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BRUNEI
Capital
: Bandar Seri Begawan
National Population : 305,100
Language
: Bahasa Melayu

Family:
The family is the focal point of the social structure. The Brunei family is the extended family and includes
aunts, uncles, and cousins as well as close friends. Members of the extended family are expected to
remain loyal to each other and the family.
As a result of this Brunei is a hierarchical culture. Age and position are revered. From a young age,
children are taught to subjugate their own desires for the good of the entire family and to respect elders
without question. In addition they also learn that it is through family support that they accomplish goals.
Malay Culture:
Brunei's culture mainly derived from the Old Malay World, a territory which covered the Malay
Archipelago. Bruneis culture is therefore deeply rooted in its Malay origins, which are reflected in the
nations language, architecture, ceremonies, and customs governing daily life. Though various foreign

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civilizations have played a role in forming Bruneis rich history, the traditions of the Old Malay World
have left an indelible mark on the culture of modern Brunei.
Today, Bruneians are predominantly Malay, though significant Chinese, Indian and indigenous Bornean
populations add to the cultural makeup of Brunei. Bruneis blend of cultures, customs, beliefs and
customs is therefore very similar to that of Malaysia. The nations official language is Malay, but English
is widely spoken by most of the population, and most signs in the country are written in Roman script.
If Malay traditions are Bruneis cultural root, then Islam is its heart. The nations Malay Islamic
Monarchy is a uniquely Bruneian blend combining the best of Malay culture with the teachings of Islam
and a mutual respect between ruler and subjects. This national philosophy is aimed at forging a stronger
sense of identity as well as fostering unity and stability, and it forms the backbone of Bruneian cultural
identity. While Brunei is indeed a devoutly Muslim country, the national philosophy is one of respectful
tolerance, allowing for the practice of other religions and beliefs.
Borneo Culture:
The Southeast Asian island of Borneo third largest island in the world has captivated the
imagination of explorers and travelers for centuries with its alluring mix of indigenous culture and
untamed rainforest.
Approximately 16 million people live on the island of Borneo, which is shared by Malaysia, Indonesia
and Brunei Darussalam. The island's population is comparatively low for the region, owing largely to the
fact that up until a few decades ago, Borneo was completely covered by dense rainforest with poor soil
for agriculture. This, combined with rugged terrain, unnavigable rivers and the fierce head-hunter
reputation of its inhabitants, ensured that the island remained underdeveloped for many years, giving
Borneo a legendary mystique as one of the most mysterious and exotic places on Earth. For thousands of
years, this image was fairly close to the truth. Borneo has been inhabited for at least 35,000 years, and life
for many Borneans has changed little over the centuries. Most people lived in harmony with nature,
leading nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyles, travelling over vast areas in search of wild boar and other
products of the forest.
Around three thousand years ago, traders from other lands began to frequent Borneo, connecting the
island to a larger trading network extending to China, India, and beyond. Locals collected exotic products
like bird's nests and sandalwood for trade abroad but otherwise, life went on as before. Approximately
500 years ago, Islam arrived to the island, and a number of Muslim kingdoms were established, the

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largest of which was Brunei, which once controlled most of the northern coast. The name Borneo is in
fact derived from the name Brunei.
Today, Borneo is still home to thousands of indigenous ethnic minorities which add to the islands
diversity and local color. While Borneo is rapidly modernizing, indigenous culture still thrives, evident in
the many traditional longhouse communities that dot the landscape of Brunei and in the native
handiworks and crafts they continue to produce. Headhunting, however, is a pastime which thankfully has
retreated into legend!

CAMBODIA
Capital
: Phnom Penh
National Population : 11 million
Language
: Khmer
Religion:
Theravada Buddhism is the official religion in Cambodia which is practiced by 95 percent of the
population-- just like that of Thailand, Burma, Sri Lanka. However, Christianity and Cham Muslim are
being active and popular among a large number of population as well in the capital and provinces,
showing a sign of growth. Daoism and Confucianism are also commonly practiced among the Chinese
people.
Earning merit is an important part of Buddhist life. Buddhists in Cambodia earn merit by giving money,
goods, and labor to the temples, or by providing one of the two daily meals of the monks.
Children often look after the fruits trees and vegetable gardens inside their local wat, or temple. Boys can
earn merit by becoming temple servants or novice monks for a short time. Most young men remain
monks for less than a year.
Architecture:
To ensure order and harmony in the universe, Angkor's architects and sculptors created stone temples that
symbolized the cosmic world and decorated them with wall carvings and sculptures of Hindu gods and
the Buddha. Religious guidelines dictated that a basic temple layout include a central shrine, a courtyard,
an enclosing wall, and a moat. More than 60 of these temple complexes survive in the Angkor region. In
addition, several stone bridges and reservoirs built in the Angkor period are still in use. Many Cambodian

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public buildings, such as the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, are decorated in the Khmer architectural style
and use motifs such as the garuda, a mythical bird in the Hindu religion.
After the devastation of culture in the Khmer Rouge era, the traditional arts and handicrafts of Cambodia
are reviving. Notable among these traditional arts are textiles, silver work, basketry, woodcarving, stone
sculpture, and painting. Artisans use cotton to weave the krama, a rectangular scarf made in colorful
checks and stripes, and the sampot, a skirt for women. Beautiful silk sampots with elaborate,
multicolored patterns, often entwined with gold or silver thread, are woven using the ikat technique, in
which each individual thread is tied. Cambodia's long tradition of metal work nearly disappeared, but the
French revived it in the early 20th century. Silversmiths produced popular items of the period, such as
animal-shaped boxes, intricately decorated, that were used to hold the ingredients of a preparation
known as betel, which is chewed as a stimulant and tonic.
Music, Dance and Theater:
Classical Dance of Cambodia: The epic poem of Rama (Ramayana) is believed to have been revealed to
a Hindu holy man named Valmiki by Brahma, the god of creation. This religious literary work, dating
from about ad 4, is known in various versions throughout India and Southeast Asia. In Cambodia, the
story has been set to music and dance and performed by the Royal Ballet since the 18th century.
Although the epic is also known in the villages, where it is translated orally or dramatized in the popular
shadow puppet theater, the ballet was traditionally a courtly art performed in the palace or for princely
festivals. The music of the ballet is performed by the Pinpeat orchestra, which is made up of traditional
xylophones, metallophones, horizontal gongs, drums, and cymbals.
Khmer classical dance derived from Indian court dance, which traces its origins to the apsarases of
Hindu mythology, heavenly female nymphs who were born to dance for the gods. The traditions of
Thailand and Java (in Indonesia) also influenced the music and dance of Cambodia. In classical
Cambodian dance, women, dressed in brightly colored costumes with elaborate headdresses, perform
slow, graceful movements accompanied by a percussive ensemble known as the pinpeat. Pinpeat
orchestras include drums, gongs, and bamboo xylophones. In Cambodia's villages, plays performed by
actors wearing masks are popular. Shadow plays, performed using black leather puppets that enact
scenes from the Reamkern, are also enjoyed. Folk dancing is popular in rural Cambodia and is
performed spontaneously to a drumbeat.

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INDONESIA
Capital
: Jakarta
National Population : 200 million
Language
: Bahasa Indonesia

Indonesia is culturally rich. Indonesian art and culture are intertwined with religion and age-old
traditions from the time of early migrants with Western thoughts brought by Portuguese traders and
Dutch colonists. The basic principles which guide life include the concepts of mutual assistance or
"gotong royong" and consultations or "musyawarah" to arrive at a consensus or "mufakat" Derived from
rural life, this system is still very much in use in community life throughout the country.
Though the legal system is based on the old Dutch penal code, social life as well as the rites of passage
are founded on customary or "adat" law which differs from area to area. "Adat" law has a binding impact
on Indonesian life and it may be concluded that this law has been instrumental in maintaining equal
rights for women in the community. Religious influences on the community are variously evident from
island to island.
Intertwined with religion and age-old traditions from the time of early migrants the art and culture of
Indonesia is rich in itself with Western thoughts brought by Portuguese traders and Dutch colonists. The
art and culture of Indonesia has been shaped around its hundreds of ethnic groups, each with cultural
differences that have shifted over the centuries. Modern-day Indonesian culture is a fusion of cultural
aspects from Arabic, Chinese, Malay and European sources. Indonesian art and culture has also been
influenced from the ancient trading routes between the Far East and the Middle East leading to many
cultural practices being strongly influenced by a multitude of religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism,
Confucianism and Islam.
Language
The official language of Indonesia is 'Indonesian' or 'Bahasa Indonesia'. It's universally taught in schools
and is spoken by nearly every Indonesian in business, politics, national media, education and academia.

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The Indonesians also speak several hundreds of local languages like 'bahasa daerah' as their first
language. Javanese is also widely used besides other Papuan or Austronesian languages in a region of
just 2.7 million people.
Literature
Indonesia has created many internationally famous celebrated authors. There has also been a long
tradition, particularly among ethnically Malay populations, of impromptu, interactive, verbal
composition of poetry referred to as the 'pantun'. Pramoedya Ananta Toer, a well-known author won the
Magsaysay Award and was considered for the Nobel Prize in Literature. Chairil Anwar was also an
important figure in the literature world and a member of the Generation 45 group of authors who were
active in the Indonesian independence movement.

LAOS
Capital
National Population
Language

: Vientiane
:4.8 million
:Lao

Religious Influences
Lao peole boast a plethora of distinctive monuments and architectural styles. One of the most notable
structures is That Luang, the Great Sacred stupa, in Vientiane. Its dome like stupa and four-cornered
superstructure is the model for similar monuments throughout Laos. Stupas serve to commemorate the
life of the Buddha and many stupas are said to house sacred relics (parts of Buddha's body).
Generally, Hinayana Buddhists cremate the dead body then collect the bone and put in the stupa which
up around the temple. Different styles of architecture are evident in the numerous buddhist vats. Three
architectural styles can be distinguished, corresponding to the geographical location of temple and
monasteries.Vats built in Vientiane are large rectangular structures constructed of brick and covered with
stucco and high-peaked roofs. In Luang Phrabang the roofs sweep very low and, unlike in Vientiane,
almost reach the ground. These two styles are different from Vats of Xieng Khuang where the temple
roofs are not tiered.

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Lao religious images and art are also distinctive and set Lao apart from its neighbors. The 'Calling for
Rain' posture of Buddha images in Lao, for example, which depicts the Buddha standing with his hands
held rigidly at his side, fingers pointing to the ground, cannot be found in other Southeast Asian
Buddhist art traditions.
Religious influences are also pervasive in classical Lao literature, especially in the Pha Lak Pha Lam, the
Lao version of India's epic Ramayana. Projects are underway to preserve classic Lao religious scripts
which were transcribed into palm leaf manuscripts hundreds of years ago and stored in Vats. Another
excellent example for the richness of of Lao culture is its folk music, which is extremely popular with
people throughout the whole country. The principal instrument is the Khaen, a wind instrument which
comprises a double row of bamboo-like reeds fitted into a hardwood sound box. The Khaen is often
accompanied by a bowed string instrument or saw. The national folk dance is the lamvong, a circle
dance in which people dance circles around each other so that ultimately there are three circles: a circle
danced by the individual, another one by the couple, and a third one danced by the whole party.
Common Courtesies
Lao people are frank, open and friendly, and they possess a strongly developed sense of courtesy and
respect. Everyone who adheres to the latter will receive a warm welcome.
The generally accepted from of greeting among Lao people is the Nop. It is performed by placing one's
palm together in a position of praying at chest level, but not touching the body. The higher the hands, the
greater the sign of respect. Nonetheless, the hands should not be held above the level of the nose. The
Nop is accompanied by a slight bow to show respect to persons of higher status and age. It is also used
as an expression of thanks, regret or saying good-bye. But with western people it is acceptable to shake
hands.
When entering a vat or a private home it is customary to remove shoes. In Lao homes raised off the
ground, the shoes are left at the stairs. In traditional homes one sits on low seats or cushions on the floor.
Men usually sit with their legs crossed or folded to one side, women prefer solely the latter. Upon
entering guests may be served fruit or tea. These gestures of hospitality should not be refused.

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Since the head is considered the most sacred part of the body and of the soles of the feet the least, one
should not touch a person's head nor use one's foot to point at a person or any object. Moreover men and
women rarely show affection in public. It is also forbidden for a women to touch a Buddhist monk.

MALAYSIA
Capital
: Kuala Lumpur
National Population : 22.6 million
Language
: Bahasa Malaysia

Having had an interesting past and being a part of the international spice route many hundreds of years
ago, Malaysia has turned into a mosaic of cultures. Everything from its people to its architecture reflect a
colourful heritage and an amalgamated culture.
People
Malays, Chinese, Indians and many other ethnic groups have lived together in Malaysia for
generations. All these cultures have influenced each other, creating a truly Malaysian culture.
The largest ethnic groups in Malaysia are the Malays, Chinese and Indians. In Sabah and Sarawak, there
are a myriad of indigenous ethnic groups with their own unique culture and heritage.
Architecture
A fascinating fusion of tradition and modernity, Malaysia's architecture today is a reflection of
Asia's many styles, cultures and religions. These influences include Hindu-Indian, Arab-Muslim, Chinese
and European. Portuguese, Dutch and British colonization have also influenced local architecture. Now,
the country embraces an independent modern Malaysian vision whilst staying true to its rich culture and
heritage.

MYANMAR
Capital
: Yangon
National Population : 52 million
Language
: Myanmar
Chiefly inspired by ancient Indian tradition, Myanmar arts has evolved to its present delightful diversity
and artistically absorbing forms. Periods reaching amazing creative heights and productivity include the
Pagan empire with over 2,000 magnificent pagodas, the birth of modern Myanmar dance during the
Kingdom of Inwa, and the Konbaung Dynasty with its new artistic creation of architecture, sculpture and
Zatgyi (dance drama).

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Traditional Theatre
Myanmar theatre, like its people, is incredibly colorful, pleasantly humorous, very lively and very likable
- one of South East Asias most captivating.
Myanmar folk love to watch a classical "from mid night-to-sunrise" drama known as Zat. This "village
theatre" is well attended by all in the family, young and old, with their mats, snacks and tea. This allnight- long drama is usually held during the pagoda festival.
Another intriguing drama is the Yamazat - a Myanmar version of the Ramayana epic. Performed by well
trained actors, principal characters wearing masks except Thida, include Prince Yama, Prince Lakhana the
younger brother, Princess Thida, Dasagiri, the ten-headed ogre and Hanuman, the monkey.
Marionette theatre which originated during the Bagan period and developed in the reign of King Singu in
the eighteenth century is a highly skilled art form. Some of the puppets have as many as sixty strings and
even movable eyebrows. While the puppet masters manipulate the puppets (twenty eight characters in
all), male and female impersonators sing and recite the parts.
Myanmar dance, existing from pre-Buddhist times is of two types - soft, supple, slow and graceful type,
as well as, quick and vigorous type. In traditional dances, the male and female dancers do not touch each
other when dancing together. This technically outstanding performance coupled with the beautifully
adorned and colourful costumes, is a fascinating and breathtaking experience to savour.
Traditional theatre dramatics are backed by a Myanmar ensemble of drum circle, gong circle, bamboo
clappers, wind instruments, flute and cymbals. In addition, a large drum, hung also include from an
ornamental winged mythical creature called "Pyinsayupa" and the melodious soothing l3- string harp.
Unlike Western music, Myanmar music is atonal, basing on the pentonic scale similar to the Indonesian
gamelan and equally appealing.
Traditional Crafts
Classic products of an ancient heritage with an enduring charm, are the arts and crafts of the Golden
Land. Among Myanmars many crafts are silk and cotton weaving, lacquerware, gold and silver work,
wood, bone and marble carving, tapestry and pottery - each a world of knowledge and a learned art form.
Lacquerware is an ancient craft, yet very much alive in the regions of Bagan and Kyaukka village, near
Monywar. The tedious and painstaking process involves coating, drying and numerous re-coating of a
framework of woven bamboo over a period of months, climaxing with the amazing delicate task of
etching designs by hand and then dyeing of colours onto the lacquered article.

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Tapestries made of applique designs on velvet or cotton cloth with glass beads and shining sequins
stitched on, fashioned into pretty items such as jackets, hats or handbags are popular souvenirs for
travellers. Delightful motifs include dancers, elephants, peacocks and mythical animals of Myanmar
culture. Scenes from Jataka stories (stories about Buddhas previous existence) are depicted on large wall
hangings.

PHILIPPINES
Capital
: Manila
National Population : 74 million
Language
: Filipino
One word that would best describe Philippine culture, would be diversity. The people largely come from
the Malay race and share cultural similarities to Malaysians and Indonesians but even before the first
Europeans came to the Philippines they had a culture different from other Malay eople. With over 150
languages scattered throughout more than 7000 islands it is not surprising at each region has cultural
elements unique to their area.
The Customs and Traditions of the Philippines are strongly influenced by its colonized past. The Spanish
colonization of the Philippines, in fact governed from Mexico, lasted for more than 350 years, thus there
is an important presence of Spanish influence in many aspect of the Philippine culture. The Filipino
language, more commonly known as Tagalog, have many borrowed Spanish words. Filipinos are
religious in nature; most of the present celebrated traditions are a mix of Christian, Pagan and other local
religious rites. As an example, each year, towns from around the country hold chief festivities known as
Fiesta which celebrate the patron saints of each town, villages or regional districts. The festival season is
celebrated with church ceremonies, street parades in honor of the patron saints, fireworks, and beauty and
dance contests for generations of old and new, and in some areas there are even cockfighting tournaments.
These Fiestas are also observed in countries that had a Spanish occupational past. The Southern island of
the country where the majority of the Islam faith exist in also celebrate their own unique customs and
traditions.

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SINGAPORE
Capital
: Singapore
National Population : 4,13 million
: English, Bahasa Melayu, Mandarin and
Language
Tamil

One of the most remarkable aspects of Singapore is the truly cosmopolitan nature of her
population, a natural result of the countrys geographical position and commercial success. Established by
Thomas Stamford Raffles as a trading post on 29 January 1819, the small sea town of Singapore soon
attracted migrants and merchants from China, the Indian sub-continent, Indonesia, the Malay Peninsula
and the Middle East.
Drawn by the lure of better prospects, the immigrants brought with them their own cultures,
languages, customs and festivals. Intermarriage and integration helped knit these diverse influences into
the fabric of Singapores multi-faceted society, giving it a vibrant and diverse cultural heritage. By the
end of the 19th century, Singapore became one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Asia, with major ethnic
groups in the country being the Chinese, Malays, Indians, Peranakans and Eurasians.
Today, the ethnic Chinese form 74.2% of the Singaporean population, with the countrys original
inhabitants the Malays, comprising of 13.4%. The Indians make up 9.2%, and Eurasians, Peranakans
and others making up a combined 3.2%. Singapore is also home to many expatriates, with almost 20% of
them made up of non-resident blue collar workers from the Philippines, Indonesia and Bangladesh. The
rest of the expatriate population include white collar workers coming from countries as diverse as North
America, Australia, Europe, China and India.
As a reflection of its collage of cultures, Singapore has adopted one representative language for
each of the four major ethnic or 'racial' groups. The four official languages in Singapore's constitution are
English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. However, in recognition of the status of the Malay people as the
indigenous community in Singapore, the national language of the country is Bahasa Melayu, or the Malay
Language.

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Almost everyone in Singapore speaks more than one language, with many people speaking as
many as three or four. Most children grow up bilingual from infancy, learning other languages as they
become older. With the majority of the literate population bilingual, English and Mandarin are the most
commonly used languages in daily life. While English is the main language taught in schools, children
also learn their mother tongues to ensure that they stay in touch with their traditional roots.
Among the different Chinese dialects, Mandarin is promoted as the main language for the
Chinese instead of others like Hokkien, Teochew, Cantonese, Hakka, Hainanese and Foochow. The
second most commonly-spoken language among the Singaporean Chinese, Mandarin became widespread
after the start of the Speak Mandarin campaign during 1980 that targeted the Chinese. In 1990s, efforts
were undertaken to target the English-educated Chinese.

THAILAND
Capital

: Bangkok

National Population : 61 million

Language

: Thai

The culture of Thailand has been greatly influenced by Buddhism.

But there have been dominating influences of Hinduism as well as influences from its neighboring
nations of Myanmar and Laos. Chinese and Indian culture has also had influences on the Thai culture
and cuisine.
Arts and Crafts of Thailand
Traditional visual arts in Thailand bear a great influence of Buddhism but contemporary Thai art is a
combination of the modern techniques along with the traditional styles. Thai literature is influenced by
Indian culture. Crafts include textiles and decorative items that bear the distinct Thai style.
Architecture of Thailand
Classical Thai architecture is found in the temples and royal palace buildings and the best examples of
Thai architecture are the Grand Palace, the Wat Benchamabophit, Wat suthat to name a few.

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Thai Cuisine
Thai cuisine is extremely popular due to the blending of the four fundamental tastes of saltiness,
sourness, spiciness and sweetness. Most of the dishes combine all of these along with innumerable spices
and herbs to prepare Thai dishes.
Music and Dance in Thailand
Music consists of both the folk music and also the classical traditions along with pop or string music.
The Ram Thai is the main art form while the dance forms can be divided into the high art or classical
dance and low art or folk dance. Thai dance can be divided into 3 forms namely khon, likay-khon and
lakhon.
Religion in Thailand
Thailand is predominantly a Theravada Buddhist country but there are minorities like the Phra
Nyanasamvara Suvaddhana Mahathera and Muslims as well.
Thai Customs and Traditions
The most distinctive Thai custom is the Wai that bears resemblance to the Indian namaste which is a
demonstration of affection among people. It is considered rude to put the feet above someone's head or
step on a Thai coin as it has the King's head engraved upon it.
Thai Etiquette
Thai etiquette is based on traditions of Buddhism. The society is non- confrontational in nature and so
disputes need to be averted at all costs. Thai people stress on proper behavior and dress. Revealing
clothes and behaving rudely in public needs to be avoided at all costs.

VIETNAM
Capital city
: Hanoi
National Population : 85,789.6 thousand inhabitants (Apr. 2009)
Language
: Vietnamese

Customs and Habits

A very popular belief among Vietnamese is the custom of the ancestor cult. In every household, an
ancestor altar is installed in the most solemn location.

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Worship of Ancestor Custom
Vietnamese believe that the soul of a dead person, even if dead for many generations, still rests along
with their descendants on earth. The dead and living persons still have spiritual communion; in everyday
life, people must not forget that what they enjoy and how they feel is the same for their dead relatives.
On the last day of every lunar year, an announcing cult, cung tien thuong, is performed to invite the dead
forefathers to return home to celebrate Tet holidays with their families. During the last days before Tet,
all family members visit their ancestors graves; they clean and decorate the graves, in the same manner
that the livings clean and decorate their houses to welcome the New Year.
Villages Guilds
The Vietnamese culture has always evolved on the basis of the wet rice civilization. Thus, the lifestyle of
the Vietnamese population is closely related to its village and native lands. In Vietnamese society,
people gather together to form villages in rural areas, and guilds in urban areas. Villages and guilds have
been forming since the dawn of the nation. These organizations have gradually developed for the
population to be more stable and closer together. Each village and guild has its own regulations called
conventions. The purpose of these conventions is the promotion of good customs within populations. All
the conventions are different but they are always in accordance with the state laws.
Festivals
From generation to generation, the Vietnamese people preserve the fine tradition of remembering the
source while drinking water. Festivals are events which represent this tradition of the community as
well as honour the holy figures named as gods the real persons in national history or legendary
persons. The images of gods converge the noble characteristics of mankind. They are national heroes
who fought against foreign invaders, reclaimed new lands, treated people, fought against natural
calamities, or those legendary characters who affect the earthly life. Festivals are events when people
pay tribute to divinities that rendered merits to the community and the nation.

Source: http://www.asean-china-center.org/