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How much do you know about the region of
Southeast Asia?
Test your knowledge with these tidbits from CultureGrams:
- The government of what Southeast Asian country owns a cattle ranch in Australia that is bigger than the country itself?
- What type of animal combat is a major spectator sport in East Timor?
- What river in Myanmar flows to a broad delta--hit by a cyclone in May this year--on the Andaman Sea?
- What Southeast Asian nation is an island that covers an area about the same size as Chicago?
- What country is home to the world's largest Muslim population?
- What language--in addition to English--is an official language of the Philippines?
- What three nations share the island of Borneo?
- What temple, built in the 12th century, is Cambodia's most cherished national symbol?
- The national sport of Laos is kartor, which is played by trying to keep a rattan ball in the air without using what?
- What Vietnamese city is about twice as populous as Hanoi, the capital and second-largest city?
Answers:
1) Brunei. 2) Cockfighting. 3) The Ayeyarwady (or Irrawaddy) River. 4) Singapore. 5) Indonesia. 6) Pilipino (also called Tagalog). 7) Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia. 8) Angkor Wat (Angkor Temple). 9) The hands. 10) Saigon.
Did you know...
- About 10 percent of Brunei's population lives in Kampong Ayer (literally, "the water village"), a residential area of the capital city, Bandar Seri Begawan, with homes built on stilts over the Brunei River. Although reminiscent of traditional stilt houses, the houses of Kampong Ayer are modern structures equipped with appliances, satellite television dishes, and other amenities. Residents walk from one house to another using an elaborate system of wooden walkways. They access the mainland via speedboat.
- When an East Timorese person dies, the body is kept in the home for about 24 hours. During this period, guests visit to pay tribute to the deceased and stay for coffee or tea and cookies with the family. A series of rituals follows the burial. At the ai-funan moruk ("bitter flowers," held seven days after the burial) and ai-funan midar ("sweet flowers," held fourteen days after the burial), mourners return to the grave to lay flowers on it. One year after the burial, the family holds a kore-metan (a large feast for friends and relatives that formally ends the mourning period).
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