Variety of Cultural Groups in the Mainland Southeast Asia Essay

Exclusively available on IvyPanda Available only on IvyPanda

Introduction

Southeast Asia refers to the sub-region of Asia made up of countries such as Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, East Timor, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. It is one of the most populous, diverse, and dynamic regions of the world. According to Furnivall, the ethnic groups or elements that constitute the plural society in Southeast Asia are basically of three types: Europeans, “alien Asians,” and natives (Keyes 278).

We will write a custom essay on your topic a custom Essay on Variety of Cultural Groups in the Mainland Southeast Asia
808 writers online

The cultural diversity of Southeast Asia has been studied through myths, legends, and traditional histories. The first scholars to study the cultural diversity of Southeast Asia were the Westerners who served as colonial officials or missionaries (Keyes 2). Thesis: The various cultures of Southeast Asia are diverse in some regards and unified in some ways and they can be explained based on ecological adaptation, sociodemographic adaptation, and political-economic adaptation.

Comparison of cultures

According to the diffusionist theory, certain “bundles” or “complexes” of cultural traits “adhere”(Keyes 4). The presence of these complexes can be taken as evidence of historic contacts between these cultures or of diffusion of the complex of these cultures from a common source. In the Southeast Asian context, the “megalithic complex,” which includes ancestor worship, buffalo sacrifice, head-hunting rituals, and grave posts is believed to have diffused in prehistoric times from Central Asia and ultimately from Europe (Keyes 4).

Some Southeast Asian historians believe that Southeast Asian civilization is merely transplanted Indian or Chinese cultures because of early Indian and Chinese influences. Tribal societies in mainland Southeast Asia can be fully understood only by taking into account their relationships with neighboring civilizations (Keyes 65).

In his study of Burma, Leach sees Kachin social structure as a function of the adaptation made by Kachins to the environment in which they live – and by the environment, he also includes the sociodemographic factors (Keyes 5). Cultural ecology views environment and culture as components of a single system, the ecosystem. Mainland Southeast Asia is organized primarily around the contrast between two different ecotypes (Keyes 5) – hill and lowland. The hilly regions were occupied by tribals and the lowlands by agriculturalists. The difference in culture is environmental basically.

Most Southeast Asian societies were “open” societies that were influenced by neighboring societies. The Theravada Buddhist civilizations of mainland Southeast Asia have their roots in India and their spread was facilitated because of a larger trade existing between India and China that passed through Southeast Asia. Here the political economy leading to common religion explains the cultural similarities of the region. The earliest cities of the region that have been discovered archeologically – Chansen in Thailand and Beikthano in Burma – clearly show evidence of Indian influence (Keyes 259).

The cities of mainland Southeast Asia had many centers of economic activity such as shipping companies, warehousing enterprises, processing factories, and international financial institutions. These cities also had a “bazaar-centered” economy with several unrelated interpersonal commercial transactions (Keyes 274). The cities of the later period were of different types. Temple cities required the services of large numbers of architects, stone-cutters, sculptors, wood-carvers, and other artisans for the work and also of rulers, the administrators, and the priests. Thus, the classic temple cities were characterized by significant diversity in their occupational structure.

1 hour!
The minimum time our certified writers need to deliver a 100% original paper

The “entrepôt” or “trading” city drew their economic wealth from maritime trade and their role as trading emporiums (Keyes 260). They were more cosmopolitan than temple cities; their populations included peoples of such diverse ethnic backgrounds as Indians, Chinese, and Malays as well as local peoples. This ethnic diversity was associated with an ethnic division of labor as well. The international merchants were either Indians or, more rarely, Chinese; ship crews were often Malays; rulers, peasants, and servants were drawn from local populations (Keyes 260). Vietnamese cities were based on the Chinese model and had tinges of Chinese culture.

Conclusion

Thus, one finds that the cultural diversity – the similarities and the differences- found in Southeast Asia can be explained through adaptation to ecology, sociodemography, and political economy.

Works Cited

Keyes, F. Charles (1995). The Golden Peninsula: Culture and Adaptation in Mainland Southeast Asia. University of Hawaii Press. Honolulu.

Print
Need an custom research paper on Variety of Cultural Groups in the Mainland Southeast Asia written from scratch by a professional specifically for you?
808 writers online
Cite This paper
Select a referencing style:

Reference

IvyPanda. (2021, October 30). Variety of Cultural Groups in the Mainland Southeast Asia. https://ivypanda.com/essays/variety-of-cultural-groups-in-the-mainland-southeast-asia/

Work Cited

"Variety of Cultural Groups in the Mainland Southeast Asia." IvyPanda, 30 Oct. 2021, ivypanda.com/essays/variety-of-cultural-groups-in-the-mainland-southeast-asia/.

References

IvyPanda. (2021) 'Variety of Cultural Groups in the Mainland Southeast Asia'. 30 October.

References

IvyPanda. 2021. "Variety of Cultural Groups in the Mainland Southeast Asia." October 30, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/variety-of-cultural-groups-in-the-mainland-southeast-asia/.

1. IvyPanda. "Variety of Cultural Groups in the Mainland Southeast Asia." October 30, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/variety-of-cultural-groups-in-the-mainland-southeast-asia/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "Variety of Cultural Groups in the Mainland Southeast Asia." October 30, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/variety-of-cultural-groups-in-the-mainland-southeast-asia/.

Powered by CiteTotal, citation maker
If you are the copyright owner of this paper and no longer wish to have your work published on IvyPanda. Request the removal
More related papers
Cite
Print
1 / 1