BENDIGO’S Karen community will hold its ninth wrist-tying ceremony this Saturday – and the whole city is invited to come along and take part.
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They will join with Karen people across the world in holding the cultural ceremony, which has existed before Buddhism or Christianity were introduced to the Karen. It takes place during the month of August.
The thread connects a person with their own spirit.
Community leader Ashin Moonieinda said it was a way of bringing everyone together.
“In Burma, it is currently the rainy season and people have bad health, fever, other ailments,” he said.
“The leader will invite all of the community to come together during this time.
"It's a time of bringing everyone together."
There will be dancing, music and traditional Karen food, along with the wrist-tying ceremonies. Members of the Karen communities across Victoria will travel to Bendigo for the occasion.
The food also has a symbolic meaning, and comes in sevens. They enjoy banana, water, flour, tea, coconut, rice and sugarcane.
Each food represents a way of binding people together.
The free ceremony takes place from 9.30am to 2.30pm this Saturday at Bendigo South East College.