Southeast Asian Cultures in Perspective

Brazilian Cultures IN PERSPECTIVE

Caribbean Cultures IN PERSPECTIVE

East Asian Cultures IN PERSPECTIVE

Islamic Culture IN PERSPECTIVE

Israeli Culture IN PERSPECTIVE

Louisiana Cajun & Creole Cultures IN PERSPECTIVE

Native Alaskan Cultures IN PERSPECTIVE

North African Cultures IN PERSPECTIVE

Polynesian Cultures IN PERSPECTIVE

Southeast Asian Cultures IN PERSPECTIVE

Copyright © 2015 by Mitchell Lane Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Printed and bound in the United States of America.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Nardo, Don, 1947– author.

Southeast Asian cultures in perspective / by Don Nardo.

     pages cm. — (World cultures in perspective)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Summary: Southeast Asian Cultures in Perspective is an in-depth look at the different regional cultures of Southeast Asia with an emphasis on current culture. The young reader is presented with an overview of a variety of regional cultures that developed historically and analyzes how the cultural history shapes the Southeast Asian region’s current culture. The book is written in a lively and interesting style, and contains the Southeast Asian region’s languages, foods, music/dance, art/literature, religions, holidays, lifestyle, and most importantly contemporary culture in the country today— Provided by publisher.

ISBN 978-1-61228-565-8 (library bound)

1. Southeast Asia—Civilization—Juvenile literature. 2. Southeast Asia—Social life and customs—Juvenile literature. I. Title.

DS625.N325 2014

959—dc23

2014013223

eBook ISBN: 9781545751688

PUBLISHER’S NOTE: This story is based on the author’s extensive research, which he believes to be accurate. Documentation of this research is on pages 59–61.

The Internet sites referenced herein were active as of the publication date. Due to the fleeting nature of some web sites, we cannot guarantee they will all be active when you are reading this book.

To reflect current usage, we have chosen to use the secular era designations BCE (before the common era) and CE (of the common era) instead of the traditional designations BC (before Christ) and AD (anno Domini, in the year of the Lord).

PBP

CONTENTS

Introduction: A Region of Diversity and Dangers

Chapter 1: AN UNFORGETTABLE SHARED EXPERIENCE

When People Work Together

Chapter 2: FAMILY, MARRIAGE, AND THE HOME

Traditional and Modern Houses

Chapter 3: A FANTASTIC MIX OF FAITHS AND BELIEFS

Cao Dai and Other Vietnamese Faiths

Chapter 4: VANISHING ANIMALS AND RAINFORESTS

Forest-Saving Efforts

Chapter 5: COMMON FOODS AND DINING CUSTOMS

The King of Fruits

Chapter 6: SPORTS AND OTHER LEISURE ACTIVITIES

Go Indonesian Badminton!

Experiencing Southeast Asian Culture in the United States

Map

Timeline

Chapter Notes

Further Reading

Books

On the Internet

Works Consulted

Glossary

Index

INTRODUCTION

A Region of Diversity and Dangers

I heard several sounds like thunder, a forty-two-year-old woman named Mukinem said. I was so scared I was shaking.¹ Mukinem and her family are among the thousands of people who live near Mount Merapi, a large volcano on Indonesia’s southern island of Java. In October 2010, the peak exploded in fiery fury, causing widespread ruin. Eruptions continued for over a month. A news cameraman who reported on the eruptions was in awe. Several houses and cattle have been burned by the hot cloud from the mountain, he said. All the houses are blanketed in ash, completely white. The leaves have been burned off the trees.²

Merapi is only one of seventy-six historically active volcanoes in Indonesia,³ a land made up of many islands. The southernmost nation in the region of Southeast Asia,