma (Interviewee)
KMD = Ka Ma Din (Interviewee’s husband)
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F = Fareda (Ya He Ma’s youngest daughter)
MM = Maung Maung (Ya He Ma’s son)
DA = Deanna Allred (Recordist)
DG = David Giles (Photographer)
NOTE: The interview was conducted with an in-person interpreter. False starts, pauses, or
transitions in dialogue such as “uh” and starts and stops in conversations are not included in
transcript. All additions and added information to transcript are noted with brackets.
TAPE TRANSCRIPTION
[01:30]
CD: Alright. Today is May 18th, 2015, and we are here in Ya He Ma’s home apartment. We
are with the USU Voices project, and I guess we’ll re-introduce us: I’m going to be
interviewing today; Deanna Allred is the recordist; and David Giles is the photographer,
and with me is Har Be Bar, and she’s going to be translating; and this is [referring to Har
Be Bar] Ya He Ma’s daughter, and Ya He Ma’s going to be the interviewee. Ok. We’ll
just be asking one question at a time, and Har Be Bar’s going to be translating for us, so
we want to get as much detail from you [Ya He Ma] as possible, so we will do it [the
interview] kind of slow.
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Nods in response.]
CD: Ok. If you could tell me, what is your full name and birth year?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese]
HBB: Full name is Ya He Ma. Then Birth date is January 1st,
YHM: 1972.
HBB: 1972.
[Maung Maung is speaking in the background]
CD: And what languages do you speak?
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YHM: Burmese
HBB: Burmese
CD: So tell me a little bit about your family.
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
HBB: She has six peoples in her family: And then her oldest daughters got married. She moved
out to Oregon; and then her, me, another daughter, is going to USU; and then her
youngest, younger daughter going to high school; and the little one will be in school next
year.
CD: K. And could you tell me, or describe the ethnic or religious community of which you are
apart?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.] Muslim [Responding in Burmese.]
HBB: Um just some kind of Muslim group. In a group.
CD: Ok. Tell me about your birth country—where were you born and . . . ?
KMD: [In the kitchen; begins participating in the conversation.] Burma [Responding in
Burmese.]
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
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YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um in Burma. She was born in Burma. And in Burma she had to work very hard to, like,
get food and stuff.
[05:05]
CD: What did you do for work in Burma?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: She just uh, like, shew? Like sewing? Sew? And then her father work, like go to, go out
and work. And didn’t get a lot of money. Yeah. She doesn’t, like, she was younger and
then there’s no other jobs, so she did not work.
CD: Hm. That makes sense.
HBB: Um hm.
CD: How many children were there in your family?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Six.
CD: Six. And where do you fall? Are you the youngest? The middle? The oldest?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: She’s the middle.
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CD: The middle.
YHM: Um hm.
CD: How long, how long did you live in Burma?
HBB: [Translating in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
HBB: Well she was born in 1972 and then 2000 . . . ?
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: 2000 she went to
YHM: [Speaks. I think she says: “Mayanmar. Mayanmar.”]
HBB: Refugee camp.
YHM: Refugee camp. Um hm.
HBB: So she don’t, she don’t know, like to guess how . . . ?
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm. Yeah. In 1972 to 2000.
CD: Why did you leave Burma?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
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HBB: She cannot live there anymore; there’s civil wars and the problems, so, so she have to
move.
CD: And what was your experience like leaving? Was it difficult
HBB: [Begins translating in Burmese.]
CD: or easy?
HBB: Sorry
[HBB and CD laugh because they started talking at the same time]
CD: Pardon me. Pardon me.
HBB: Ok.
CD: Go [ahead.] Was it difficult or easy? Can you describe what your departure was like?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: It’s very difficult.
CD: And why was it difficult?
HBB: Um hm.
CD: I’m sure there’s probably many ways that it was.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: It’s a difficult and then she had to go with across jungle. And then take a, like, in the city,
kind of, well she take a car to, to get a ride, get a ride. And walking, and get a ride too.
CD: Did you go with your whole family, or were you alone?
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HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: With the family.
CD: And where did you relocate to? Where did you move from Burma to?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm. Thai refugee camp.
CD: K. What was your experience like living in the refugee camp?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
[10:13]
HBB: Sometimes she just stay home, and then, there a group that give free foods. And then
when the time comes, like, the people in, like Mae Sot, in Thailand, they open a job for,
like, season. And then her husband and her go out work there, like, if they can. Um hm.
CD: For work did you, did you still sew? Or did you do something else in the camp?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: In the camp, there is no jobs, so just sew a little. Not much.
CD: How did you get the materials for you to sew?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
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YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm. She bought it.
CD: She bought it.
HBB: Um hm.
CD: In the camp, or did you have to go outside the camp?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: Hm.
HBB: Yeah, inside the camp.
CD: Inside the camp. You said that sometimes you were given, the that the food that you got
was free. What, what did you eat? Was it enough?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: It’s not enough. They just give, like, rice and oil. And for the, like, fish and meat and
stuff she have to find a way to buy those things.
CD: And the meat
HBB: Um hm.
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CD: and the fish would be purchased,
HBB: Yeah
CD: again, outside of the
HBB: Um hm.
CD: camp?
CD: Ok. What about the medical care that you received in the camp? Tell me about that.
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: There a hospital, and if you get sick you can go there
HBB: [asks Ya He Ma in Burmese to clarify her statement.]
YHM: Hm.
HBB: yeah [confirms] for free.
CD: And the hospital was
HBB: Um hm.
CD: in the camp?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Affirms.]
HBB: Yeah. In the camp.
CD: Did you have to go there often?
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HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: No she didn’t ‘cause, uh um, [illegible] she didn’t have to go.
CD: That’s good.
CD: Did any of your children have to go there?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: No.
CD: What about the school? I, I’m assuming you didn’t attend, but maybe you did, if not,
could you tell me about, did your children go to school? What was that like?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm. Well she didn’t attend to school, but her childrens they don’t have to go to school.
It’s not like in here, if you want to you can go, and you don’t have to.
CD: So, your children did not go to school?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Yes. They did.
CD: Ok, but it wasn’t required?
HBB: Yeah, it wasn’t required.
CD: And what were the, I’m going to follow that up with another question later, but [makes a
notation in notebook to ask a follow-up question prompted by the previous one she just
asked. Moving on down her list of questions:] what were the day-to-day living
conditions? What was it like spending a day in the camp?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
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YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
[15:02]
HBB: She had to worry about the food, ‘cause it’s not enough, and then she has no money, so
every day that she had to worry about money.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Yeah, because of the war, there is no work. And here, she can work, and then, if she
want, like, clothing, she can go buy. She can go buy . . . Yeah, she got money.
CD: Hm. That’s the difference.
HBB: Um hm.
CD: How many, because, you got married in the camp, um, how many children did you have
while you were still living there in the Thai camp?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm. She, she got married in Burma, and then, her childrens are all born in Burma.
CD: Ohh. Ok.
KMD: [Speaking in Burmese in the background.]
CD: What about your religious holidays, or your worship, how could, how did that differ from
being in Burma, and then the camp?
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HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: There’s no difference, because with her people, her community, they did, like, the same
thing.
CD: Ok.
HBB: And here also. It’s the same. They celebrate, the, the the religious holidays.
CD: Um hm. What did your celebrations look like in the camp then?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in English and Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
YHM: [Speaks in English and Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm. Yeah.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm. Um, the religious month, she had to fast for a month, and then after that, she had to,
like, cook for it—the holiday. And, and then the end of the holiday, she would, she
would, like, kill a cow and then serve the meat.
CD: Um hm.
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
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HBB: If, only if she had money to, to buy cow.
[Har Be Bar and Cami laugh]
CD: I was going to ask you, how difficult was it to get a cow? Did you sometimes have to go
without a cow?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm. Well,
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Well, there’s people that who can buy cow, they will, like, give people that who don’t
have, who can’t buy, so, they share meat.
YHM: Um hm.
CD: That’s very nice.
HBB: Um hm. Yeah.
CD: What was the political climate towards refugees, of the, yeah, towards refugees? Was it,
does that make sense [asking Har Be Bar]?
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HBB: Yeah.
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: He’s [Ka Ma Din] helping [laughs].
CD: That’s, that’s fine.
[20:00]
DG: Is that your dad?
HBB: Yeah, that’s my dad.
DA: What’s his name?
HBB: Ka Ma Din.
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DA: Ka Ma Din?
HBB: Um hm. Hm.
CD: Nice to meet you?
HBB: K-a, M-a, D-i-n [spelling his name].
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.] But the government there, uh, didn’t help at all. They just, like,
looked down to, to them.
DA: Hm. Um hm.
HBB: Yeah, they didn’t help. At all. That’s what he’s trying to say.
CD: Ok. That makes sense. Describe to me your feelings about, about safety in the camp.
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Sometimes she feel like she’s not safe because um people might come to the camp and
then burn the houses and then with the gun come, can come and shoot them.
CD: Did you ever have this happen to you or see this happen to someone else?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese. (Ka Ma Din has)]
HBB: Hm.
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
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HBB: Hm.
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm. It didn’t happen to them but they have seen that happen to others.
DA: Hm.
HBB: Yeah, the, they will come and kill and, like, shoot them, and then burn their houses.
CD: How did you learn about the U.S. refugee program?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: U.I.
YHM: U.I.
YHM: U.I.
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: There is a group called the U.I. help the, the refugee camp, and then they would they
announce them: “If, if you guys want to come to U.S. you have to register.” And then if
you don’t want to then you don’t have to. So, that’s how they learned it.
CD: Ok. How did you apply? Did you have any help?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: There was, there was a translator that helped them with how many families they have.
And then, yeah, basically how to register, like, with the translator.
CD: So what about your parents? Where, where did they live?
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HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Her mom already passed away; only her dad lived in then Burma.
CD: He’s in Burma still?
HBB: Yeah.
CD: And why is he still there?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm. Well, he’s not in the camp. He just in Burma. And then he’s very old so he cannot
come to U.S.
CD: Maybe going back to this question about getting help to apply for the refugee camp. You
said you had a translator. Describe for me the process? Was it difficult or easy? And how
long did it take for the application to go through?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
[25:11]
HBB: It took, it took like, three months, because there are a lot of people. And then they have to
do the training to, like, how to get, when you get in the plane, what do you have to do,
like, they give, like, training for everything; also use, using the bathroom too. Like, sort
of that stuff.
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CD: So, preparing them culturally
HBB: Yeah. Um hm.
CD: for going to wherever they were going to.
HBB: Um hm.
CD: And where did those trainings take place?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Yeah, at the camp.
CD: At the camp. Did the, who did, who conducted the training?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: There are people from the U.S., and, like Americans and Thai people too.
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm. In one training there are two people, like, one American and the one the who can
speak English. Like the translator.
CD: And if this is too personal [laughs], but you said that you had to be trained, like, things
like, how
HBB: Um Hm.
CD: to use the bathrooms?
HBB: Um Hm.
CD: What is the, what’s the difference?
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HBB: Um, I know it so . . . [Har Be Bar does not need to ask her mother because she knows the
answer to my question.
CD: Ok. You go ahead.
HBB: Um hm. Yeah, for that, in the camp we just only use the water.
CD: Um Hm.
HBB: And then here they use toilet paper.
CD: Um Hm.
HBB: So yeah,
CD: Um Hm.
HBB: we don’t, you guys don’t use water, so we trained like that.
CD: Yeah, that’s true. Interesting.
HBB: Um hm. Yeah.
[all laugh]
CD: I personally think it’s better to use water
[all laugh]
YHM: [speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [speaks in Burmese.] Yeah.
CD: Alright. What other things, that you just didn’t know about before, or you know, for the
training, can you think of any?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
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KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Yeah, basically the training is for the plane. Like, inside of the plane you have to wear
seatbelt. And then you cannot just walk around. You have to stay in the seat, and then if
you need, like, help, and then you want to throw up, like, what do you need to do.
CD: So, pretty standard though, I guess [laughs],
HBB: [laughs]
CD: for anybody who is a first-time flyer.
HBB: Yeah [laughs].
[Cami and Har Be Bar laugh]
CD: Alright. And how long were you in the Thai camp?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese]
HBB: Seven years
CD: Seven years. Wow.
CD: Where did you first arrive in the U.S.?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm. Uh hm. Salt Lake City.
CD: Salt Lake City?
HBB: Um hm.
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Yeah then case, caseworker um, like, send them here [I am assuming she means Cache
Valley], because they have job here for them.
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CD: How long were you in Salt Lake before you moved to Logan?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Six months.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese
CD: Six months. What was, what was that first day, like in, in the United States, or that first
um, first week, or the seven months? Could you tell me a bit about that?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese; laughs]
[30:01]
HBB: Well, um, like, the first week they slept day, and then, like, nighttime they will wake up
and then cook and eat,
[Har Be Bar, Ya He Ma, and Cami laugh]
HBB: which is funny.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Yeah, because now it’s different time.
CD: Um hm.
HBB: It would be day here and then night over . . .
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CD: Um hm. Um hm. Anything else you’d like to share [I meant anything else to add to my
question I just posed, but Ya He Ma misunderstood me to mean that I was asking her if
she wanted to keep interviewing]?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm hm. Would, what else do you have more questions?
CD: What do I mean?
HBB: Um hm. No.
CD: Oh!
HBB: What do you have, like,
CD: Oh! For questions?
HBB: left?
CD: Um, we have a few more.
HBB: Um hm.
CD: Are you alright if we, if we ask some more or are you tired?
[Cami laughs]
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Yeah.
CD: Ok. Um. You worked, you have a caseworker here, when you first arrived. Was he or she
helpful?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Yeah, he’s helpful.
CD: Hm. Did you get, did you receive aid from any, anyone else? A religious organization or
a government organization?
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HBB: Um, like help from . . . ?
CD: Help or aid. Yeah.
HBB: Um hm.
CD: Help.
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Yeah, there was a religious group that came, and then give cloth and food. Then they also
give their number. Like, if we need, we need help they can call.
CD: Do you remember the religious group?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Yeah, he remember. It’s in still in Salt Lake. And then it’s at the Mosque called [illegible,
she may be saying Khadeeja.]
CD: Ok. Through the Mosque?
HBB: Um hm.
CD: Do you ever go back there to Salt Lake to visit that mosque?
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HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Yeah he did, like, once a year when the Eid comes.
CD: Still do you?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: yes still.
CD: Do you have friends that, or acquaintances there that you meet when you go back?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Yes.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
CD: Was there anything that could have been improved? For those people that helped you, do
you wish they would have done something else, or something more?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese].
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
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KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Well, um, they don’t have to, like, improve, like, improve themselves. Um it’s enough
from them. Like, they give free food and clothes. The shirts. Stuff.
CD: So it felt like
HBB: Yeah.
CD: it it was enough?
HBB: Um hm. Yeah, it was enough. And then they also, like, um, talk to them, like, don’t feel
bad in this country, its, like, a good country. Then they, the people are in here, like, very
nice. Like culturally. Yeah.
CD: How long have you lived in Cache Valley, or Logan?
YHM: [Responds in Burmese].
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese].
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
[35:02]
HBB: Seven years.
CD: Seven years [laughs]?! So the same amount of time that you spent, that you spent in the
camp.
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Yeah. Um hm.
CD: Wow.
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CD: What, what do you do here in, in Logan? What, what is it like for your family?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese].
HBB: Um hm.
YHM: [Responds in Burmese].
HBB: Um she’s working at Miller [known as the E. A. Miller Plant, or the JBS Plant. I’m not
sure what the official name is; my research gave several names.]. And then also her
husband work. Yeah, at the beginning only her husband work, and then now she work,
just only, like, [Begins speaking in Burmese to her mother.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Like, yeah, almost a month. Like, nine, nine months.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Oh, not a month! A year! Yeah.
CD: So just started?
HBB: Yeah just . . .
CD: This is your first year here? Working there?
HBB: Um hm.
HBB: No, like, no. [Begins speaking in Burmese to her mother.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: She work there like one, one year before. Yeah.
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
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HBB: And then she got pregnant, so she quit. And then now she started again.
CD: Ohhh. Wow.
CD: So what do you do at Miller?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese]
HBB: Um, when they already take out the skin. And then she would, like, clean the body of the
cow.
David: Eew.
DA: Um hm.
CD: Wow. Hard work?
YHM: Yeah. Hard.
CD: Wow. How many uh . . .
YHM: Hour?
CD: Yeah. How many hours and how many cows do you do? Every hour?
YHM: Today, [Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: Hm.
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: Hm.
HBB: 1800 cows per day. And then
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
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YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: seven and a half hours.
CD: Hmm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: That’s a lot of cows
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Like, over a thousand cows.
CD: Hm.
DG: Wow.
CD: Are you, do you work by yourself? Do you work with other women? Other men?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
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HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm. Um hm.
HBB: Oh with mens and womens around her.
CD: Um hm. Is the job that you do typically done by women or men?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Yeah, that work it’s not that hard, so it’s for women.
CD: Um hm. Are there many women that work at Miller? I guess compared to how many men
are there?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Yeah there a lot of womens, but mens are, like, more mens.
DA: Um hm. Um hm.
CD: Do you, do you ever, Oh sorry go ahead [I interrupted Har Be Bar here, but she
acknowledged she had nothing more to say]!
HBB: Um hm.
CD: Do you ever see your husband at work?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: No.
CD: No. You don’t . . . ?
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KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: It’s different times.
CD: Ohh. So what . . . ?
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: He works more hour.
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Like, nine hours a day. And then, yeah. And the lunch time is different.
CD: Um hm.
HBB: So they never see each other.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
[40:01]
HBB: in the same.
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: She work in hot department and then he work in cold department.
CD: And what do you do there [asking Ka Ma Din]?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: He take out the, like, something from the skin. Not skin, but from the meat.
CD: Um hm.
DA: Um hm.
HBB: Yeah.
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KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um, like, three, like whole meat, in the minute.
CD: Oh. Three, three from the knife?
HBB: Yeah. Um hm.
DA: Wow.
CD: Three cuttings?
HB: Yeah, three cuttings.
CD: And because you work at, you’re working different shifts, do you, do you travel there
together in the morning, or do, how do you get to work?
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Yeah it’s different. Um, they go, like. They didn’t go together. He go with his car and
then she go with other, like, coworker’s car.
CD: And are, are they friends from, um, this housing area here that you go? Or does
somebody pick you up from somewhere else?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Yeah, from, uh well, she live, like, very, pretty close from here.
CD: Um hm. K.
CD: Is this someone you met at work? Or knew before?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Mmm.
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
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HBB: Yeah. She, she met her before she worked there.
CD: Do you feel like, do you feel included in the Logan community? Do you feel like your
family is accepted?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
[Maung Maung is talking in the background, as well as Ka Ma Din]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Yeah, they feel like part of the community.
CD: Is there anything that the, the, that you wish the community would do to make you feel
more welcome? Or things that you wish you could, or your family could, participate in
that would, would, would help you feel more welcome?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
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YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: Hm.
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um, well, she’s living here, it’s um, they feel like part of the community, and then they
don’t have to like, they don’t have to improve.
CD: Ok.
HBB: Everything’s fine.
CD: How, how is your home here different than the one in the Thai camp? Or in Burma?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: It’s different, like, way different.
CD: Can you explain?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Well there . . .
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
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HBB: Um hm.
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm. Um, well, it’s, the house is made of um bamboo tree. And they don’t have couch
and beds. And they only have to sleep on the floor with pillow. And with the, uh they
make canopy too, because there are, like, bugs still. Yeah.
[45:16]
DA: That was my question about bugs.
[Cami laughs]
[The Muslim Call to prayer sounded from the computer in the room.]
CD: Is it . . . ?
David: Is it the call to prayer?
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Yes.
CD: Should we . . . ?
DA: Do you need us to go?
HBB: Well, it’s ok. Well this time it’s fine.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Well, we are supposed to be, like, praying but
DG: We, we can step outside if you need to, if you need us to.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
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HBB: Well, when that come, we have to listen,
DA: Ok.
HBB: so you can stay here.
CD: We will, we will stay if that’s alright.
HBB: Um hm. [Speaks in Burmese.]
[Maung Maung is speaking in the background while the call to prayer is taking place.]
HBB: Ok it’s done now.
CD: Thanks.
HBB: Um hm.
CD: Could you tell me about your experiences with your landlord?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm. Um hm.
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um, well, she don’t have much experience with him because she lived in another
apartment for six years, so. Just only, about . . .
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: a year in here.
DG: Ok.
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CD: How, how was the landlord in the other place you were living for six years?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: She’s a
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Yeah, she’s good. Yeah, she’s helpful.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
[50:01]
HBB: Um, it’s not landlord. Like a manager.
CD: Manager.
HBB: Yeah.
CD: Mm hm.
HBB: We never see landlord, landlord
CD: Ok.
HBB: in that apartment.
CD: K. Ummm, what would you like the people of Logan to know about you and your
family? Your ethnic group?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: Hm.
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Well, before they do, but now they don’t because, um well, they can handle, like, their
situation them, themselves, because now, like, I can help them with the letters that come. Yeah.
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CD: Oh the, the letters in the mail?
HBB: Yeah. Mm hm.
CD: Oh. Like the bills and
HBB: Yeah. Bills and stuff.
CD: everything like that? So, you don’t need, they don’t need any help?
HBB: No. No Help.
CD: Ok. Would you, would you like to go back to Burma?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: She would just like to visit. She don’t like to go live there, because, well, she has a father,
so she would like to go visit.
CD: I see. Do you ever get to talk to him or contact him? Your father?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
HBB: Yeah, she called and . . .
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: And she sometimes send money to him.
CD: What are you most proud of?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
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YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm. Um, they’re very happy that they could come here. And then people are here,
like, very fair, fairly. And then the policy, yeah the policy, they like the policy here.
Yeah, because people are here don’t look down to them. Then, yeah, from camp or
Burma, well the people, like, looked down. They don’t have money or anything. It’s way
different.
CD: What are your dreams for your future?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Her dream is to buy a house. And then his dream is, like, to raise his, his childrens. Like,
finish college. Yeah, that’s pretty much it.
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CD: K. Those are, I’m done with my questions. Is there anything else you’d like to share with
us? That I haven’t asked you about?
[55:06]
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm. Hm. [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: She don’t have anything to say, but, for him, he’s happy that you guys came and asked
these questions. He’s very proud of them.
CD: We’re very grateful that you gave, that you let us.
DA: Thank you.
CD: Do any of you, I’m going to ask my colleagues if they have any follow-up questions from
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
CD: from the . . .
DA: I do. Do have questions?
DG: Ah yes, I do.
DA: Want to go first?
DG: Ok.
CD: So, go ahead, David.
DG: So, first, we spoke to Har Be Bar this morning [during Har Be Bar’s interview], and she
said that you, you organized the dishes [in the kitchen; the dishes are arranged in a
pattern for beauty; see photos.]? We, we it looked, it looked very, like
DA: It was beautiful.
DG: Yeah.
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
DG: Now um, let me see. My next question is, I noticed you have Arabic posters on the walls.
Can you read Arabic? Or is it just for decoration?
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HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Well, yeah they know how to read.
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Um hm.
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
DG: Is he, is he reading the text?
HBB: Hm?
DG: Is, is he reading the text or . . . ?
WBB: Well, that text is, it says, “Allah.” It’s, like, our god.
DA: Um hm. Um hm.
DG: I see.
HBB: Um hm. That one is Mecca. It’s in Saudi Arabia.
DA: Right.
DG: Um hm.
CD: Yeah.
DG: K. Awesome. Um, let me see. You said now that, you said now that you’re in this
apartment you have a couch and a bed. Um, do you prefer sitting on the couch, sleeping
on the bed? Or do you prefer what you had in Burma?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
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HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Uh, yeah, she prefer a couch and beds.
DG: Ok. Ok now, uh, my last question: You said when you came here you got to a, you were
given a number to call if you ever needed help with something? And, I’m just curious,
did you ever call that number? And if so, what happened?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: No. He never called.
DG: Ok. Those are my questions.
DA: Ok. Where in Oregon does your other daughter live?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
KMD: Portland.
HBB: Portland.
YHM: Portland. Portland.
KMD: Portland. Portland.
HBB: Portland.
DA: Portland!
HBB: Portland.
DA: Yeah. Oh yay!
CD: I have family there.
[all laugh]
DA: I love Portland.
CD: My dad is from Oregon.
DA: Yeah. Is she happy there?
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YHM: Yeah.
DA: Yes. She’s likes it there. Ok. Who has bigger bugs? Burma or America?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm. [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
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HBB: There’s a jungle, so it’s bigger over there. Here, like, they never see the big [illegible
(bird?)].
DA: How big is the biggest bug?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm. [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Hm.
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
[1:00:10]
HBB: Bird
[Laughs]
DA: Yeah
HBB: [laughs] Not bird. Not bird.
[Har Be Bar and Deanna laugh.]
YHM: [Speaks in Burmese.]
HBB: Like you mean, like what kind of, like,
DA: Yeah. Like,
HBB: bugs
DA: yeah. So the jungle I would think
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HBB: Um hm.
DA: has different, different animals and different
HBB: Um hm.
DA: insects. You know? What were they like? They, I mean, ‘cause you say like you had to
have a, a bug shield or something?
HBB: Um hm.
DA: So from what? Like what? Little ones? Big ones?
HBB: Yeah! Um we, we had the bug, like, the canopy?
DA: Yeah! Canopy!
HBB: Yeah. Um it’s for the little bugs.
DA: The little, like, mosquitos and ?
HBB: Yeah the mosquito.
DA: Yeah.
HBB: Yeah.
DA: Ok. Um. Ok. This is, it’s ok if this is a question that we don’t want to talk about, but, in
America women usually live longer than men. But I hear a lot of you say, “My mother
has passed away.” Is there a reason for that? A reason why? It’s just different.
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: [Speaks in Burmese.]
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
[1:02:06.4] First file ends
[00:01] Second file begins:
KMD: [Speaks in Burmese.]
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HBB: Because there are, like, no good hospitals
DA: No hospitals
HBB: and then by giving birth
DA: Um hm.
HBB: they pass away mostly.
DA: Um hm. That’s what I wondered. Ok. I think that’s all of my questions.
CD: I guess I had one more [laughs].
[Har Be Bar laughs]
CD: Because we talked about [laughs] furnishings in the home,
HBB: Um hm.
CD: I know you all have mats like this.
HBB: Um hm.
CD: Do you get them from the Asian market? Or where, where do you get these mats from?
DA: They’re beautiful.
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Yeah, from
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Asian Store.
CD: Um hm. ‘Cause I’ve seen them down there [West Valley area in a Polynesian store],
HBB: Um hm.
CD but I didn’t know [laughs]
HBB: Yeah, we all have it.
DA: Yeah.
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HBB: Each of our [selves? Illegible].
DA: Yeah. It’s very beautiful.
HBB: Um hm.
CD: Do you have mats like, like this in Burma? Or the Thai camp? Or did you just start
getting them . . . ?
DA: ‘Cause you came here?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Yeah. We do have in Burma. And in the camp.
DA: Um hm. So this is traditional?
HBB: Yeah. Yeah, traditional.
CD: Beautiful. Alright. Ok, well that, that concludes our interview. Thank you
DA: Yeah,
CD: very much.
DA: Thank you very much.
CD: We have forms.
DA: Yeah.
CD: Yeah a couple forms
DA: Um hm.
CD: to sign. Release forms. We’re hoping that you’ll, we can use this information. We’ll put it
in the Utah State library—in the archives. And we are also going to create an exhibit about your
community.
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
CD: And we hope that you can attend the event? This is the invitation. Um, I’ll put my phone
number on the back if you need any help getting there—if you need a ride there. We’d like you
to bring your family and your friends if you . . .
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HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
DG: Now uh, as you guys are filling out the forms and stuff, would it be ok if I took a few
pictures?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
KMD: [Responds in Burmese.]
DG: Ok.
[All laugh. Ya He Ma seems a little nervous—Worried about how she looks.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
CD: That’s alright.
DA: You look beautiful.
[Cami laughs]
DA: You look beautiful. So shall I, can I stop the recording? Are we done?
CD: Oh, I guess I did have, I have one more question,
DA: Ok good.
CD: I do
DA: Um hm.
CD: Do you, do you still sew at all for, for your family, or do you sew, sew, um, for yourself
[I interrupt Har Be Bar’s translation]?
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
CD: Sorry
HBB: [Translates in Burmese.]
YHM: [Responds in Burmese.]
HBB: Well now she start working so she didn’t sew that much.
DA: Um hm.
CD: Alright, now I’m done.
DA: Ok. We will stop the recording now.
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[03:14]]]> Ya He Ma, 1972-;]]> Giles, David, 1986-;]]> Har Be Bar, 1995-;]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Dilg, Cami, 1986-;]]> Dilg, Cami, 1986-;]]> transcripts;]]> application/pdf;]]> 234621 Bytes]]> bur; mya; eng;]]> Text;]]> Burma; Thailand; Salt Lake City, Utah; Logan, Utah; Cache Valley, Utah]]> Ya He Ma, 197-2; Ka Ma Din, 1973-;]]> Giles, David, 1986-;]]> Har Be Bar, 1996-;]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Dilg, Cami, 1986-;]]> Dilg, Cami, 1986-;]]> photographs;]]> image/jpeg;]]> 1574152 Bytes]]> eng; bur;]]> Image;StillImage;]]> Burma; Thailand;]]> Ya He Ma, 197-2; Ka Ma Din, 1973-;]]> Giles, David, 1986-;]]> Har Be Bar, 1996-;]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Dilg, Cami, 1986-;]]> Dilg, Cami, 1986-;]]> photographs;]]> image/jpeg;]]> 1170141 Bytes]]> eng; bur;]]> Image;StillImage;]]> Burma; Thailand;]]> Ya He Ma, 197-2; Ka Ma Din, 1973-;]]> Giles, David, 1986-;]]> Har Be Bar, 1996-;]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Dilg, Cami, 1986-;]]> Dilg, Cami, 1986-;]]> photographs;]]> image/jpeg;]]> 990703 Bytes]]> eng; bur;]]> Image;StillImage;]]> Burma; Thailand;]]> Ya He Ma, 197-2; Ka Ma Din, 1973-;]]> Giles, David, 1986-;]]> Har Be Bar, 1996-;]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Dilg, Cami, 1986-;]]> Dilg, Cami, 1986-;]]> photographs;]]> image/jpeg;]]> 1025230 Bytes]]> eng; bur;]]> Image;StillImage;]]> Burma; Thailand;]]> Ya He Ma, 197-2; Ka Ma Din, 1973-;]]> Giles, David, 1986-;]]> Har Be Bar, 1996-;]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Dilg, Cami, 1986-;]]> Dilg, Cami, 1986-;]]> photographs;]]> image/jpeg;]]> 1314371 Bytes]]> eng; bur;]]> Image;StillImage;]]> Burma; Thailand;]]> Buddhas of Bamiyan]]> Wikimedia User "Zaccaraias"]]> Karen State, Burma, Refugee camp, Immigration, Family, Languages, School]]> Van de Water, 1988]]> unknown]]> Map of states in Burma]]> Unknown]]> Map of Southeast Asia]]> U.S. Central Intelligence Agency]]> Tun Lay--Photographs;]]> Tun Lay, 1958-]]> Gill, Meagan]]> Chit Moe]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Hanks, Bethany]]> Photographs;]]> image/jpeg;]]> 775229 Bytes]]> eng; kar]]> Image; Still Image;]]> Karen State; Thailand; Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Couty, Utah; United States; Logan, Cache Valley, Utah, United States;]]> Tun Lay--Photographs;]]> Tun Lay, 1958-]]> Gill, Meagan]]> Chit Moe]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Hanks, Bethany]]> Photographs;]]> image/jpeg;]]> 684165 Bytes]]> eng; kar]]> Image; Still Image;]]> Karen State; Thailand; Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Couty, Utah; United States; Logan, Cache Valley, Utah, United States;]]> Tun Lay--Photographs;]]> Tun Lay, 1958-]]> Gill, Meagan]]> Chit Moe]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Hanks, Bethany]]> Photographs;]]> image/jpeg;]]> 996665 Bytes]]> eng; kar]]> Image; Still Image;]]> Karen State; Thailand; Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Couty, Utah; United States; Logan, Cache Valley, Utah, United States;]]> Tun Lay--Photographs;]]> Tun Lay, 1958-]]> Gill, Meagan]]> Chit Moe]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Hanks, Bethany]]> Photographs;]]> image/jpeg;]]> 948281 Bytes]]> eng; kar]]> Image; Still Image;]]> Karen State; Thailand; Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Couty, Utah; United States; Logan, Cache Valley, Utah, United States;]]> Tun Lay--Photographs;]]> Tun Lay, 1958-]]> Gill, Meagan]]> Chit Moe]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Hanks, Bethany]]> Photographs;]]> image/jpeg;]]> 1059021 Bytes]]> eng; kar]]> Image; Still Image;]]> Karen State; Thailand; Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Couty, Utah; United States; Logan, Cache Valley, Utah, United States;]]> Tun Lay--Photographs;]]> Tun Lay, 1958-]]> Gill, Meagan]]> Chit Moe]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Hanks, Bethany]]> Photographs;]]> image/jpeg;]]> 817357 Bytes]]> eng; kar]]> Image; Still Image;]]> Karen State; Thailand; Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Couty, Utah; United States; Logan, Cache Valley, Utah, United States;]]> Tun Lay--Photographs;]]> Tun Lay, 1958-]]> Gill, Meagan]]> Chit Moe]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Hanks, Bethany]]> Photographs;]]> image/jpeg;]]> 2922828 Bytes]]> eng; kar]]> Image; Still Image;]]> Karen State; Thailand; Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Couty, Utah; United States; Logan, Cache Valley, Utah, United States;]]> Tun Lay--Photographs;]]> Tun Lay, 1958-]]> Gill, Meagan]]> Chit Moe]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Hanks, Bethany]]> Photographs;]]> image/jpeg;]]> 702741 Bytes]]> eng; kar]]> Image; Still Image;]]> Karen State; Thailand; Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Couty, Utah; United States; Logan, Cache Valley, Utah, United States;]]> Tun Lay--Photographs;]]> Tun Lay, 1958-]]> Gill, Meagan]]> Chit Moe]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Hanks, Bethany]]> Photographs;]]> image/jpeg;]]> 805630 Bytes]]> eng; kar]]> Image; Still Image;]]> Karen State; Thailand; Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Couty, Utah; United States; Logan, Cache Valley, Utah, United States;]]> Tun Lay--Photographs;]]> Tun Lay, 1958-]]> Gill, Meagan]]> Chit Moe]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Hanks, Bethany]]> Photographs;]]> image/jpeg;]]> 811090 Bytes]]> eng; kar]]> Image; Still Image;]]> Karen State; Thailand; Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Couty, Utah; United States; Logan, Cache Valley, Utah, United States;]]> Tun Lay--Photographs;]]> Tun Lay, 1958-]]> Gill, Meagan]]> Chit Moe]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Hanks, Bethany]]> Photographs;]]> image/jpeg;]]> 577842 Bytes]]> eng; kar]]> Image; Still Image;]]> Karen State; Thailand; Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Couty, Utah; United States; Logan, Cache Valley, Utah, United States;]]> Tun Lay--Photographs;]]> Tun Lay, 1958-]]> Gill, Meagan]]> Chit Moe]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Hanks, Bethany]]> Photographs;]]> image/jpeg;]]> 555139 Bytes]]> eng; kar]]> Image; Still Image;]]> Karen State; Thailand; Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Couty, Utah; United States; Logan, Cache Valley, Utah, United States;]]> Refugees, families, Immigration & culture, social justice]]> Tun Lay, 1954-]]> Gill, Meagan]]> Chit Moe]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Hanks, Bethany, 1989]]> oral histories (document genre);]]> audio/mp3]]> 55056796 Bytes]]> eng; 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CACHE VALLEY REFUGEE ORAL HISTORY PROJECT
TRANSCRIPTION COVER SHEET
Interviewee: Tun Lay
Present: Tun Lay, Bethany Hanks, Chit Moe, Wes Van de Water, Meagan Gill
Place of Interview: Tun Lay’s home in Logan, Utah
Date of Interview: May 16, 2015
Language(s): Pwo Karen; English
Translation:
Interviewer: Bethany Hanks
Interpreter: Chit Moe
Recordist: Wes Van de Water
Photographer: Meagan Gill
Recording Equipment: Tascam DR-100mk11 linear PCM recorder; Senal ENG-18RL
broadcast-quality omnidirectional dynamic microphone
Transcription Equipment: Express Scribe with PowerPlayer foot pedal.
Transcribed by: Susan Gross, May 17, 2015
Transcript Proofed by: Bethany Hanks, May 18, 2015
Brief Description of Contents: Tun Lay describes his life as a Karen refugee. He talks about
his life in Burma during war, and the hardships placed on him by the Burmese military in trying
to earn a living as a farmer. He explains how he escaped from Burma to Thailand refugee camps,
and how he eventual brought his wife and child to live with him there. Tun Lay recounts his
experiences in various refugee camps (including fleeing villages burned by Burmese military, his
religious path, and family), and also how he eventually came to the United States (first Salt Lake
City, Utah; followed by Logan, Utah). He discusses how he came to live in Cache Valley, Utah,
and how he has adjusted to living and working in the United States.
Reference: BH = Bethany Hanks
BHI = Bethany Hanks’ words interpreted by translator
TL = Tun Lay
TLI = Tun Lay’s words interpreted by translator
WV = Wes Van de Water
WVI = Wes Van de Water’s words interpreted by translator
MG = Meagan Gill
MGI = Meagan Gill’s words interpreted by translator
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NOTE: Interjections during pauses or transitions in dialogue such as “uh” and false starts and
stops in conversations are not included in transcribed. All additions to transcript are noted with
brackets.
TAPE TRANSCRIPTION
[00:01]
BH: Okay. Today is May 16, 2015, and this is Bethany Hanks with Wes Van de Water and
Meagan Gill. We are students at Utah State University, and we are working on a project
called “Voices: Refugees in Cache Valley.” Right now we are visiting Tun Lay in his
home, in Logan, Utah, and Chit Moe is our translator.
So, first of all thank you, Tun Lay, for letting us come here into your home.
BHI: [Repeating statement in Pwo Karen.]
BH: First, I would like to know what is your full name, and your birth year?
BHI: [Repeating question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: My name is Tun Lay and I was born in 1958.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: Oh, 1954. I’m sorry, 1954.
BH: Okay. Thank you.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: And May 28th, 1954.
BH: Okay, thank you. And what languages do you speak?
BHI: [Repeating question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: He speaks Karen, Pwo Karen and Burmese, but right now we are speaking Pwo Karen.
BH: Okay; so not Burmese?
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TLI: No, it’s not Burmese.
BH: Okay; very cool. Can you tell me about your family?
BHI: [Repeating question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: Yes.
BH: So, do you have other family members?
BHI: [Repeating question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: He has a family here, but not relatives.
BH: Oh, okay. So you have family here, but not relatives? So like you have a brother and
sister, or I don’t know if I quite understand?
BHI: [Repeating question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: I have a wife [laughs] –
BH: Oh, okay.
TLI: And three children – one is married (and he is in Arizona), and the other two live with
me.
BH: Wow, so they live here?
BHI: [Repeating question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: Yes, two live with him, and the other one is in Arizona.
BH: Okay. Were your children – were they born here?
BHI: [Repeating the question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
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TLI: No, none.
BH: None? Where did you live before?
BHI: [Repeating the question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: Before I was in Burma in the city called Tun Aung; the name of the city is Tun Aung.
[Translator speaking to interviewer] Should I spell it?
BH: Yeah, how do you spell that?
TLI: Tun Aung (I think): T-U-N A-U-N-G. Tun Aung.
[Translator speaking to interviewee in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: P-U, actually. It’s P-U.
BH: P-U-N?
TLI: No, just P-U.
BH: Oh, just P-U?
[04:02]
TLI: Pu Aung.
BH: Pu Aung.
TLI: That’s the name of the city.
BH: Wow. Can you tell me a little about this city?
BHI: [Repeating question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: Ever since I was born in that city, I grew up; when I got old I married to my wife, then
we moved to Thailand and now we’re in America. But I can tell you step by step of the
process of what I’ve been through.
BH: I would love to hear, step by step, the process.
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BHI: [Repeating remark in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: Yeah, he is going to explain it step by step.
BH: Okay.
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So when I got married I had one kid.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So my occupation was being a farmer and raising cows and other animals.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: Me living in the United States, there are difficulties here.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: Oh, it’s still in Burma, actually (my mistake).
BH: In Burma?
TLI: Yeah. So we faced difficulties in Pu Aung, in Burma.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So in Burma there are difficulties, meaning we were in fear of Burmese military, and we
couldn’t do work freely.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So between Burmese military and the Karen military, they were in war and we were
really scared.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So we couldn’t do our work when there was a war because the Burmese military would
come to our village and take us as porters – you know, forcing us to do work for them.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
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TLI: So if they couldn’t find us, they would go to our work place and kind of drag us to where
they wanted to take us; if not, they would come at night and just force us – just drag us
out of our house.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: Living there was really difficult, and I couldn’t do any work; so moving around and I
ended up in Thailand.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: I was just following strangers, being stranded, and that’s how I got to Thailand.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So living in Thailand many, many years I have learned and found the U.N., which is a
great organization which helps the refugees: they give food and shelter.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
[08:39]
TLI: So from what I see from what I learned, I wanted my wife to come to Thailand in a
refugee camp. So I started telling her to do the same process, you know, asking strangers
for a ride, being stranded; and that’s how she also got to a Thailand refugee camp.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So living there many, many years I had two children.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So living there for many, many years again, we were given like a photo ID for living in a
refugee camp (like a permanent resident thing).
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: [Responding to interviewee in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So after a few years we learned that the UN were telling people that they could go to
other countries (like United States, Australia). And then they told us that we had to fill
out an application, and we did it.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
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TLI: So many people in a refugee camp came to such other countries, and I was also one of
them.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So in June it will be –
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: In June 11th of this year it will be –
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: It will be seven years of my family living in Utah, in the United States.
BH: Wow.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: Living here is very, very peaceful, happy for me and my family; I have work, I have
food, I mean, there is nothing to worry about (like being free, peaceful), you know, being
free.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: I am very, very happy, and I am very glad I am in this state and in this country.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So everything I was born living in Burma was really difficult, and there was many
difficulties; and there are many, many things that I have faced that I just can’t talk about
it all at the same time because there are just many, many difficulties.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: And my family and I are very, very thankful to the UN, which they provided us food and
shelter; we are very, very thankful to them.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: Yeah, being in Utah is the same thing: many people help us out, you know, getting us a
house (for example), and yeah –
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
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TLI: So when I first came to the United States I was in Salt Lake for a year, and now I am in
Logan for almost six years.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
[12:25]
TLI: And I am very happy for being in Logan, and I have a job in JBS, and I have worked
there for almost seven years.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: Just like that.
BH: Wow. So you mentioned going from Burma to Thailand, and it sounds like you would
take rides from strangers. Can you describe a little bit more about maybe what the
journey was like going from Burma to Thailand?
BHI: [Repeating question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So number one key is between Burma and Thailand, there were a lot of people who were
like transporter (I would say): they would do business across each country –
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: Okay, some people would hire other people – I mean, some people would go to Thailand,
buy a lot of food, and then they would hire people and take it back to Burma and sell it
there.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: I was one of the people who got hired. I was carrying bags, you know, back and forth and
that’s how I got to Thailand.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: And when I got to Thailand I saw Thai people, you know, they were hiring people to do
work, and I was one of the workers in there as well.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So from there, working there for a few months – as I was crossing from Thailand to
Burma, I saw a refugee camp (which I also heard about it), and that’s when I started
going to the refugee camp asking people, maybe to see if there is anyone I know, and
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people were telling me that, “It’s better here,” you know, “we have food; we are stuffed.
You should come and live over here.”
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: And that’s when I tell my wife and my child to also come up to the refugee camp to live
with me.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: And living there many, many years – that’s when that organization, they were you know,
taking applications; and that’s how I got here.
BH: Okay; wow. After you fill out an application, is it difficult to get into the camp – the
refugee camp?
BHI: [Repeating the question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
[16:16]
TLI: So there was no application to get to the refugee camp. What you do is that you go talk to
– so in the refugee camp there is a certain section where they put you in – you just go talk
to the leader, just talk to him or her, and then he would like take you to another person
who is like the leader for the whole camp. And then that’s when you started telling your
story, and that’s when they can tell whether you’re lying, or whether you’re telling the
truth and how difficult your life was; and that’s how they accept me to live in the camp.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So why they were asking me questions, you know, how my life was, I have to tell the
truth and later on they would have to, you know, figure out whether that’s the truth or
not. If it’s true, then they let me live in there; if not, then no.
BH: Okay. Was it difficult for your wife and your child to also come over?
BHI: [Repeating the question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: [Speaking to interviewee in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
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TLI: There was no difficulty for my wife and child to come to the refugee camp because I was
already there, and all I had to do was tell the leader – tell him that my wife is coming, and
he would be like, “Okay, that’s fine.” But the difficulty was for my wife and child to get
to the refugee camp – that was one of the difficulties. Because fortunately my wife speaks
Burmese, so sometimes she would speak in Burmese and people would think, “Oh, she’s
Burmese, just let her go.” And sometimes the military would think that, “Oh, this is a
very pitiful family, just let them go.” And that’s how they got to the refugee camp.
BH: Wow.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
[Tun Lay’s daughter and one of his sons enter the room. His daughter greets everyone.]
BH: Hello.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So for me and my family, on my way to the refugee camp, we have met with Karen
military, and they were very nice, very generous; they helped us –
[Tun Lay’s daughter drops something on the floor; she apologizes.]
TLI: You know, they help us get to another place and they were really nice.
BH: Okay. So was it dangerous at all – that trip from Burma to Thailand? I’m just wondering
if – because it sounds like you rely a lot on strangers – is that difficult to do, is that scary?
BHI: [Repeating the question in Pwo Karen.]
[19:56]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So one thing is that once you reach the border between Burma and Thailand, it’s easier –
you can just walk to the refugee camp with nothing to worry about.
BH: Okay.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: Once you reach Thailand border – you can either walk there or take a ride from the Thai
military, and you can just pay them $5 or $10.
BH: Wow. So can you describe for me a little what your surroundings were in the refugee
camp – like what it looked like?
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BHI: [Repeating the question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So when I was in the refugee camp there was a city called Kue Bong [??] (I don’t know
how to spell that), but Kue Bong –
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So you know, like I said, there was a city really close to the refugee camp; in that camp –
we lived there for a few years, and then Burmese military were coming and they burned
the whole village down.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: And then we started, after the Burmese military were coming to burn our refugee camp,
we moved to another camp, which is called –
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: [Speaking to the interviewee in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: Kue Bong was the first refugee camp that I was in, and after a few years the Burmese
military were coming, burned down the village; and then I got to another town which is
called –
[Speaking to interviewee in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: Kwe Ka Lu [??]
TL: Kwe Ka Lu
TLI: Kwe Ka Lu. K-something. Got it?
BH: Kwe Ka Lu
TLI: Um-hmm.
[Speaking to interviewee in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
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TLI: And living there for one and a half years, the Burmese military were there again, and they
burned the village down and we started –
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So after when the Burmese military were coming and, you know, burning the village
down we got help from the UN. They took us over the mountains, and we started living
on a mountain – it’s called Umpium camp right now. A lot of Karen people were there as
well; it is on a mountain.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So I can still remember the year that I got to the Umpium camp – it was 1999.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So starting from 1999, I lived in the Umpium camp all the way until 2008; and that’s
when I started coming to the United States.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: June 11th, 2008, was the date I departed from the refugee camp.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: And I lived in Salt Lake for one year, and now I’m here in Logan for six years.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: Yep, that’s pretty much it.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: Living here is really a good thing for me, you know; you can go anywhere you want, you
have a job. I’m really happy.
[24:40]
BH: That’s good. Let’s see – so can you tell me a little about your first months here, in the
United States; and maybe the problems and the difficulties, but maybe also the good
things that you saw?
BHI: [Repeating the question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
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TLI: When I first arrived in the United States my family, we were put in a house (like in an
apartment), and people were saying, “Later on, if you guys cannot pay the rent, you guys
will be kicked out.” And we were really worried, you know, and that was one of the fears
that we had in our first month. And after a few months we had to do like a community
service at CCS (in Salt Lake) where we had to go and give food to the people (I think
they are the homeless, I think that’s the service). And after a few months I heard about
the JBS and I came here, got a job, and that’s when I asked my family to move here.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: [Speaking to interviewee in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So you know, in that first month there wasn’t a lot to do; but on the second month, like I
said, I had to do service at CCS (it was fun), and I had to do it two days a week, and the
other two days was me going to school to learn English.
[27:59]
BH: Wow. So when you came to the United States, did you have any prior knowledge of
English?
BHI: [Repeating question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: No, not at all; my wife, my children – nobody knows English.
BH: Wow.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: And I only know how to read Burmese, specifically.
BH: Wow. So did that make it difficult to interact with people when you first moved here?
BHI: [Repeating the question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: It wasn’t really difficult because I was speaking with other Karen communities; and if I
wanted to talk to an English speaker we had it translated.
BH: Okay.
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TLI: So there wasn’t any difficulties.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So if we wanted to go buy groceries, we would ask someone who came here before us,
you know, who has a car – and we would ask them to take us to buy food, groceries.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: [Speaking to interviewee in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So if we needed help with anything we would go to IRC (it’s also in Salt Lake) and they
have translators over there, you know; they have people that can help you with what you
need.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: Like I said, if we need help we can go to IRC, CCS or another place – it’s called DWS
(it’s Department of Workforce Services); and they also have translators over there, you
know. We would like ask someone who came before us to take us over there, or
sometimes DWS will come and pick us up personally.
BH: Wow.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So everybody surrounding me here – like all the Americans – they were really nice; they
helped us in many ways.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: And that is why I am living here really happy, my family is really happy.
BH: That’s good.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
BH: So the reason why you moved to Logan was to work at JBS?
BHI: [Repeating the question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
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TLI: Yes, that is correct.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So you know, when I was hired at JBS I worked there for one year. And then after that I
went back to Salt Lake and I told my family to move with me to Logan, in this apartment
(this house), and I haven’t moved ever since.
BH: Wow. So I wonder if you could describe for me sort of the differences in food? Maybe
some things that you used to eat in Burma, that maybe you can’t find here, or maybe you
can? Maybe just a little bit about the food of your culture.
BHI: [Repeating the question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So I have no problem eating American food here – it’s better than what I used to eat back
there.
BH: Okay.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: Yeah, there are more food here than back in the refugee camp.
BH: So what kind of food was available in the refugee camp?
[33:06]
BHI: [Repeating question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: There are many, many foods. One is rice – they gave us oil, and beans, and –
[Speaking to interviewee in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: And peppers – chili; yeah, a lot of food – like food that is very sufficient for each family.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: They gave us food like once a month.
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BH: Okay. So what kinds of food do you like to eat now that you’re here, in the United
States?
BHI: [Repeating question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: He said there are many; there is a lot of food in America (like chicken, fish) – I just, I like
everything.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.] [Laughs]
TLI: There are a lot of food, like – yeah, I just like everything.
BH: Okay. So I wanted to ask how people respond when they find out you’re from Burma? I
know you said in Salt Lake the people were really friendly, and so I just want to see if
that’s still the case, or if people respond differently?
BHI: [Repeating the question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So when I got to the United States, I mean even when someone asked me where I’m
from, “Burma.”
“Yeah, okay.” There wasn’t any negative thing.
BH: Okay, that’s good. Can you tell me a little about your home here, and how it’s different
from your home in Burma?
BHI: [Repeating question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So it’s really different here, houses – to describe it, it’s perfect, you know. But in Burma
it’s very different, you have to build your own home; you have to use like bamboo to
build it. And you have to make your own walls, but they’re not tight walls and wind can
go through any time. It was really different from here.
BH: Wow. What would you like people in Logan to know about you, or your family, or your
ethnic group?
BHI: [Repeating the question in Pwo Karen.]
[37:22]
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TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: He is not very clear on the question.
BH: Let’s see if I can ask it a different way. Is there anything that you would like to share with
the people around here that maybe they don’t know, or you wish they knew?
BHI: [Repeating the question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So I have a different message, you know: I want people to know – before that, I believe
in God, and I want people to know that one day everybody will have a chance to live in
heaven.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: [Speaking to interviewee in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So I kind of asked him to make sure he understand that question, and –
BH: Um-hmm?
TLI: He said that there isn’t anything that he really wants to share because he feels that other
people, you know, (other American people) I’m sure they have faced many difficulty as
well (getting here) – maybe back in the day or something. So it’s probably the same
story.
BH: Okay. Would you ever be interested in going back to Burma?
BHI: [Repeating the question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: I’m very happy here. I do feel like going back, but I don’t want to go back because my
parents, my brothers – I don’t know where they are; in Burma, I don’t know where
they’re at and I don’t want to go back.
BH: Okay. What are you most proud of?
TLI: Here, or?
BH: Yeah, I would say what are you most proud of out of all of this: your experiences and
traveling?
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BHI: [Repeating the question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: I’m very proud, you know, to live each day being healthy and being happy day after day.
So yeah, that’s what I’m really proud of.
[41:20]
BH: Thank you. And do you have any dreams for the future – either for yourself, or for your
children?
BHI: [Repeating the question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: For me, my family, my children, my family, my wife – for my family – I don’t have any
dreams for us, but I do believe in God and I pray for us (for me and for my family) you
know, to be healthy, to stay happy. Yeah.
BH: Okay. I think those are all of my questions. But before we end, I just want to see if any of
my colleagues have one as well.
BHI: [Repeating statement in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: Yeah, you guys can ask questions.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: If I know the answer, I will answer it; but if I don’t, I don’t.
WV: I’m just kind of curious who plays the guitar in the family – is that yours?
WVI: [Repeating the question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: Yeah, I used to – every Sunday when I pray with my family – I used to play the guitar
every Sunday.
WV: Nice.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
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TLI: According to my religion, my Bible, it said that when you’re praying, you know, when
you’re praying and asking for God’s help, you must play a song (you know, play with the
guitar).
BH: Wow.
TLI: And so I’m doing it every Sunday.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: I believe that – I know that we can’t see God, but I know God can help us in a way.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: And how do I know this is because I am very healthy every day, and I have been doing
work here for almost seven years and I am very healthy – and I know that God is helping
me.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: And at the same time I want to tell people that God is helping us, but if they want to
listen, then I can tell them; if you don’t want to listen, then I don’t have to tell them.
BH: Do you have any questions?
MG: Yeah. What is your favorite thing about Cache Valley? What is your favorite thing to do
here?
MGI: [Repeating question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: He doesn’t know what his favorite thing is. Is there an example you can give?
MG: Hiking, camping –
MGI: [Repeating statement in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
[45:37]
TLI: No, I haven’t done that – hiking or camping; I’ve just been driving around the city, going
back to Salt Lake and eating at restaurants sometimes.
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TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.] [Laughs]
TLI: Yeah, I’ve never been hiking.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: But I would like to go one day.
BH: So actually, I thought of a couple more questions – if that’s okay?
BHI: [Repeating question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: Yeah, that’s fine.
TL: [Laughs]
BH: Okay. So you mentioned the guitar, and playing music is an important part of your
religious observance – so I was just wondering if you could kind of describe your
religious community; sort of, things about your religion?
BHI: Community?
BH: Yeah
BHI: [Repeating question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: I know that every religion has different beliefs, and there are different ways how you can
pray to God; but my way is I read the Bible every day, and that’s how I understand God’s
word. I remember when I was in the refugee camp, you know, and living there for eight
years, I was going around to different religions, you know, listening to people giving
speeches. One day I met this priest, you know, he taught me many valuable things, and he
even asked me to be an heir priest – is that how you say it? Well, yeah.
BH: Like an apprentice?
TLI: Well to become the next priest.
BH: Okay; to be like the replacement after him?
TLI: Yes, yes. Yeah, he even asked me to become that – or if he has to go somewhere else,
you know, I’d be taking his position to do all the religious things in the church. Yeah.
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TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So there are lots of gods; Americans call him Jesus, but the thing is you need to know
which one is real, you know, which one is the real God.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So whether there are many gods, or just one God – if anybody want to listen, I can tell
them the story.
BH: If you want to share.
BHI: [Repeating statement in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So there is only one God that I believe in, you know; he cannot be sick, or he can heal –
he can get all or any other things. Before anybody (any human being) exists, he lived here
before, and he created the Earth, trees, everything.
[50:20]
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: Another type of God is who can die, who heals, and it is called –
[Speaking to interviewee in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: And in Burmese it is called [Pwo Karen word]
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: And the easier way to say is Pe Synga Piya[??]
BH: Pe Synga –
TLI: Piya. Pe Synga Piya. Yeah.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: And he is a God that can die, and you know, and can’t heal people. And he is the God
that the particular God created. Do you understand that?
BH: He would –
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TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So the one person God – he created another person who is also God, but he can die.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: If it’s God Jesus – there is only one Jesus.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: And he is everybody – for everybody’s God.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: He can’t die, you know, he can’t get old – he is the only one.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: There is a guarantee, you know, that if anybody believe that there is God, that one
particular person will be in heaven.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So if you believe God, you know, you have to follow his words; you have to read the
Bible, you have to do what the Bible says.
BH: So I have just one more question.
BHI: [Repeating statement in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: That’s fine.
BH: You seem very interested in religion, and so I was wondering if that was a part of your
life before you came to the refugee camp, or if that’s something that you really became
interested in once you got to the refugee camps?
BHI: [Repeating question in Pwo Karen.]
[53:11]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
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TLI: So I was really, really interested in God in the year 1999, and that was when I got to the
refugee camp called Umpium; and that was when I was really interested in religion.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: So in the refugee camp there are a lot of people who just go around the camp, you know,
telling stories, sharing God’s word, you know.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: And I would go all over the place to listen to their speeches, you know; it can be night, or
it can be day.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: Why I wanted to know that is because I believe God is good, and you know –
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: And you know, like I say, I started listening to those speeches every day, and that’s
where I learned knowledge, you know, about religion.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: And I understood a lot of words that – well, the speakers’ word.
TL: [Laughs]
BH: Very neat. So there were not very many people in Burma who spoke of these different
religions? I guess I’m just wondering why it was so prevalent in the refugee camp – was
it the same way in Burma?
BHI: [Repeating question in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: No; I didn’t see any in Burma.
BH: Wow.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: Yeah, I started seeing it in the refugee camp.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
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TLI: So when I was in Burma, I heard of such religions, but I had never seen it.
BH: Okay.
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: When I first got to the refugee camp, you know, I was asked, “Do you know God? Do
you know the real one, you know, the one that can heal, the one that can’t get old?” So
I’m like, “Well God is good, so yes – I want to know.”
TL: [Speaking in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: And now that I know a lot about God, you know, I do want to share it with people, to
those who want to listen; but if you don’t want to listen, that’s okay.
BH: So I think we are almost out of time, unfortunately – because we only have so much time
that we can record on here. But it has been fascinating to listen to you.
BHI: [Repeating statement in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.] [Laughs]
TLI: Thank you.
BH: Thank you very much.
BHI: [Repeating in Pwo Karen.]
TL: [Responding in Pwo Karen.]
TLI: Thank you.
BH: So I think that’s the end of the interview.
BHI: [Repeating statement in Pwo Karen.]
[End recording – 57:20]]]> Tun Lay, 1954-]]> Gill, Meagan]]> Chit Moe]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Hanks, Bethany, 1989]]> Gross, Susan]]> transcripts;]]> application/pdf]]> 182560 Bytes]]> eng; kar]]> Text;]]> Burma, Thailand, Salt Lake City, Logan (Utah)]]> Tun Lay--Photographs;]]> Tun Lay, 1954-]]> Gill, Meagan]]> Chit Moe]]> Digitized by : Utah State University, Merrill-Cazier Library]]> Hanks, Bethany]]> Photographs;]]> image/jpeg;]]> 710750 Bytes]]> eng; kar]]> Image; Still Image;]]> Karen State; Thailand; Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Couty, Utah; United States; Logan, Cache Valley, Utah, United States;]]> Refugees, families, Immigration & culture, social justice]]> Tun Lay]]> Refugees, families, Immigration & culture, social justice]]> Tun Lay]]> Refugees, families, Immigration & culture, social justice]]> Tun Lay]]> Trocaire]]> Trocair]]>