Wrist tying as a symbol of unity
On 22 August 2026, AKO Queensland held the Karen wrist-tying ceremony (Lah Ku Kee Su) in Brisbane. The ceremony is an important annual celebration for Karen people around the world.
Traditionally, elders tie white or red threads around people's wrists to call wandering spirits back to the body, to protect against illness and misfortune, and to promote unity, peace and harmony in families and the community.
Today the ceremony brings together Karen people of different faiths, including Christians and Buddhists, as a symbol of shared culture, identity and community across the diaspora.
Seven items are traditionally used in the ceremony. The meanings commonly given to them are:
- Bananas: loyalty, steadfastness and a gentle, cooperative character.
- White or red threads: tied around the wrist for protection from harm and for good fortune.
- Cold water: purity, clarity and the washing away of bad luck.
- Rice balls: unity and togetherness.
- Triangular sticky rice: strength and readiness.
- Flowers: resilience and the endurance of the Karen people.
- Sugarcane: sweetness, peace and a harmonious life.
Karen communities around the world hold the ceremony each year because it expresses values at the heart of community life: togetherness, reunion, respect, forgiveness, discipline and the bond between generations.
