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ISSN : 2092-738X
The Dayak Bentian language, spoken by the Dayak Bentian tribe in Dilang Puti Village, Bentian Besar District, Kutai Barat Regency, East Kalimantan, is experiencing a shift that weakens its vitality. This decline in speakers is driven by increased bilingualism and multilingualism due to contact with neighboring language groups. This paper examines the extent of this language shift, the current vitality level of Dayak Bentian language, and strategies to prevent its extinction. The study aims to assess the language’s vitality and analyze its shifting domains, using descriptive methods. Data on language usage across various contexts in Dilang Puti village are gathered from local informants. The data are then processed through stages: (1) categorizing language use by domain, (2) identifying shifts in use, (3) evaluating language vitality using UNESCO and EGIDS scales, and (4) concluding findings.
This paper discusses the cultural practices in ecotourism among the residents group in the Ubud region of Bali. It examines the role of the village youth group for the in ecotourism practices and explores as well as their role as a means of in achieving existential authenticity. The community-based tourism (CBT) program run by the youth group of Sebatu Village is similar to like the existing commercial trekking tours. By utilizing the natural and cultural resources of the village in which they live, they use the Balinese tradition combined with the spatial and existential authenticity of the Sebatu Village. In addition, previously marginalized resident groups are participating actively in ecotourism and this experience is providing economic benefits and new understanding of their traditional Balinese culture. In the end, this article will provide a new perspective on who should be the main agents in the tourism commercialization process that utilizes traditional culture in the tourism area.
Examining the border as governmentality during American colonialism in the Philippines, this study argues that while American and Filipino bureaucrats sought to control and safeguard the southwestern border of the Philippines from various forms of threats, some Moros and Chinese evaded this through smuggling (i.e. opium and Chinese coolies) and illegal immigration. The colonial powers carved the southern borders through treaties and agreements to legitimize access to the resources of their respective colonies. However, the Americans wanted to control some islands like Baguan (in Turtle Islands) to protect the archipelago from threats posed by illicit activities like smuggling. While authorities-imposed customs and immigration laws along the border, they also faced challenges in monitoring impending threats including active resistance to existing laws and the lack of government support for customs services.
This paper examines the kinship networks, particularly the various ways networks are expected to assist Vietnamese youth transnational labor migration during their migration decision-making processes. Drawing on surveys and in-depth interviews with Vietnamese migration workers and their family members in the North Central Coast of Vietnam, it shows that Vietnamese youth capitalize on different functions of their kinship networks to facilitate their migratory endeavors. They are more likely to be tied to family networks, regarding them as not just the source of information and practical support but also guarantees. The paper provides deep insights into the way migration choices are made by Vietnamese youth and, at the same time, underscores the effects of their migration choice.
The 1MDB scandal marked a dramatic turning point in the landscape of Malaysian politics. The scandal led to the first horizontal change of government between the ruling and opposition parties in 61 years. Najib Razak became the first prime minister to be imprisoned. The tsunami caused by the 1MDB scandal is currently ongoing. The 1MDB scandal has spread the perception that corruption is a pillar of Malaysia's political culture. Under BN's long-term hegemony, crony capitalism was established as an informal system, leading to a kleptocracy in which wealth was monopolized. As Anwar Ibrahim, a symbol of reformasi, became prime minister in the 15th general election, there was great hope that reform would take place along with political and economic stability in Malaysia. The reform results, however, are insufficient due to complex reasons such as the failure to institutionally resolve the excessive concentration of power, the coexistence of symbolic figures of reform and corruption in the unity government and the need for UMNO’s influence to maintain power. The tsunami of the 1MDB scandal is still driving political change in Malaysia and establishing itself as a key variable that determines the success or failure of Anwar and the unity government.
Indonesian, recognized as an official language by UNESCO, has emerged as a crucial tool for fostering international cultural exchange and soft diplomacy. This paper investigates Indonesian as a foreign language (a.k.a. BIPA or Bahasa Indonesia bagi Penutur Asing) programs to promote religious moderation, particularly within Hanoi, Vietnam. The research examines how Indonesian programs facilitate cross-cultural understanding and tolerance by immersing international students in Indonesia’s rich religious and cultural landscape by way of an autoethnographic study conducted at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Hanoi. Lessons address Indonesia's religiously pluralistic society, illustrated by the architectural diversity of Indonesian mosques and syncretic traditions like Sekaten and Grebeg Sura, which blend local customs with Islamic values. Such cultural narratives help introduce students to the fundamental principles of religious moderation—respect, tolerance, and coexistence—that underpin Indonesia’s social fabric and contribute to its distinctive identity on the global stage. The findings suggest that Indonesia’s integration of content related to religious moderation not only enhances Indonesia's international image but also equips international students with the ideological tools necessary to appreciate and nurture peace within diverse contexts.
Zines are grassroots media closely tied to social identity, serving as platforms for communities to form, express, and strengthen their collective identity. This study examines zines in Bandung that play a vital role in shaping the social dynamics of local communities through practices such as distribution in public spaces like coffee shops and bicycle workshops. Drawing on Caswell’s (2014, 2018) principles of community archiving—Participation, Shared Stewardship, Multiplicity, Activism, Reflexivity, and Valuing Affect—this research explores how zines function as relational artifacts that sustain cultural resilience. Social Identity Theory (Tajfel & Turner, 2004) is employed to analyze how zines act as collective symbols that foster in-group identity across diverse subcultures, including cycling, music, and street art communities. Additionally, existentialist concepts such as Sartre’s “existence precedes essence” and Heidegger’s “Mitsein” are applied to bridge the personal and communal dimensions of zine culture. The findings reveal that zines in Bandung are not merely tools for information dissemination but also serve as collective archives that preserve the identity and memory of local communities. Their physical format and distribution practices resist digital homogenization, offering a tangible medium to celebrate community existence authentically while supporting cultural resilience in Southeast Asia.
Originating from Putian, Fujian (China), the worship of Mazu (Vietnamese: Thiên Hậu) was brought to Southern Vietnam by Chinese migrants and has become deeply embedded in the cultural-religious life of Binh Duong. Once a community-led folk ritual, the annual Tianhou Pagoda Festival in Thu Dau Mot has been gradually institutionalized through state involvement, transforming into a symbol of multicultural identity and a promoted cultural tourism site. Applying the concept of "invented tradition" (Hobsbawm) and Marxist anthropological approaches to political economy, this article examines the restructuring of the festival in Binh Duong. The findings indicate that (1) tradition is not static but continually adapts to economic, social, and historical contexts; (2) restructuring involves cultural negotiations among diverse actors, reflecting the complex interplay within local communities and between these communities and the state; and (3) this process leads to the deconstruction of traditional norms, resulting in new cultural form.
The present study explores and examines the socio-cultural landscape of Minahasa, North Sulawesi during a period of transition and significant transformation, as depicted by early European explorers, particularly following the advent of the Dutch Missionary Society (NZG; Nederlandsche Zendeling Genootschap) in the 1820s. Despite the paucity of primary sources from this period, the study examines the descriptions of three notable European explorers: Alfred Russel Wallace (1823-1913), Francis Henry Hill Guillemard (1852-1933), and Nicolaas Graafland (1827-1898). In fact, hitherto, Minahasa, North Sulawesi has received limited scholarly attention, in particular concerning the profound transformations that impacted from the 1820s onward. This study attempts to revisit early European explorers’ accounts as an alternative form of ethnographic data to reimagine the intricate socio-cultural fabric of Minahasan society during this transformative historical period. Such an attempt is intended to offer an invaluable ethnographic case study that contributes to Indonesian and Southeast Asian Studies, especially in examining the interaction between global and local communities shaped by colonialization since the 17th century. While furnishing a broad overview of the socio-cultural landscape of Minahasa, this study primarily focuses on the second half of the 19th century, whence the accounts of the three European explorers were written and subsequently published. Furthermore, the study situates these descriptions within the broader framework of early European exploration, offering insights into the global phenomenon of European expeditions as well as the individual backgrounds of the three explorers respectively.
This article presents a critical re-evaluation of U Htaw Lay, a nineteenth-century Burmese elite whose contributions to the religious and administrative spheres have been marginalized in dominant historiography. As traditional systems of Buddhist patronage unraveled, U Htaw Lay was instrumental in preserving sacred religious sites while serving under both the Konbaung monarchy and the British colonial administration. Rather than representing a rupture with precolonial traditions, his career illustrates the adaptive reconfiguration of elite functions within emerging colonial frameworks—an interpretive model here conceptualized as elite continuity. U Htaw Lay’s involvement in colonial service did not indicate allegiance to imperial authority but rather constituted a calculated strategy to ensure the survival of Buddhist institutions. His actions exemplify a novel paradigm of religious custodianship, grounded in legal negotiation and bureaucratic innovation. By drawing on temple-based historical records, this study underscores the analytical value of non-state archives in challenging dominant colonial and nationalist narratives. In recovering U Htaw Lay’s legacy, the article contributes to broader scholarly debates on religious authority, cultural resilience, and the contested politics of historical memory in colonial Southeast Asia beyond the confines of Burma.
