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Asian History Commons

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Articles 1 - 4 of 4

Full-Text Articles in Asian History

Book Review Of 'The Origins Of Himalayan Studies: Brian Houghton Hodgson In Nepal And Darjeeling, 1820-1858' Edited By David M. Waterhouse, Arjun Guneratne Nov 2013

Book Review Of 'The Origins Of Himalayan Studies: Brian Houghton Hodgson In Nepal And Darjeeling, 1820-1858' Edited By David M. Waterhouse, Arjun Guneratne

Arjun Guneratne

No abstract provided.


Kachin Sound Instruments Within The Context Of The Kachin Baptist Convention Of Northern Burma: History, Classification, And Uses, Walter Brath Apr 2013

Kachin Sound Instruments Within The Context Of The Kachin Baptist Convention Of Northern Burma: History, Classification, And Uses, Walter Brath

Masters Theses

This organology identifies and describes the Kachin's sound instruments, classifies them according to the Hornbostel-Sachs' system, and considers evidence of an indigenous classification scheme. Very little research exists to date on the music of the Kachin peoples of Northern Burma. This paper cites the only known indigenous organology and is the first English language study to extrapolate evidence into an emergent classification system. This qualitative study is based on ethnographic interviews, the minimal literature available on the topic, and participant observation drawn from fieldwork conducted in the Kachin State of Northern Burma (modern day Myanmar) during the months of May …


Stories Of The Stars: The History And Folklore Of Tibetan Ethnoastronomy, Mara Johnson-Groh Apr 2013

Stories Of The Stars: The History And Folklore Of Tibetan Ethnoastronomy, Mara Johnson-Groh

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Traditionally, the night sky played an important role in the lives of Tibetans. Stars and constellations were used in navigation and in telling time. Folklore and proverbs surround these constellations and there are myths about the moon and planets as well. However, many of the stories that can be found today either originate in or are influenced by Indian culture. With the introduction of Buddhism to Tibet, came Vedic texts on astrology, which had a profound impact on the culture of ethnoastronomy in the region. Adapted Vedic astrology, merged with practices from China, eventually replaced traditional ethnoastronomy. Because of the …


Social Piracy In Colonial And Contemporary Southeast Asia, Miles T. Bird Jan 2013

Social Piracy In Colonial And Contemporary Southeast Asia, Miles T. Bird

CMC Senior Theses

According to the firsthand account of James Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak, it appears that piracy in the state of British Malaya in the mid-1800s was community-driven and egalitarian, led by the interests of heroic figures like the Malayan pirate Si Rahman. These heroic figures share traits with Eric Hobsbawm’s social bandit, and in this case may be ascribed as social pirates. In contrast, late 20th-century and early 21st-century pirates in the region operate in loosely structured, hierarchical groups beholden to transnational criminal syndicates. Evidence suggests that contemporary pirates do not form the egalitarian communities of their …