Innholdsfortegnelse for Issue 3 - 2016 i ASIAN Geographic

Boulat's photos were instantly recognisable for their witness to human folly and courage On 20 March 2003, US army tanks rolled into Baghdad to topple the regime of Saddam Hussein. The siege that lasted over a month left close to 10,000 civilians dead and would herald turmoil for Iraq over the next eight years. One woman stood outside a mosque, asking “Can I go in?”. She did not know what lay behind those doors, but as she was ushered into a stark room, she saw two women bathing the body of a 12-year-old girl in preparation for her burial. Behind this photo, and others capturing the Iraq invasion between February and April 2003, is the late French photojournalist Alexandra Boulat (1962–2007), who after studying graphic art in Paris, packed a…

182 pieces of lacquerware During Lady Dai’s time, lacquer was prized by the elite. A lacquered cup was said to require a hundred men’s efforts and cost ten times more than bronze 100 silk garments A funeral banner of Lady Dai, painted on a T-shaped piece of silk, is believed to be the earliest evidence of Chinese portraiture 162 carved wooden figurines These miniature figurines represented the large army of servants who would tend to her needs in the after world…

Georgia never had a female ruler, and the assumption was that Tamar would play second-fiddle to her father and then to a suitable husband In a world dominated by men, and where education, political power and military strength – all the preserves of men – were the most highly prized of attributes, any ruler who possessed them would be a king. Now and then however, history throws a fly in the ointment. King Tamar was a woman and a mighty fine one at that. THE LIFE OF TAMAR The daughter of King George III and Queen Burdukhan of Georgia, Tamar was born in 1166. King George was concerned that he would be overthrown in favour of his nephew Demna, and so made two explicit demands: that the boy be castrated…

Gunung Leuser sits on 220 million-year-old rocks, harbouring creatures untouched for millennia like this Endoclita moth The discovery of a new moth species, the Endoclita fahringeri, in the mountains of Gunung Leuser in Sumatera, Indonesia is proving to be a landmark in scientific history, as narrated by Alfred Fahringer. Into an ancient origin It was the beginning of August in the dry season, and our journey began from Singapore to Medan. Together with my brother Richard and our friend Nick Hughes, we first passed the resort town of Berastagi and onto Kutacane before arriving at the starting point of our trek, located on the eastern foothills of Gunung Leuser. The Gunung Leuser mountain range is located in Aceh, the northernmost province in Sumatra. Its capital, Banda Aceh,…

Palestinian mothers often lose a son or a father, and sometimes the whole family. This gives women the motivation to be strong As with all Palestinians in what is often described as the world’s largest open-air prison, life for the women of the Gaza Strip is choked with adversity. Fenced by land and bound by sea, the enclave grates under the humanitarian impact of military conflict, embargo and political isolation. Neighbouring Israel and Egypt have maintained a land and sea blockade – limiting movement of goods and people since 2006. Although targeting Hamas, the militant Islamist movement governing Gaza, the policies are described by the United Nations as amounting to collective punishment. Not all misery and destruction For journalist and photographer Lara Abu Ramadan, this life of adversity is mostly…

Marayag Lake was seen as a place where dead bodies were dumped and robbery was rampant, but it has since become a peaceful tourist haven Against the backdrop of the tranquil Marayag Lake, members of Women of War warmly welcome visitors to the Municipality of Matanog in Maguindanao. Garbed in their traditional malong wear, they proudly showcase the Marayag Lake not only for tourism but also for how it provides an alternative livelihood for the community. Scarred by war and conflict Though Marayag Lake is now one of the most well-known areas in Matanog, it has a colourful past, known not only within the municipality but also outside of its borders. “Matanog has a controversial history. People used to be scared of passing through this area because Marayag Lake was…

Despite a pervasiveness of gender inequality in pockets of Asia, the region has had and continues to have its sizeable share of female national leaders. Granted, not all left a positive legacy. Nonetheless, from Thailand to Pakistan to South Korea, we find that in recent history there has always been a time and place for women to lead their nations. Benazir Bhutto PRIME MINISTER OF PAKISTAN OFFICE TERM: 1988–1990, 1993–1996 Benazir Bhutto is Pakistan’s “Iron Lady” and the world’s first democratically-elected female leader of a Muslim nation. The eldest daughter of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, a former president and prime minister, she served two non-consecutive terms as the Prime Minister of Pakistan, though she did not complete it due to corruption charges. On 27 December 2007 – just two weeks before…

In 2015, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made a verbal apology and offered a US$8.3 million compensation to South Korea’s president A formal closure to the issue of Japan’s wartime sex slaves – euphemistically known as comfort women – occurred just at the end of last year, when Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made a verbal apology and offered a US$8.3 million compensation to South Korea’s President Park Geun-Hye. This is almost 70 years after the dark days of the second world war. Back then, women in Imperial Japanese colonies were duped into joining military “comfort stations”, which were essentially brothels, where they served sexual needs of Japanese soldiers. Why establish such stations? According to the Japanese Imperial Army, these would not only prevent rape crime – which may breed…

1 YELLOW CRANE TOWER As its name suggests, this tower’s five roofs resemble the wings of a great crane about to take flight. The current pagoda is a replica of an older tower one kilometre away from its original site, where it had been destroyed and rebuilt seven times throughout its history. What Yellow Crane Tower offers is not just a bird’s eye view of Wuhan, but also a beautiful garden surrounding its base. 2 HUBU ALLEY If food adventures are right up your alley, this will be your haven. Hubu Alley provides a heavy dose of local culture through unusual street food such as barbequed frogs, pig’s blood balls, duck neck and fried snails. A must-try is the hot dry noodles, a staple breakfast for locals. 3 THREE GORGES…

1 INDEIN VILLAGE Renowned for its ancient Buddhist pagodas, this little village built on stilts lies slightly to the west of Inle Lake. Although only accessible by boat through the long and narrow Inn Thein creek, this journey is well worth it as Indein’s flavour is distinctively different from the rest of Myanmar’s. 2 FLOATING GARDENS Apart from fishing, how else could river people make their living? These gardens, which span a quarter of Inle Lake’s area, hold an answer. The locals turn clusters of water hyacinth, sea grass and lake debris into floating islands upon which food crops like tomatoes are grown for sale. 3 SHWE YAUNGHWE KYAUNG Easily overshadowed by its neighbouring Shwe Yan Pyay Monastery, this is one of the hidden gems of Shan State. Within a…

Female travellers need not worry in this day and age, for modern technologies and creative inventions exist for added security. In big metropolises like Bangkok, Hotel Clover Asoke’s brand new all-ladies floor serves to do just that. The latest in Hotel Clover’s already growing suite of hotels in Singapore, this Bangkok property is located on Sukhumvit 16, just a 400-metre short walk from Asoke BTS Skytrain and Terminal 21 Shopping Mall, one of Bangkok’s hippest and largest shopping malls with hundreds of stores offering fashion glitz and scrumptious food. With a tagline like “Simplicity in Luxury”, Hotel Clover Asoke’s outdoor pool, free wi-fi coverage all round and rooftop bar with a restaurant and amazing views of the city centre by night will ensure this is one perfect girly getaway. Besides,…

They wear pink saris, wield sticks and don’t hesitate to use violence in their fight for women’s rights. These are the ladies of the Gulabi Gang, an association created by Sampat Pal Devi to eradicate gender violence in India, one of the countries in the world where women are often discriminated against even before birth. JANKI DEVI’S STORY Janki Devi’s relationship with the man she fell in love with was never easy. She was only 15 when she met Anand Kumar, a 20-something to whom a few months later she lost her virginity, but both sets of parents opposed the union outright. Not surprisingly, in rural areas of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, as is common across the country in varying degrees, romantic relationships are a matter arranged between…

Sylvia Kho was Singapore’s foremost bridal couturier, innovator and entrepreneur in the arts of fashion, beauty and decoration The question posed in German composer Franz Schubert’s immortal art song, “Who is Sylvia?”, may be answered in this appreciation and retrospective on Singapore’s Renaissance woman, Sylvia Kho (1917–2013), innovator and entrepreneur in the arts of fashion, beauty and decoration. As Singapore’s foremost bridal couturier, creative, multi-talented Sylvia could perform even the most mundane of tasks with a certain, unmistakeable Sylvian flair. She not only changed the course of local sartorial currents, but created a whole new industry centred around one of society’s most important rites of passage – the institution of marriage, and she is well-remembered by hundreds of local and regional brides from the 1950s to the 1970s. Perhaps what…

The Brahmaputra River in India is at the epicentre of flash floods, environmental degradation and loss of livelihoods China and India’s race to fulfil hydroelectric dreams has seen over 150 dams planned for River Brahmaputra and its tributaries – and this number is just from India alone. The 2,900 kilometre river, which runs through China, India and Bangladesh, is at the epicentre of flash floods, environmental degradation and loss of livelihoods, borne by rural villagers and their homes which stand in the way of meeting energy demands. The case of Brahmaputra isn’t unique – and the global nature of these water issues is what French photographer Franck Vogel wants us to realise. The Asian premiere of his photography exhibition, Transboundary Rivers, presents stories of the Nile in Egypt, the Brahmaputra…

 Under the heat of the sun, Analyn inspects the cabbage she has planted a few months ago together with 39 other women in their communal garden. They live in a village called Paling in Piagapo, located in Lanao del Sur in Mindanao. After doing their work at the vegetable garden, farmers will receive electronic prepaid cards with cash entitlements to buy food Aside from cabbage, the women farmers have planted other high-value vegetables such as pumpkin, eggplant and bitter gourd in their small 20 square metre garden, as part of the United Nations World Food Programme’s (WFP) cash-based project to assist communities in rebuilding their lives after the decades-long conflict. Building a livelihood Conflict and displacement often lead to food and nutrition insecurity of vulnerable populations. Once the conflict is…

“It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves”– Sir Edmund Hillary (1919–2008) In conjunction with International Women’s Day on 8 March this year, five brave women from Singapore’s Ace Adventure Expeditions went on a trekking adventure – and not just for a good challenge, but to raise funds for a good cause. The Everest Base Camp (EBC) trek, held from 13–30 March 2016, was led by Joanne Soo, one of the partners of Ace Adventure Expeditions who was also part of Singapore’s first all-women’s team to reach the summit of Mount Everest in 2009. The EBC stands at 5,380 metres and is the most popular trekking activity in the Himalayas. "It was a tough expedition and I wasn't sure I could complete it, but somehow I found the strength…

I grew up in a small village called Luzhou in Hubei province and my family are still living there now. Our village is located in the Jianghan Plain south of Hubei. The Yangtze River, the longest river in China, is just in front of our house. Luzhou means “reed-covered wetland”, while Hubei means “north of the lake”, referring to Dongting Lake. “My childhood memories were heavily associated with water, simply because the rivers and lakes were everywhere. The rich water resources had a very deep impact on people’s lives” In fact, Hubei province is known by its nickname “the province of a thousand lakes”. So, my childhood memories were heavily associated with water, simply because the rivers and lakes were everywhere and the rich water resources had a very deep…

1 TEA Over 300 years ago, Wuhan was the heart of China’s tea trade. Loaded with compressed bricks of tea, camel caravans would plod north on long journeys to Russian cities like Moscow. With an ideal climate for tea storage, this remains one of Hubei’s top exports. 2 WUCHANG FISH Dwelling in silty depths of the Yangtze, this fish is a type of bream popular in Hubei cuisine. Most commonly steamed or braised, it has gained fans from all backgrounds from the city dweller in Wuhan to even Mao Zedong himself. In one of his poems, Mao wrote about savouring a delectable meal of Wuchang fish. 3 JADE Valued at prices even higher than gold, the importance of jade is deeply embedded in Chinese culture. Apart from being a status…

“The Gokteik Viaduct is the highest railway track in Myanmar and considered an engineering feat in its time” One of the most exciting train rides in Asia begins from Mandalay to Lashio via the Gokteik Viaduct. The 15-hour train journey crosses from the Mandalay Region into Shan State, the largest state in Myanmar. Built in 1900 by the Pennsylvania Steel Company and with parts shipped in from the United States of America, the Gokteik Viaduct is quite an engineering masterpiece. Standing at 335 feet high, it is the highest railway track in Myanmar and was considered an engineering feat in its time. The nature and scenery along the track is more than words can describe. Gokteik has always been a bit of a mystery in my mind from a young…

1 WOOD CARVINGS Wood carving is prevalent throughout Myanmar. With intricate detail, craftsmen like to depict religious mythical figures, humans, animals or flowers in their work. Teak is often used due to its high quality and ready availability. Finished products traditionally embellish places like temples and palaces, but can also be easily picked up in souvenir shops. 2 BELLS If you’re looking for a souvenir that will endure through the years, these traditional item will surely fit your bill. They are most common in temples, but can really be found almost everywhere. The bells usually depict astrological symbols or historical scenes, while material can vary from brass to ceramic and even terracotta. 3 MULBERRY PAPER Pindaya is well-known for its handmade paper, which uses bark from young branches of the…

“One should never strike a woman, not even with a flower.”– Hindu, Janet, i.8 Striking a woman, resulting in women striking back and forming an alliance known as the Gulabi Gang in India, is the cover story of our issue this month. Even as we celebrate Mother’s Day on 8 May and honour the women in our lives, we highlight the plight of those who are not as fortunate as ourselves. In the next few pages, you’ll see some of the most heartbreaking photos of Iraqi civilians through the 2003 invasion (in our homage to Alexandra Boulat, one of the world’s most courageous female photojournalists). We remember the comfort women who were forced into sexual slavery under Japan’s Imperial Army (p.94) and take a look at life as a working…

Lady Dai’s skin was still soft and elastic, her eyelashes and nostril hair intact when her tomb was accidentally unearthed When we think of mummies, the first place that comes to mind is probably Egypt. But the most well-preserved mummy in the world was actually discovered almost 8,000km away in the Chinese city of Changsha in Hunan province: a 2,200-year-old body belonging to a woman known as Xin Zhui, or Lady Dai. She was the wife of Li Cang, a feudal lord from the Han Dynasty (206 BC–220 AD). Lady Dai’s skin was still soft and elastic when workers accidentally unearthed her tomb while digging an air raid shelter in 1971. Delicate details like eyelashes and nostril hair remained intact, while muscles present allowed her limbs to be flexed. The…

She-Taxi – Kerala, India She-Taxi is hailed as the country’s first 24/7 women taxi network to provide safe, secure and responsible travel for women. Launched in November 2013 in Thiruvananthapuram, its success has even sparked a She-Bus initiative. LadyJek – Jakarta, Indonesia Brandishing pink logos and pink helmets, LadyJek is a female-only motorbike taxi service that was launched in October 2015. Using the Ladyjek app, ladies can book a motorbike ride driven by fellow ladies, where safety is a priority for many women in the city of 10 million.…

“The tourist travels in his own atmosphere like a snail in his shell and stands, as it were, on his own perambulating doorstep to look at the continents of the world. But if you discard all this, and sally forth with a leisurely and blank mind, there is no knowing what may not happen to you.” You should be careful which books you give your daughters, because you never know what irrepressible, adventurous spirit they might engender. For Freya Stark (1893–1993), the desire to escape and explore was sown on her ninth birthday when she was given One Thousand and One Nights, the famous collection of Arabian tales. Stark’s Early Childhood The child of Bohemian painters, she spent her early years dragged around rural Europe before her mother became enamoured…

 There is a fresh current of optimism flowing from multilateral, development institutions these days and it’s taking the form of the new 17-point, UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Of these vital benchmarks, one in particular, Sustainable Goal No.5, pledges to eliminate all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls throughout the world. The UN's fifth sustainable development goal pledges to eliminate all forms of discrimination and violence against women Ending prejudice against women These SDGs as they are called, have replaced the older UN Millennium Development Goals that expired in 2015. This will give institutions, humanitarian agencies and non-government organisations (NGOs) a 15-year horizon to attempt to end all prejudice and bias against women in society, and replace it with an ethos of empowerment and impartiality by 2025.…

Leaena Tambyah’s Awards 1984 – Public Service Medal, Singapore 1994 – Public Service Star, Singapore 2016 – Pioneer Social Worker Award by Singapore Association of Social Workers The aftermath of the second world war brought about a period of rebuilding and restoration in Singapore, coupled with a growing sentiment for change. Although challenged by instances of conflict and poverty, a gradual rise in standards of living led to a penchant for modernity in outlook, lifestyle and even attire. Along the way, the island continued to face issues, in particular, public health issues of tuberculosis and poliomyelitis. In 1953, a then 16-year-old Leaena Chelliah concluded her visit to a polio-stricken child at Singapore's St Andrew's Orthopaedic Hospital with her church group. That trip would mark a turning point in her life,…

From a sea of children in an Afghan refugee camp, photographer Steve McCurry singled out a girl in a red shawl. She was shy, but willing to have her photo taken; at first she put her hands up to cover her face, then her teacher asked her to show her face so the world could know her and her story. After a few snapshots, she ran off to play with her friends, and that was it. Little did McCurry know that his portrait, which came to be known simply as “the Afghan girl” with her piercing green eyes would later become one of the most iconic photographs in history. Dubbed the Mona Lisa of photojournalism, the Afghan Girl’s image was taken in December 1984, at the Nasir Bagh refugee camp…

We know Chinese as the most widely spoken language on the planet, but in actuality this macro language can be split into many regional sub-groups. In Hubei, Southwestern Mandarin, Jianghuai Mandarin and the Gan languages are most commonly used. Of these, Southwestern Mandarin dialects are the most common – such as the Wuhan and Shishou dialects. But the tongue which left the greatest mark in history is probably Jianghuai Mandarin, which influenced the official language of China today. Also known as Lower Yangtze Mandarin, Jianghuai Mandarin is part of the Sino-Tibetan family of languages and is spoken in parts of Hubei, Anhui and Jiangsu, all north of the river. This group of Mandarin dialects is distinguished from its counterparts by the retention of features in Middle Chinese that have now…

While Myanmar’s official and most widely spoken language is Burmese, Shan is one of the country’s seven recognised regional languages. It is part of the Tai subfamily of languages, along with Thai (Siamese) and Laotian. The name “Shan” is also believed to be a Burmese derivative of “Siam”. These suggest that Shan shares more similarities with these languages than it does with Burmese, and that is indeed so. A thousand years ago, the Shan people migrated southwards from China’s Yunnan and moved into Laos, Thailand and Myanmar. Most settled in the Shan state, where they continue to constitute its majority today. Of an estimated six million Shan people throughout Southeast Asia, there are roughly 3.2 million who speak the language in Myanmar. Many Shan people are also well-versed in other…