Eat Lao Food

When travelling abroad, one of the things that I am excited to know and to taste is  their native FOOD! Not only because I love to eat, but also it is one good way of looking at their culture. What's more, it would prepare me if it is not good on my sight.

Sticky rice with gilangal and fish sauce

In Laos, I found out that they are cooking and eating ant eggs, dogs, cats, snakes, and grasshoppers. A Laotian main dish is a sticky rice steamed in a bamboo basket that contains blue ginger and fish sauce. Accordingly, their national dish is a raw spicy marinated meat sometimes fish. They will mixed it with herbs, greens, and spices. They call this national dish as laap.                                                                  

beef laap

Most of the time, Laotians eat together. They served other foods besides laap and sticky rice like soup, grilled meat, stew, or greens.In addition,accordingly, Laotians sip their soup all throughout the meal rather than drinking their water. It it a custom for them to close the basket of rice to show that eating is already finished.

 I don't really know what to comment about their food. Maybe its just that I don't want to give a bad impression about it that may offend Lao people. I don't like eating spicy food but I think its quite interesting to mix fish sauce on a rice and put a ginger on it. Surely, when I will be given a chance to taste their food, I would be glad to do so. I want to give it a try -- to have a taste  and appreciate the food that makes them happy and satisfied.

Source: http://trans.worldvision.com.au/Stir/Content.aspx?topicID=498

Burmese, Myanmar: FACE

While I was reading and searching what to share on this blog about Myanmar, I click the images in google and search for the pictures of Burmese. In my surprise, what i saw is this :

I know there is nothing special about this picture, but I am curious to the color yellow-white powder on her face. At first glance, I ignore it but when I saw some other pictures of the people in Myanmar, most of them has it on their face. 

http://www.traveladventures.org/continents/asia/burmese-faces.shtml

From this website I found the answer. The powder-like thing on her face is called Tanakha. Most of the Burmese women, sometimes men used that powder as their make up and also for sunscreen. For them, putting tanakha would make them more beautiful. They have different styles of applying it, and it depends on how much or how little they like it to be.

Burmese were very friendly and polite. They have a good smile though their past was not that good because of many wars that occur to them. Accordingly, the Burmese lived in state of instability, fear, defense, and bitterness. (joshuaproject.net)

Well, I think that should be our attitude, we should learn to smile even in the midst of storm because there is someone like God who can take care of us.

Thai, Central of Thailand

The central Thai or the Siamese lives on the capital city Bangkok. They were called Khon Thai meaning " free people." Most of the Central Thai people are respectful, polite, the children were raised with good manners. Accordingly, they seldom used physical punishment in disciplining their children.

The social status of a family or of a person is based on the job or house a family or a person have. The main religion in this ethnic group is Theravada Buddhism. They believe in Buddha as the enlighten one. They eliminate suffering and improve their lives by pursuing perfect peace an nirvana. The merit can be done by feeding monks, attending worship service, and donating to temples.



Further, Thai is now facing a huge problem. The number of prostitution in this place is arising, for that, the victims of HIV are also increasing. In addition Hepatitis is also a problem to Rural places.

We can help them by praying for them.
Let us pray for Thailand.

Malaysia

This picture is the famous Petronas tower of Malaysia. This is the tallest twin tower in the whole world. By the month of march, I will see this famous tower and will touch it with my own hands. Before that happens, it is important for us to know and be familiar with this country.

MALAYSIA shares border with Singapore, Thailand, Brunei, and Indonesia. Its capital city is Kuala Lumpur. It is composed of people groups such as Malays, Chinese, Indians, and other groups. Its government is a constitutional monarchy.

The language of Malaysia is known as Bahasa Malaysia, Bahasa means language.

Malaysia is a multi-cultural society. Their main ethic  groups are the Malays. There is also a large number of population of Chinese and Indians. Each ethnic group maintain their traditions, practices, and religion. Actually  each of them has public holidays which is the most important events in their culture.

Most of the ethnic groups settled on their own groups or circle. Only few marry outside their clan. Most of the children in Malaysia educated on the same school will also worked on the same offices.
Accordingly, despite the ethnic differences there are commonalities culturally speaking.(kwintessential)


With regards to group orientation, their families are the most important social structure. They respect for elderly, unity,  and loyalty are important to them. They trusted their families not only on emotional support but also in financial. When a member of the family has financial difficulty they will help that member of their family.

These are some more information about Malaysia, and I know there are still a lot of things to be learned from them. What I wrote here is only basic informations. If we really want to know them, it is really a good idea to go personally to their country and see their culture.

I am excited to go there. I cant wait to meet the people of Malaysia.

source: http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/malaysia.html

Etiquette and Customs in Singapore

Singapore is a multi-ethnic society, it is compose of its three major groups which are the Malays, the Chinese, and the Indians. Obviously, they are all different, even their language -- they have four national language: the Malay, Tamil, Mandarin, and English.

This nation is really impressive because even its people are different culturally and religiously, they become a developed country.

The Singapore as a  developed country would attract more tourists to go and visit the place. And if you are also an interested one, this might help you dealing with different ethnic groups in Singapore.

Here are some etiquettes and customs in Singapore from kwintessential.com.

1. Greetings
Accordingly, greetings is a strict protocol among the Singaporeans. When greeting, you have to consider what age and what ethnic group the person belongs (remember there are three: Malay, Chinese, Indian)

if the person is younger and not-so-conservative like Chinese, you can shake hands, but with the Muslims and elderly conservative Singaporeans shaking hands is not appropriate, rather bowing of the head is more sufficient. It is also the same with Indians, they can shake hands with the same sex, but nodding of the head is appropriate with an opposite sex. Usually, the eldest is the first one to be introduce.

2. Gift Giving

For Chinese:
Usually in receiving gift, they will refuse three times to show that they are not greedy. If they accepted the gift, it will not be opened in front of the giver. What's more, there are things that is not advisable to give to Chinese. Those are scissors, knives, or cutting utensils because it shows that you want to cut the relationship. Another one is flowers because it can give sickness and it is only a gift for funerals.

if you will wrapped the gift, use happy colors because it will give luck.

Malay:

Most of the Malays are Muslims so when giving a gift use only right hand or both hands if one hand cant carry the gift. Do not give a gift with pigskin, alcohol, and toy dogs to children. if planning to give food, be sure it is halal. Lastly, give a gift when you are leaving the house not when you just arrived. The gifts are not opened when recieved.

Indians:

Do not give leather products. do not wrapped the gift with color black or white rather wrapped it with red, yellow, or green. if planning to give money, it should be given in odd numbers. Use the right hand in giving a gift.

3. Titles and Names

Chinese: Traditionally, they have three names. The first one that should be written is the surname, next is the two other names.

Malay: They don't have surnames rather men connect their name to their father's name using the connector 'bin'. Women, on the other side connects their name with their mother using the connector 'binti'.

Indian: They also don't have surnames like Malays. They just place the initial of their father's name. Some Indians use nicknames because they have long names.

These were some of the things that we should know about the people of Singapore. if we know more about them, their culture and practices, then we can reach more easily, effectively to them. We could be their friends.

source :http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/resources/global-etiquette/singapore.html

HIndi of Indonesia

 There are 784 people groups of Indonesia -- one of them are the Hindi. The term "Hindi" is an Aryan-language. Many of its language were borrowed from Sanskrit. (joshuaproject.com)


The Hindi group of Indonesia are the Indians who accordingly, mostly the higher castes and educated people who leave India and migrate to other countries. 


They were involved in the rivalry between Muslims and Hindu. The history says that before there was a conflict between Urdu speakers (Muslims) and the Hindi speakers (Hindu). There had a great tension between the two, so In 1947 the Pakistan and the Indians separate. From that moment Hindi becomes India's National language and Urdu becomes Pakistan's. 


Like in India, the Hindi in Indonesia also had castes system. There is the Brahmas which is the highest, Kshatriyas the second to the highest level, Vaisyas, and last is the Sudras which is the lowest of all. 


This people group when they transfered their place and live in Indonesia, they become more westernized. They drink wine and eat all kinds of meat but not beef. Cow is a sacred animal for them.


Most of these people in this group practice Hinduism, that is their primary religion. Not only that, they treat Hinduism as not only a religion but as a life style. They worship a god of good and evil. Further, they believe in karma and reincarnation. 


These group came from a very terrible history. I remember the movie slum dog Millionaire in India. There was a part on that movie that shows how its like to have tension between Muslims and Hindus. It is really terrible and many dies.
Now, some of them who migrated, are now part of the ethnic group of Indonesia.
Their culture and beliefs form India still stands. 


I believe that these people needs our prayers. We must pray that they may feel the love of God for them even their past wasn't that good. We must pray that peace would always be present in  them. They may see visions, so that they may know the true and only on God.




source:
http://www.joshuaproject.net/people-profile.php?peo3=12106&rog3=ID

Bajau, West Coast of Brunei

 

"To be a Bajau is to be a Muslim" 

Banjau, in the west cost of Brunei believed the principle that if you are a Bajau, you must be a Muslim. For almost all the people on that community were Muslim. A person who is not a Muslim will be outcast on their community. The whole Bajau do Muslim rituals and practices.

Most of the people of Bajau refer themselves as Sama. their population was estimated

750,000 to 900,00. they were known as sea-nomads and these people scattered in Sulu Archipelago, Borneo, and eastern Indonesia.  The people in this coast was good in rice cultivation and livestock rearing. it was said, accordingly, that the Banjau were uncertain. Thousand years ago, they proposed a dispersion hypothesis according to which proto-bajau spread from north and south near Mindanao, Philippines   

Moreover, Bajau speaks only one language. Household is governed by the choce of the residence rather than the choice of family roles.it was stated that the Bajau were individualistic, but they becaome united because of their religion. Some other beliefs that they embrace is animism,