The Mekong Region
Phone Myat Khine, Mersaydies Rudolph, Pattida Sisukkham, Lin Wai Phyo
Webster University Thailand Campus
Introduction
Mekong is known as one of the greatest rivers of the world, which regarding as the fourth most important river in Asia (Olivares, 2014). As it crosses the countries of Southeast Asia, it first starts from 5,000 meters altitude in the Tibetan Plateau and crossing China, Burma, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia, ending in the China Sea, South of Vietnam. This paper introduces historical, cultural, political, and economical aspects of Mekong region and the way it affects people’s lives.
Historical Aspect
Mekong River is crucial to the inhabitants along the course as …show more content…
It is also known its rich vitality of biodiversity of water animals and is celebrated by sharing its diverse folk tales, rituals, and traditions throughout the river. Along the rivers is shared with six nations that are filled with nothing but varieties of ethnic and cultural diversities making the river special not only to just to curious outsiders but to the local people who live on the river because the river has always been their means of life since their ancestors. Many people who live on the water live in floating houses and uses boats as a means of getting around. Most families who live on the water are all fishier business, if not they are famers who come to sell they fruits, rice, vegetables, and meat with …show more content…
One thing that separates the wet landers or the people who live on the water from the dry-landers or the tribal farmers if the dress wear for both male and female, ancient traditions such as playing a game called Dilo which is only played by men who are 16 and above during the monsoon season, and spiritual beliefs such as offering red, green, and yellow rice to family spirits and singing songs to thank the forest for allow the people to use what they need. Another cultural observation that I noticed the importance of rice, rice known to be “the heart of war” majority of the tribal people ate rice and when rice got low they would substitute it with either buffalo (Olivares, Mekong-The River of nine dragons, 2014). However something similar between the wet landers and dry landers was the role of men and women, the men did most of the hard work like farming or fishing, while women usually either would gather what they needed in order to feed her family, taking care of the children while making sure they were either educated by them or sent to schools for part of the day. This was a way to pass down cultural traditions, folk tales, and many