Innholdsfortegnelse for 3/2019 i ASIAN Geographic

01 Title: Price of Greed | Media: Mixed | Description: A clamorous reed warbler (Acrocephalus stentoreus) ignores a big fat juicy caterpillar of Allancastria louristana in pursuit of a “spider”, which turns out to be the tail of the spider-tailed horned viper (Pseudocerastes urarachnoides), a viper species discovered in 2006. Both the viper and the caterpillar are endemic to western Iran whereas the warbler is a migrant bird. 02 Title: Looking for Land | Media: Colour pencil and pencil | Description: A polar bear trapped on a small ice sheet was looking for thicker ice to move to. Polar bears are threatened not just by climate change but also trophy hunting. 03 Title: Spotted Seal mother and pup | Media: Mixed | Description: Spotted seals (Phoca largha) are inhabitants of…

Tay Thye Sun, a consultant gemologist at Far East Gem Lab, says jade is very popular especially among the Chinese, such as in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. Ruby, sapphire and more recently, spinel are also gaining popularity. Amber and tourmaline are stones that are getting more popular because of the demand from China. He says colour and clarity are the two key features to consider when buying gemstones. Colour Without colour, coloured gemstones are not so desirable. Therefore, the more intense the colour, the better the quality. Tay shares insights on what quality gemstones should look like: • Ruby – The colour of ruby should be deep red but not too dark or light. Gem dealers describe the best colour as ‘pigeon blood’. As there is…

Language makes communication possible but its significance is not merely limited to its function as a communication tool. A manifestation of a cultural identity, a language creates cultural solidarity amongst its speakers and forms part of a person’s identity. Language, owing to its use to encode information, contains a wealth of knowledge – especially insights into the unique locales that these languages originate from. For these reasons, langauge is itself a form of heritage. The dominance and appeal of languages such as the English language, a desire to assimilate into larger communities, socioeconomic and demographic changes, natural disasters, political repression, marginalisation and urbanisation are some of the reasons why languages are pushed into endangerment. In the last century, about 400 languages have become extinct. To put this figure into perspective,…

India Taj Mahal Location: Uttar Pradesh, Agra Date of Inscription: 1983 The Taj Mahal is located on the right bank of the Yamuna River, in a vast Mughal garden that encompasses nearly 17 hectares in Agra, Uttar Pradesh. It was built by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Its construction began in 1632 AD and was completed in 1648 AD. The mosque, the guest house and the main gateway on the south, the outer courtyard and its cloisters were added subsequently and completed in 1653 AD. For its construction, masons, stone-cutters, inlayers, carvers, painters, calligraphers, dome builders and other artisans were requisitioned from the whole of the empire and also from the Central Asia and Iran. Ustad-Ahmad Lahori was the main architect of the Taj…

1371 Ma He is born Zheng He is born Ma He to a Muslim family in Kunyang, Yunnan, China. 1381 Ma He is taken prisoner After his father is killed by the invading Ming army, Ma He is captured. He is castrated, which is customary treatment for the sons of Ming prisoners. 1385 Ma He serves Zhu Di Ma He is placed in the home of Zhu Di, the Prince of Yan (within modern Beijing). He accompanies Zhu Di on all his military campaigns and learns the art of war and strategy from the prince. 1402 Ma He assists Zhu Di in ascending the throne Ma He serves as a military commander in Zhu Diʼs campaign to usurp the throne. Ma He distinguishes himself in battle, and Zhu Di is…

In Cagayan Valley in the northeast of the Philippine island of Luzon, legend has it that there lies a great mass of stolen treasure – gold, jewels and priceless artefacts. These were allegedly accumulated by Japanese troops during World War II as the Japanese advanced and imposed their power through China and Southeast Asia. As the Japanese defeat became all but certain in 1945, Prince Tsuneyoshi Takeda, head of the Kwantung Army – the largest and most prestigious group in the Japanese Imperial Army – ordered the construction of several underground tunnels dug into the mountains of the Philippines to stow the stash of their stolen wealth. The operation was codenamed ‘Golden Lily’ and the notorious General Tomoyuki Yamashita, who was stationed in the Philippines, was tasked with constructing one…

105.6 CARATS The Koh-i-Noor is one of the largest cut diamonds in the world, weighing 105.6 carats (21.12 g) and part of the British Crown Jewels. When Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother died in 2002, more than 200,000 people came to pay their respects, filing past her coffin as she lay in state in London’s Westminster Hall. On her chest was the Queen Mother’s Crown, which dazzled with 2,800 diamonds. But one of those precious stones – the 105-carat Koh-i-Noor – shone brighter than all the others. And it was particularly fitting that it should be here, in pride of place, as Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon, wife of King George VI and mother of Queen Elizabeth II, had been the last Empress of India. India still claims the Koh-i-Noor as…

Bali Mynah Recognised as the official bird of Bali, this iconic bird with a bright blue patch around its eye and a snow white body is endemic to the Indonesian island. Due to poaching for the pet trade, it has become critically endangered and fewer than 100 adults exist in the wild. Featured on the Indonesian 200 rupiah coin, its local name is jalak Bali. Sugar Glider Our homes are simply an unsuitable environment for sugar gliders. When kept as pets, these nocturnal marsupials are exposed to bright lights and loud noises they are not used to and denied the companionship of their own species, which they enoy. After being contacted by PETA, more than 1300 retail locations in the US now prohibit the sale of sugar gliders.and the opportunity…

1. Akha The Akha people are originally from Yunnan in Southern China, but many now live in Shan State and Chiang Rai in Myanmar, Laos, northern Vietnam and northern Thailand. Men and women live separately in bamboo huts raised on low wooden stilts. They speak a language in the Tibeto-Burman language group and have no system to write the language. Akha women usually wear metal accessories and colourful handmade clothes. 2. Lahu Hundreds of thousands of Lahu people live in southwest China, Chaing Mai and Chiang Rai Provinces in Thailand, northern Laos, northern Vietnam and eastern Myanmar. About 80 percent of the Lahu population is made of five subgroups: Yellow Lahu, White Lahu, Red Lahu, Lahu Sheleh and Black Lahu. Like the Akha, they are excellent hunters and eat the…

The Golden Triangle, an evocative name for the vast expanse where Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos converge, sweeps through the foothills of the Himalayas. Before our Earth was delineated by national boundaries, this wild tract of rugged, often impenetrable mountains, dense forests, and fertile river valleys was the setting for a cultural and historical crossroads. For thousands of years, some of the world’s oldest civilisations settled here, migrating from the highlands of China and Tibet, wandering the network of trade routes that connect India and Mongolia, and travelling along the great rivers of Asia. With such movement and interchange, the Golden Triangle is now home to an astonishing number and variety of peoples, who continue to maintain their ancestral heritage and identity to a high degree. Over 130 different groups and…

1 Agasthyakoodam Biosphere Reserve This reserve of immense importance for its rich biodiversity and rare medicinal plants thrives on Kerala’s second-highest peak, Agasthyakoodam. Thiruvananthapuram serves as the gateway to this reserve, which is also home to the Kanikkaran tribe. Advance booking is required to trek to the summit. 2 Ponmudi Hill Station An enchanting hill resort at an altitude of 1,100 metres, Ponmudi, with its spice and tea estates and mist-covered valleys, is a sight to behold. Among its many other attractions are a deer park, captivating mountain flowers and the Ponmudi Waterfalls. 3 Vizhinjam Rock Cut Cave The rock-cut sculptures in this granite cave temple in Vizhinjam date back to the 18th century. The outer wall of the cave depicts relics of the Hindu god Shiva…

Renewable resources take a relatively short time to be replaced and generally will not run out. Non-renewable resources exist in limited amounts and take thousands or millions of years to be replaced. Once they are used up, there will not be anymore for our use. Plants You may rely on plants more than you think you do! Rice, wheat, corn, coffee and cocoa are some of the many important crops that are cultivated for food around the world. Sugar used in your desserts come from a plant called sugar cane, which is grown in Brazil, India and Thailand. Plants also provide materials like wood for making furniture and tissue paper and fibres like cotton for making clothes. Animals Ever wondered where the fish and meat you eat come from? More…

Held at Suntec Singapore Conference and Exhibition Centre from April 11 to 14, ADEX, the largest and longest-running dive expo in Asia, celebrated its 25th anniversary this year. In conjunction with Singapore Ocean Week, ADEX presented freshly curated ideas on this year’s theme “Dedicated to a Plastic-Free Ocean” with 150 speakers, 175 topics, 258 exhibitors and 419 booths at the show. At ADEX’s opening ceremony, the founders of ADEX, Rainer Sigel and Chris Sweeting spoke about the early days of ADEX while David Strike and Michael Menduno also touched on ADEX being the first in Asia to promote widely the advent of tek diving 25 years ago. Underwater360 and ADEX CEO, John Thet, also spoke about the show’s commitment to the ocean with its Ocean Citizen campaign, which encourages people…