P r e v i e w Read the cultural briefing about Myanmar below. Then watch the video showing a scene from daily life in Myanmar. With your partner, discuss which cultural traits you saw in the video. Check the appropriate box for each cultural trait in the chart below, and record your answers. Be sure that you can support your answers with evidence from the video. Myanmar Geography Myanmar is the second largest country in Southeast Asia. Population The population of Myanmar is diverse. Its population comes from many different ethnic groups. Most people in Myanmar follow the Buddhist religion. Economy Myanmar is a poor country. About one third of all people in Myanmar live below the poverty line. Government A military government rules Myanmar. It keeps tight control over the economy and citizens political freedoms. Climate Myanmar has frequent cyclones, landslides, and flooding. In May 2008, Cyclone Nargis killed more than 80,000 people. Teachers Curriculum Institute Cultural Tour of Southeast Asia 1
V o c a b u l a r y The sentences below give specific examples related to the vocabulary terms. Write the correct term next to each example. Use the definitions below to help you. culture: the set of beliefs, values, customs, and practices of people in a particular group, place, or time cultural region: an area that is set apart from other places by the way of life of the people who live there cultural traits: any traits of human activity acquired in social life and transmitted by communication multicultural society: a society with many different culture groups Term Example 1. Most Malaysians follow the Islamic faith, but many Buddhists, Christians, and Hindus live there as well. 2. Most Southeast Asian nations have developed complex systems of dance involving specific movements of the hands and feet. 3. If you visit a school in Myanmar, you will understand something about the architecture, clothing, and communication of that country. 4. Most people in Thailand speak the Thai language. 5. Myanmar is home to many different ethnic groups. 6. The Philippine Islands are surrounded by water, and fish is an important part of most Filipinos diet. 7. The practice of growing rice in paddies originated in Southeast Asia thousands of years ago, and it is still practiced today. 8. To understand daily life in a society, we examine many characteristics, such as art, clothing, communication, food, government, religion, and music. Teachers Curriculum Institute Cultural Tour of Southeast Asia 2
C u l t u r a l B r i e f i n g s Read the cultural briefing about Indonesia below. Then watch the video showing a scene from daily life. Working with your partner, check the appropriate box for each cultural trait you saw. Be sure that you can support your answers with evidence from the video. Then share your responses with the class. Do the same for each video shown. Indonesia Geography and Climate Indonesia is a group of islands located between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. The climate of Indonesia is tropical, and the weather is generally hot and humid. Population The population of Indonesia is the fourth largest population in the world, just below that of the United States. The population is ethnically diverse. The largest group is the Javanese, who make up about 40 percent of the population. Most Indonesians are Muslim. Small groups of Christians, Hindus, and members of other faiths are also found in Indonesia. Economy Indonesia struggles with poverty and unemployment. One out of every seven Indonesians currently lives below the poverty line. One out of every 13 is unemployed. Daily Life and Social Customs About half of the Indonesian population lives in rural areas. The homes of rural Indonesians are generally modest. The floors are made of wood or pounded earth, walls of woven bamboo matting, and roofs of dried palm leaves, tiles, or wood. Urban dwellers lived in homes with cement or tile floors, walls of brick and plaster, and tiled or shingled roofs. Soccer is a popular pastime among Indonesians in both rural and urban environments. Teachers Curriculum Institute Cultural Tour of Southeast Asia 3
Thailand Geography and Climate Thailand is located in Southeast Asia along the Gulf of Thailand. It shares borders with Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, and Malaysia. The climate of Thailand is tropical with two monsoon seasons. The summer monsoon season lasts from May to September. The weather is rainy, warm, and cloudy. The winter monsoon season lasts from November to March. The weather then is dry and cool. Population Thailand is less diverse than many other nations in Southeast Asia. About three fourths of people in Thailand are ethnically Thai. Almost 95 percent of people in Thailand follow the Buddhist religion. Economy The economy of Thailand has been growing since the 1960s. Industry has grown stronger in the area around the capital city of Bangkok. As industry grew, young people migrated from the rural villages to the city in increasing numbers. Many of these migrants work in unskilled construction or service jobs. Some have found skilled work. Many of these workers keep strong ties to their home villages. Others, however, now see themselves as urban rather than rural people. Daily Life and Social Customs Buddhism plays a regular role in Thai life. Certain Buddhist holy days are national holidays as well. Many political events and state functions begin with the king performing Buddhist ceremonies. These functions are often shown on television, which helps to strengthen the connections between the Thai people, the royal family, and their Buddhist heritage. Teachers Curriculum Institute Cultural Tour of Southeast Asia 4
Cambodia Geography and Climate Cambodia is a country of mostly low, flat plains, with some mountains in the north and southwest. The climate is tropical, and the weather is warm and humid most of the year. Population Most Cambodians are Khmer (kuh-mair). This ethnic group came from an empire that stretched across much of Southeast Asia a thousand years ago. Most Cambodians are also Buddhist. There is a small population of Muslims. Cambodia s population is young. More than half of the population is younger than 25. Economy Cambodia s economy is one of the least developed in Southeast Asia. Most Cambodians are farmers or fishers who produce just enough food to support their families. About one in three Cambodians lives in poverty. One of Cambodia s greatest challenges is creating enough good jobs for its young population. Young Cambodians lack the education and skills for many jobs. Daily Life and Social Customs City dwellers in Cambodia tend to be better off than rural farmers. Many of those who work in government and industry make enough money to own cars and motorcycles, eat in restaurants, and enjoy a lively nightlife. Outside of the capital city of Phnom Penh, however, people tend to be poorer. Few people own cars or motorcycles. Instead, rural Cambodians generally use bicycles and oxcarts for transportation. Teachers Curriculum Institute Cultural Tour of Southeast Asia 5
Singapore Geography and Climate Singapore is a tiny island nation located between Malaysia and Indonesia. Singapore enjoys the same tropical climate as many Southeast Asian nations, with generally hot and humid weather. Population Singapore has a diverse population. Its largest ethnic group is people of Chinese descent. Malays and Indians make up smaller parts of the population. Many different religions are also represented in Singapore. Less than half of the population is Buddhist. There are also people who are Muslim, Christian, Taoist and Hindu. Economy Singapore has the most advanced economy in Southeast Asia. Its econ-omy is built on international trade and banking. The port in Singapore is one of the world s busiest, shipping out Southeast Asian raw materials, such as timber and spices, in exchange for finished goods from other nations. Tourism is a major industry. Tourists visit Singapore for its shopping, beaches, and recreational facil-ities. People in Singapore enjoy a high standard of living. Daily Life and Social Customs Singapore s history as an international trading center has also influenced its culture. Many of its cultural activities reflect the traditions of China, India, Indonesia, or the West. Many its people practice tradi-tional Chinese and Indian music, painting, and drama. Films and music from Asia, Europe, and the United States are popular. Teachers Curriculum Institute Cultural Tour of Southeast Asia 6
Vietnam Geography and Climate Vietnam is a long, narrow country that follows the coastline of the Gulf of Tonkin and the South China Sea. Vietnam shares borders with China, Laos, and Cambodia. In the north and the south are low, flat deltas. In the far north and northwest are mountainous regions. Only about 20 percent of Vietnam s land is suitable for farming. The northern part of Vietnam has a hot, rainy season from May to September, and a warm, dry season from October to March. In the south, the weather is generally hot and humid. Population Most of Vietnam s population is ethnically Vietnamese. Many smaller ethnic groups live in the highlands of Vietnam. Most people in Vietnam share a native religion that incorporates parts of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism. There are small numbers of Christians and Muslims in Vietnam. Vietnam s Communist government controls religious institutions. Economy Vietnam s economy has been improving dramatically in the past 20 years. The tourism industry attracts many visitors to beautiful beaches and areas of scenic beauty. Manufacturing is strong. Many products such as rice, clothing, and coffee are exported to the United States and other nations. Although poverty is still a problem, more Vietnamese have risen above the poverty line in recent years. Daily Life and Social Customs Vietnamese people often work long hours, from early morning until early evening. They take an extended break from work during the hottest part of the day. Vietnamese food often includes rice, noodle soups, spring rolls, and a fish sauce for seasoning. The most important holiday of the Vietnamese year is Tet, the lunar new year. Tet is a time when friends and family gather for feasts and exchanging presents. Teachers Curriculum Institute Cultural Tour of Southeast Asia 7
Philippines Geography and Climate The Philippines is a group of islands located between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea. More than 7,000 islands make up the Philippines. The climate is tropical and the weather is generally warm and humid. Population The population of the Philippines is very diverse, with nearly 100 different ethnic groups. The largest groups are the Tagalog and the Cebuano, which together make up about 40 percent of the total population. The Philippines is the second most populous country with English as one of its official languages. Most Filipinos are Christian. About 80 percent of the population is Roman Catholic. The remainder are Protestant Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, or followers of native religions. Economy The Philippines is primarily an agricultural country. Nearly one third of all Filipinos work in agriculture. They raise products such as rice, coconuts, bananas, pork, and beef. Many people work in the fishing industry. Fewer people work in factories. Factory goods made in the Philippines include electronics components, clothing, and processed foods. Daily Life and Social Customs Society in the Philippines centers around the ex-tended family, which includes parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and other relatives. Most meals in the Philippines include rice or rice noodles, with small amounts of meat, fruits, and vegetables. Many Filipinos wear clothing similar to that of the United States and Europe. Some ethnic groups and regions have their own unique dress. In cities, for example, many men wear a heavily embroidered shirt called a barong at both casual and formal occasions. Teachers Curriculum Institute Cultural Tour of Southeast Asia 8
P r o c e s s i n g After you watch the video about Laos, write a paragraph in the space below about the cultural traits shown in the video. You may need to watch the video more than once. In your paragraph, use the words from the box below. architecture culture communication clothing economy Teachers Curriculum Institute Cultural Tour of Southeast Asia 9