Hundreds of visitors – including members of the Werribee, Geelong, Bendigo, Melbourne and, more locally, Horsham Karen communities – shared in the celebration.

The event undoubtedly had a positive economic impact on the town.

The huge crowd was treated to a wide variety of traditional song and dance.

These were performed by locals and visitors wearing spectacular, colourful, traditional clothing.

The Nhill community has welcomed and embraced the Karen community.

And this year’s celebration also featured students from the Nhill Lutheran School, who performed a Karen song.

The Karen people living here have also embraced Nhill.

They have joined many community groups and made a valuable contribution to the town through their volunteering efforts.

They have also had the confidence to invest in the town and open a Karen grocery store and Karen Museum.

The positive impact of the Karen community in Nhill continues to grow each year. 

Many local businesses and industry are now employing Karen people.

The Nhill Learning Centre initiated another great Karen success story with Paw Po Products, a community enterprise and retail outlet in the centre of town.

About a dozen Karen ladies are involved in the enterprise.

They decided on “Paw Po” for the name of their business, which means “little flower”.

A visit to the Paw Po shop will have you enthralled.

You can watch as traditional, loom-woven Karen fabric is produced by the talented weavers who are sitting cross-legged on the floor.

The fabric produced is then created into unique useful products, made extra special by the addition of a swing tag with a photo and personal journey of the Karen lady that created it.

The ladies have been overwhelmed by the demand for their products.

Many were purchased as Christmas gifts and sent all over the world for others to admire and enjoy.

The Paw Po shop, open Wednesday 1-3 pm and Thursday 10am-4 pm, is certainly worth a visit.