Nomadic Republic

15 Feb 2013: The Philippines by Albino, Kelly & Trisha

noreply@blogger.com (Tan Wee Cheng) — Sun, 13 Jan 2013 01:54:00 +0000

http://www.sgtravelcafe.com/index.php?topic=4204.0

Friday 15th February 2013

Potluck & Chat @ 7:30pm
Just bring a small box of pastries, or a packet of noodles for about 3-4 people,
or a bottle or 2 of soft drinks.
Please note: Chips are discouraged as they tend to dirty the host's place.

Presentation @ 8:30pm
Brief Moments - Taking the slow lane in Ilocos (Philippines) by Albino Chua
Planting Rice is never fun...but it's more FUN in the Philippines
by Kelly Lee & Trisha Sng

@ Wee Cheng's place
11 Pemimpin Drive, #07-03, Marymount View, Singapore 576148

Take the circle line until Marymount Station, and get out via exit A. Face North on Marymount Road and walk ±400m past an overhead bridge, and past Shunfu Road until a 2nd overhead bridge, which you cross to find Marymount View, at the corner of Marymount Road and Pemimpin Drive, just opposite Shunfu Estate.

Or park your car at your own risk on the roads outside, or at Shunfu Estate across Marymount road.

Click on MAP, or type "Marymount View Singapore" on Google Maps or your iPhone4.

11 Jan 2013 Sri Lanka by Ashwin / Lanzhou to Chengdu by Dounut

noreply@blogger.com (Tan Wee Cheng) — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 13:17:00 +0000

http://www.sgtravelcafe.com/index.php?topic=4153.msg18168#msg18168

Friday 11th January 2013

Potluck & Chat @ 7:30pm
Just bring a small box of pastries, or a packet of noodles for about 3-4 people,
or a bottle or 2 of soft drinks.
Please note: Chips are discouraged as they tend to dirty the host's place.

Presentation @ 8:30pm
Brief Moments - Lanzhou-Chengdu: An Overland Route Through the Backyard of China by Dounut
Cycle on Ceylon: Spirit of the Journey
by Ashwin Subramaniam

@ Wee Cheng's place
11 Pemimpin Drive, #07-03, Marymount View, Singapore 576148

PLEASE NOTE YOUR ATTENDANCE BELOW,
so that the organisers have a rough idea how many people are turning up.

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Interview "Between Us" on Radio 938Live 9pm Tue 20 Nov 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Tan Wee Cheng) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 15:21:00 +0000

A nice session about how easy it is to travel; how everybody can do it; and some of the most frightening encounters I have experienced.

Transcripts will soon be up on this site: http://entertainment.xin.msn.com/en/radio/podcast/between-us

Photo taken with Angela Lim.

14 Dec 2012: Bangladesh by Sun Yifan / Arakan/Rakhine State of Myanmar by Jeremy Goh [2 Attachments]

noreply@blogger.com (Tan Wee Cheng) — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 01:40:00 +0000

Friday 14th December 2012

Potluck & Chat @ 7:30pm
Just bring a small box of pastries, or a packet of noodles for about 3-4 people,
or a bottle or 2 of soft drinks.
Please note: Chips are discouraged as they tend to dirty the host's place.

Presentation @ 8:30pm
Brief Moments - Stateless in the Arakan State (Rakhine State in Myanmar) - by Jeremy Goh
Why Bangladesh
by Sun Yifan

@ [venue to be annouced]
[address, Singapore XXXXXX]

PLEASE NOTE YOUR ATTENDANCE BELOW,
so that the organisers have a rough idea how many people are turning up.

__,_._,___

9 Nov 12: Ecuador & Galapagos by Justin / San Pedro de Atacama by Patricia

noreply@blogger.com (Tan Wee Cheng) — Sat, 13 Oct 2012 01:28:00 +0000

http://www.sgtravelcafe.com/index.php?topic=3868.0

Friday 9th November 2012

Potluck & Chat @ 7:30pm
Just bring a small box of pastries, or a packet of noodles for about 3-4 people,
or a bottle or 2 of soft drinks. Please note: Chips are discouraged as they tend to dirty the host's place.

Presentation @ 8:30pm
Brief Moments - San Pedro de Atacama: Travels In The Driest Place on Earth - by Patricia Lee
"Ama La Vida" - Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands
by Justin Lau

@ Wee Cheng's place
11 Pemimpin Drive, #07-03, Marymount View, Singapore 576148

PLEASE NOTE YOUR ATTENDANCE BELOW,
so that the organisers have a rough idea how many people are turning up.

12 Oct 12: Falkland Islands by Lynn / Uruguay by Madidas

noreply@blogger.com (Tan Wee Cheng) — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 01:16:00 +0000

Friday 12th October 2012

Potluck & Chat @ 7:30pm
Just bring a small box of pastries, or a packet of noodles for about 3-4 people,
or a bottle or 2 of soft drinks.

Presentation @ 8:30pm
Brief Moments - Uruguay: Back in Time - by Madidas
Footloose & Fancy - Free in the Falkland Islands
by Lynn

@ Wee Cheng's place
11 Pemimpin Drive, #07-03, Marymount View, Singapore 576148

Take the circle line until Marymount Station, and get out via exit A. Face North on Marymount Road and walk ±400m past an overhead bridge, and past Shunfu Road until a 2nd overhead bridge, which you cross to find Marymount View, at the corner of Marymount Road and Pemimpin Drive, just opposite Shunfu Estate.

Or park your car at your own risk on the roads outside, or at Shunfu Estate across Marymount road.

Click on MAP, or type "Marymount View Singapore" on Google Maps or your iPhone4.

PLEASE NOTE YOUR ATTENDANCE BELOW,
so that the organisers have a rough idea how many people are turning up.

Sgtravelcafe 14 Sept 12: Kashgar & Torugart Pass by Dounut ; Western Cameroon by Wee Cheng

noreply@blogger.com (Tan Wee Cheng) — Sat, 11 Aug 2012 02:25:00 +0000

Friday 14th September 2012

Potluck & Chat @ 7:30pm
Just bring a small box of pastries, or a packet of noodles for about 3-4 people,
or a bottle or 2 of soft drinks.

Presentation @ 8:30pm
Brief Moments - The Ancient Kingdoms of Western Cameroon - by Wee Cheng
Kashgar Region & Torugart Pass
by Dounut

@ Wee Cheng's place
11 Pemimpin Drive, #07-03, Marymount View, Singapore 576148

PLEASE NOTE YOUR ATTENDANCE BELOW,
so that the organisers have a rough idea how many people are turning up.

10AUG12: A Californian Roadtrip -Frederick Lee /The Danakil Depression - Youmuren

noreply@blogger.com (Tan Wee Cheng) — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 06:23:00 +0000

Friday 10th August 2012

Potluck & Chat @ 7:30pm
Just bring a small box of pastries, or a packet of noodles for about 3-4 people,
or a bottle or 2 of soft drinks.

Presentation @ 8:30pm
Brief Moments - The Danakil Despression & The Afar Region:From The Highest to the Lowest Point of the African Continent - by Youmuren
Four Seasons in Ten Days: A Californian Roadtrip
by Frederick Lee

@ Wee Cheng's place
11 Pemimpin Drive, #07-03, Marymount View, Singapore 576148

Voodoo Kingdoms And Dodgy Places

noreply@blogger.com (Tan Wee Cheng) — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 08:58:00 +0000

My latest collection of travelogues and third in the "Dodgy Places" series is out in eBook format (read on Kindle, Nook, iPad, iPhone, etc). You can purchase them from Amazon.com and Smashwords.com.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008BHRRAU

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/171959

Visit this page for links to both sites:

http://weecheng.com/tanwc2/voodookingdoms.html

`VOODOO`

KINGDOMS AND

DODGY PLACES

Travels in Timbuktu, Burkina Faso

& Other West African Lands

by Tan Wee Cheng

Voodoo Kingdoms & Dodgy Places is intrepid traveller Tan Wee Cheng's latest collection of travelogues and third in the "Dodgy Places" series. Follow him to West Africa, the land of Timbuktu, the very epitome of remoteness, and of the enigmatic voodoo kingdoms in Benin and Togo. He was mobbed by former child soldiers in Liberia, caught in a riot in Burkina Faso and chased after desert giraffes in a Nigérien taxi. He watched mysterious Dogon sacred dances in Mali and attended a voodoo ceremony in Benin where the gods searched amongst the audience for someone to "rape".

Tan Wee Cheng is a self-confessed travel junkie who has been to over 200 countries and territories over the last two decades. His first three books were The Greenland Seal Hunter, Hot Spots and Dodgy Places and Exotic Lands and Dodgy Places(revised edition of The Greenland Seal Hunter with significant new content, stories, photos and maps), published by Marshall Cavendish.

Text Copyright @ 2012 Tan Wee Cheng & Marymount LLP

Published by Nomadic Republic

An imprint of Marymount LLP, Singapore

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Maps
Preface
Ghana: Fancy Coffins & Golden Stools
Côte d'Ivoire: Humpty Dumpty & Cocoa
Liberia: The President's Blood Diamonds
Sierra Leone: The Supermodel's Blood Diamonds
Senegal: The President's Dodgy Statues
Cape Verde: Drake's Forgotten Rampage
Guinea-Bissau: The Palace Has No Roof
The Gambia: The Admiral of the Navy of Nebraska
Burkina Faso: Almost Busted in Ouagadougou
Niger: Giraffe-Safari In A Taxi
Benin: Voodoo Kingdom & Male Sex Slaves
Togo: A Dictator Crowned By God
Mali: The Timbuktu Cat Eaters
Notes
About The Author

This book is only available on eBook format
and currently available from the following sources:

Amazon.com (Kindle Format) ISBN: 978-981-07-2717-8 (sample pages available on this link): http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008BHRRAU

Smashwords.com (HTML, Kindle (mobi), Epub (Apple iPad/iBooks, Nook, Sony Reader, Kobo, etc), Palm Doc and other formats) ISBN: 978-147-63-8050-6:

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/171959

Sample images from the book:

Next Gathering: 13 July 2012: South Thailand by Guohua ; Arirang Festival by Tristan

noreply@blogger.com (Tan Wee Cheng) — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 01:58:00 +0000

Friday 13th July 2012

Networking @ 7:30pm
There will not be any potluck this session, but do support our venue sponsor by patronizing the cafe here.

Presentation @ 8:15pm
Brief Moments - Arirang Festival of North Korea - by Tristan
The Deep South of Thailand
by Guohua

@ Campers Corner
www.camperscorner.com.sg & www.facebook.com/camperscornerstation51

51 Waterloo Street, Singapore 187969

PLEASE NOTE YOUR ATTENDANCE BELOW,
so that the organisers have a rough idea how many people are turning up.

--
Posted By Blogger to Nomadic Republic at 6/10/2012 11:37:00 AM

Qinghai Lake (Kokonor) & Kumbum Monastery (青海湖与塔尔寺)

noreply@blogger.com (Tan Wee Cheng) — Sun, 27 May 2012 13:21:00 +0000

Qinghai Lake, also known as Kokonor in Mongolian (and English atlases), is China’s largest saline lake at 4500 sq km. At 3200m above sea level, this is also a huge highland lake at the edge of the Tibetan cultural sphere in China. On its shores live Tibetan and Mongol herders who have long regarded the lake as sacred. Indeed, as I walked on its shores, the many magnificent snowcapped mountains that surround the lake and the green pastures along its shores were simply evocative of the many legends linked to this land. Near the city of Xining is the Kumbum Monastery (known as Ta’er Monastery to the Chinese), the second most important of the six great Tibetan Buddhist monasteries of the Gelugpa sect. It is also the home monastery of the Panchen Lama, the highest ranking lama after the Dalai Lama. Great works of art abound in this gem of Tibetan Buddhism.

Xining & Huzhu Tu Autonomous County (西宁与互助土族自治县）

noreply@blogger.com (Tan Wee Cheng) — Sun, 27 May 2012 12:50:00 +0000

Xining, capital of Qinghai Province, is a historic frontier garrison city that was China’s gateway to Tibet. In 397 A.D., during the chaotic Sixteen Kingdoms Period of Chinese history when nomadic tribes ravaged Northern China, a tribe of Xianbei Tuoba 鲜卑拓跋 nomads seized control of Xining and declared the shortlived kingdom of Nan Liang 南凉 which lasted for 18 years. Today, remnants of this long forgotten regime still stood in the city centre of Xining in the form of a huge military command mound surrounded by modern day schools, malls and apartments.

Qinghai Province and neighbouring Gansu Province were home to the Hui people回族 – a Muslim people that was formed from the intermarriage of Arab, Persian and Central Asian traders on the Silk Road, with Chinese living in this cosmopolitan frontierland. The Hui, also known as Dungan, speak Mandarin peppered with corrupted-Arab and Persian vocabulary, and are renowned for their beef lamian and fiery kebab.

Although the famous lamian stalls found across China are named after Lanzhou (Gansu’s capital), most of these stalls are run by Hui and related Salar people from Xunhua 循化county near Xining. They built magnificent mosques which resemble Chinese temples, complete with Chinese traditional rooftops and gaudy colours, but the observant ones would notice the star and crescent, and that the pagoda-looking towers are actually used as minarets where calls for prayers were broadcast to the community through loudspeakers.

From Xining, I visited the small town of Huzhu and its cultural parks and museums. Huzhu is the centre of the Tu ethnic group, who called themselves Monguor and have their own autonomous county. The Monguor are descendants of a Xiangbei nomad warriors who marched here all the way from Manchuria, set up the once-powerful Tuyuhun Empire吐谷渾 (285-670 A.D.). They later converted to a variety of Tibetan Buddhism sprinkled with shamanist ceremonies and many continue to live in yurts in the high plateau of northern Qinghai.

Maijishan Grottoes in the ancient land of Qinzhou (麦积山与秦州)

noreply@blogger.com (Tan Wee Cheng) — Sun, 27 May 2012 12:43:00 +0000

Maijishan is one of China's four great Buddhist grottoes. Its many statues and murals dated back as early as 300 A.D. when local farmers and landlords engaged craftsmen to express their religious piety on the soft limestone face of this mountain. Maijishan is located in the suburbs of the modern city of Tianshui (also second largest city in Gansu Province) and heart of Qinzhou,the ancient land that straddled the Wei River. The fertile Wei River valley was once homeland of the Qin people, who went on to unite China and founded the first empire under Qinshihuangdi in 221 B.C.

Ruoergai Grassland 若尔盖草原 (2)

noreply@blogger.com (Tan Wee Cheng) — Sun, 27 May 2012 12:24:00 +0000

Ruoergai Grassland 1: Gahai, Maqu & Huahu 若尔盖草原 (1)

noreply@blogger.com (Tan Wee Cheng) — Sun, 27 May 2012 12:13:00 +0000

In Langmusi, I joined a wonderful group of HK and China travelers who have been travelling in this region in a car. Over the next two days, we travelled in this region of high swampy plateau. Yaks, sheep and nomads everywhere, flanked by gorgeous snowcapped peaks. We made our way to Maqu county (玛曲县) by the banks of the Yellow River. We also visited picturesque highland lakes such as Gahai (尕海) and Huahu (花湖), which were famous for their bird life. We spent the night at a newly opened, luxurious hotel complex built right under a hill at Tangke (唐克), where one enjoys a spectacular panoramic view of the first nine bends of the Yellow River (黄河九曲) from a single spot.

Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture: Langmusi (甘南藏族自治州:郎木寺)

noreply@blogger.com (Tan Wee Cheng) — Sun, 27 May 2012 12:04:00 +0000

A small one-street town inhabited by Tibetans and Hui Muslims bisected by the Gansu-Sichuan provincial borders, Langmusi, has an intriguing name – Fairy of the Tiger’s Den. It was said that Padmasambhava (also known as Guru Rinpoche), who brought Vajrayana Buddhism to Tibet, converted a fierce tiger demon to Buddhism here, and transformed the tiger into a beautiful fairy. Indeed, Langmusi, with its dramatic mountain settings, have in recent decades being transformed into a backpacker’s hidden heaven. And yes, no big loudspeaker-waving tour groups here. Guesthouses, hostels and travellers’ cafes are found across the small town, many of which offer horse riding treks and homestays with the nomads who live in the pastures nearby.

Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture: Ganjia Plains(甘南藏族自治州:甘加草原)

noreply@blogger.com (Tan Wee Cheng) — Sun, 27 May 2012 11:49:00 +0000

An open grassland flanked by mountains 30km north of Xiahe. Herders and their sheep, vultures and occasional hamlets scattered across the region. Of the latter, I like Bajiaocheng (八角城), a 2000 year-old walled city whose mud walls still surround the small mix-Tibetan and Han village with less than 1000 inhabitants. Not too far away was Zhuohai Monastery, dedicated to the Bon religion, Tibet’s indigenous faith prior to the arrival of Buddhism.

Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture: Xiahe (甘南藏族自治州: 夏河)

noreply@blogger.com (Tan Wee Cheng) — Sun, 27 May 2012 11:35:00 +0000

Xiahe (夏河) is a small county town 240km southwest of Lanzhou, capital of Gansu Province, Northwest China. It is located in the part of Gansu populated by ethnic Tibetans – only half of the Tibetan population in China live in Tibet Autonomous Region.

In the world of Tibetan Buddhism, Xiahe’s Labrang Monastery (拉卜楞寺) is one of the six greatest Gelugpa (or Yellow Hat) sect monasteries, and is home to many great Buddhist monasteries universities. It is for this reason that some call Labrang the Oxford and Beida of Tibetan Buddhism. More than a hundred living Buddhas are educated at Labrang at any one time.

Among independent travellers, Xiahe has the reputation of a sleepy, friendly Tibetan town in the highlands, far away from the maddening crowds of huge Chinese metropolises. Round the clock, one sees pilgrims prostrating themselves towards the shiny golden rooftops of the monasteries, while others walked along the outer parameters of the monastic complex, pushing along prayer wheels. In the outskirts of the town are green pastures where nomads still wander around in imagery not too different from centuries back.

Lanzhou & its famous lamian

noreply@blogger.com (Tan Wee Cheng) — Sun, 27 May 2012 11:13:00 +0000

Chengdu, Sanxingdui & Jinsha: Mysteries of the Shu Kingdom

noreply@blogger.com (Tan Wee Cheng) — Sun, 27 May 2012 11:05:00 +0000

Chengdu (成都), the capital of Sichuan Province in Southwestern China, is a city that loams tall in Chinese and East Asian cultural history. It was the capital of the Shu Kingdom (蜀国) during the Three Kingdoms (三国) period, and was the setting of many tales of loyalty, betrayal, love and intrigue in the great classic, Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

I last visited Chengdu in 1995, while as a junior auditor on my overseas assignment. I almost vomited when hit by the vicious numbness of Sichuanese cuisine for the first time, but have come to enjoy the city’s delicious and varied snacks (小吃).

Chengdu, like all Chinese cities, has changed dramatically since then. The statue of Chairman Mao still stood, in the central city square of Chengdu. In 1995, it was surrounded by factory chimneys and Soviet-style functional city blocks, and I recall being woken up to the tunes of Internationale and other communist military anthems at 6.30am every morning, played by loudspeakers across the city. Today, the statue is surrounded by skyscrapers and malls, adorned by billboards proclaiming the virtues of capitalist vanguards such as Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior.

I did not have enough time, and focused instead on two attractions that did not exist in 1995: The archaeological museum/parks of Sanxingdui (三星堆) and Jinsha (金沙) which were devoted to the mysterious Shu civilization (unrelated to the Shu of the Three Kingdoms) 3000-5000 years ago, contained a treasure trove of large alien-alike masks and other bronze objects. I was particularly impressed by the preservation of Jinsha, which was discovered in 2001 during the construction of a property development project merely 5km from the city centre of Chengdu. The whole site would have been bulldozed to build a shopping mall if this had occurred in Singapore.

I also visited the mausoleum of Wang Jian 王建, the founding emperor of the Former Shu (前蜀) during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period (五代十国). What I also enjoyed in Chengdu was the food: the delicious wonton dumplings and many snacks the city is famous for. I had two meals at the renowned restaurant, Long Chao Shou (龙抄手). In 1995, it was a noisy and dirty canteen; today it has a restaurant section and a fast food section, and branches in many Chinese cities. Definitely a must-do when one is in Chengdu.

Gansu / Qinghai Journey 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Tan Wee Cheng) — Tue, 01 May 2012 14:13:00 +0000

On 5th April 2012, I will begin a two-week journey to the remote southern part of the Chinese province of Gansu (甘肃省), and if time allows, the eastern part of neighbouring Qinghai Province (青海省).

I will begin my journey by flying to Chengdu, capital of Sichuan Province, where I will spend 1 1/2 day visiting a few archaeological sites that I did not cover during my 1995 work visit. It would be most refreshing to see how this important Southwestern metropolis has transformed in the almost 2 decades since my visit.

From Chengdu, I will fly to Lanzhou (兰州), capital of Gansu, from where I will make my way to Xiahe (夏河) County in the Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture 甘南藏族自治州, at the fringe of the Tibetan Highlands. I will also visit the famous Labrang Monastery, one of the six greatest monasteries of the Gelugpa School of Tibetan Buddhism. From Xiahe, I will move on to Langmusi (郎木寺), a small one-street town that has emerged in the past decade as a backpacker magnet, renowned for its beautiful rustic Alpine scenery and idyllic Tibetan nomadic lifestyle. I will do a quick tour of the winding streams of the Yellow River at the Maqu (玛曲) plains, the photos of which often appear on tourist brochures. Then I will head north to Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture 临夏回族自治州, inhabited by not only the Muslim Hui Chinese, but also other Muslim ethnic groups of obscure Central Asian/Silk Road origins such as Dongxiang, Baoan and Salar. If there is time, I will head for Xining (西宁), capital of Qinghai Province, where I would do day trips to the Qinghai Lake 青海湖 (Kokonor) and Taer 塔尔寺(Kumbum Monastery), another of the great Gelugpa monasteries. I will end my journey in Lanzhou before I return to Singapore.

Next Gathering: 11 May 2012: Tibetan Beauty of Sichuan ; Sud Tirol

noreply@blogger.com (Tan Wee Cheng) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 13:55:00 +0000

Friday 11th May 2012

Networking @ 7:30pm
There will not be any potluck this session, but do support our venue sponsor by patronizing the cafe here.

Presentation @ 8:15pm
Brief Moments - Sud Tirol (Italy) - by Guohua

The Tibetan Beauty of Sì Chuān

featuring Kangding, Dege and Ganzi (Daocheng)

By Shirley Hsieh & Catherine Cheong

@ Campers Corner
www.camperscorner.com.sg & www.facebook.com/camperscornerstation51

51 Waterloo Street, Singapore 187969

PLEASE NOTE YOUR ATTENDANCE BELOW,
so that the organisers have a rough idea how many people are turning up.

Andaya Talks on Black Portuguese Eurasians & Sexual Relations & Stranger Kings in Southeast Asia

noreply@blogger.com (Tan Wee Cheng) — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 07:58:00 +0000

ANDAYAS TALK AT THE PERANAKAN MUSEUM 3 APRIL 2012

LEONARD ANDAYA: PORTUGUESE EURASIANS

About the Topasses of Timor: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Topasses

May or may not have real Portuguese blood.

Important military force who moved from Nusa Tengara & Makassar to Oecussi in East Timor. Oecussi was first Portuguese settlement in Timor which remains the enclave of East Timor surrounded by Indonesia today. Powerful military, Catholic spiritual and economic force that later even fought with the "proper" white Portuguese colonials later on. Appropriated Portuguese imperial reputation for own regional imperial ambitions.

BARBARA ANDAYA: SEXUAL RELATIONS AND STRANGER KINGS IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

Long history of Southeast Asian hospitality to visiting traders by providing women. Not as prostitutes but as temporary wives that helped to:

- Build bridges with local businesses

- Trade and sell merchandise in local markets

- Negotiate local bureaucracy

For locals, the practice:

- Build/cement international trading links

- Diversify DNA

- Brings wealth and prestige to the families (even kings and chiefs offer daughters to captains, while common men offer daughters to lowly sailors)

- Brings access to foreign merchandise

- Children from such marriages ("half castes") are multilingual and excellent interlocutor to international trade; also valued advisors to rulers

Foreigners tend to stay for several years. During term of temporary marriage, no extramarital affairs. Marriage allowed to be dissolved if trader leaves country for good or greater than 3 years.

Practice broke down by 17^th/18^th century when too many traders arrived.

Traders no longer behaved like good sons-in-laws but treated women as prostitutes. Domestic violence. Shorter voyage timing also meant no need for long term relationships. Half castes now despised.

But shadows of tradition remain in the form of Isteri kontrak - contract wife – in Jakarta.

{TWC:} Or SPGs in SG

Sgtravelcafe: Guatemala & Copan Ruins of Honduras by Trisha & Kelly / DR Congo: Danger Zone by Iris

noreply@blogger.com (Tan Wee Cheng) — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 04:04:00 +0000

Friday 13th April 2012

Potluck & Chat @ 7:30pm
Just bring a small box of pastries, or a packet of noodles for about 3-4 people,
or a bottle or 2 of soft drinks.

Presentation @ 8:30pm
Brief Moments - DR Congo: Danger Zone - by Iris
Guatemala & Copan Ruins of Honduras:

Special Guest: 18 Rabbit & Rosalila
by Trisha Sng & Kelly Cheng

@ Wee Cheng's place
11 Pemimpin Drive, #07-03, Marymount View, Singapore 576148

PLEASE NOTE YOUR ATTENDANCE BELOW,
so that the organisers have a rough idea how many people are turning up.

ARI Conference: The Art of Neighbouring – Old Crossroads and New Connections Along the PRC’s Borders 1-2 March 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Tan Wee Cheng) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 13:29:00 +0000

ARI Conference: The Art of Neighbouring – Old Crossroads and New Connections Along the PRC's Borders 1-2 March 2012

I attended this interesting conference the past 2 days. More details at: http://www.ari.nus.edu.sg/events_categorydetails.asp?categoryid=6&eventid=1209

Knew little about the whole discipline of Borderland Studies till now. Some of the facts I learnt are:

1) There is an Association of Borderland Studies.

2) Mongolia's key "Third Neighbour" Diplomacy. 25% of Mongolia's armed forces are participating in UN Peace Keeping. Concept of Fortune Sovereignty – sharing Mongolia's mineral wealth with all nations. Mongolia's tradition of giving horses to visiting foreign leaders, which amused George W Bush.

3) Mongols have no problems with Kalmyks, Buryats and Hazaras. Antagonism or tension between Mongols and China's Inner Mongols because the two are too close and too alike. Latter seen by former as too crafty and cunning. Mongols also maintain a distance as any closeness to latter could mean potentially losing independence of Mongolia.

4) The former upper class of Russia's Blagoveshchensk (tends to be Soviet era's preferred professionals and managers of state-run enterprises, now poor) is Moscow-oriented and few have visited China's Heihe. The rich entrepreneurial class travels frequently all over China, speaks Mandarin, is interested in Chinese culture and whose young nurtures hopes of working in MNCs in Shanghai or Shenzhen. Few Russians and Chinese are keen on romantic relationship with each other. Blagoveshchensk puts up barriers to Chinese visitors whereas Heihe attracts (i) Russian visitors from Blagoveshchensk, (ii) Chinese visitors wanting a glimpse of Russia. Blagoveshchensk waterfront is deserted. Heihe is along waterfront, with shops, skyscrapers, tacky bear statues and kiosks that look like Russian dolls.

5) Tumen area is not very successful as a regional cooperative zone because Russia and North Korea see that as a Chinese idea to gain sea access, which is indeed what the Chinese wants. Chinese-Koreans are emerging as a key regional mediator in Dongbei. They are (i) running DPRK special zones on the borders, (ii) helping South Korean MNCs run business across Dongbei. Chinese-Koreans are ethnically closer to North Koreans but culturally (in terms of contemporary culture) closer to South Koreans. South Korean stereotypes of Chinese-Korean: Dirty, cunning, irresponsible, but both sides now increasingly rely on each other.

6) Russian Koreans have hardly any role in the region because they are monocultural – totally assimilated with the Russians. This concurs with my observations in London – the Russian-Koreans do not hang out with Asians. They are closer to the Russians and ex-Soviets.

7) Many Amdo Tibetans move to and fro China and India, for English schools, trade, pilgrimage, etc. The Chinese have some suspicions but welcome a number back as "Overseas Chinese". Many return to China because they found that the Tibetans-in-exile aren't as traditional as those in China. Many returnees actually become anti-clerical after felling disillusioned with the politics and "corruption" among the monks-in-exile, which is something not many Westerners would want to admit. Many also returned to China in order to take advantage of the rise of tourism and growth opportunities. Some run hotels and tour operators and quite often have become rich. However, post-2008 Lhasa Riot tension has curtailed much of such movement. Chinese bureaucracy has also become less hopeful that returnees would support Chinese rule in Tibet.

8) The direct HK airport ferry transfers to Pearl River Delta ports are meant as transit points for (i) PRC citizens with rural hukou who cannot set foot in HK unless they join package tours, (ii) Nationals from countries in Africa & Middle East who cannot obtain HK visas. The transfers allow them to use HK Airport without officially entering HK.

9) China has built many roads leading to remote border communities adjoining Nepal. This has great impact on Nepalese communities living next to the Chinese border. Such communities were previously remote and cut-off from mainstream Nepal by tall mountains. Now they trade actively with Chinese communities across the border. They sell medical herbs and timber, in exchange for manufactured goods. The language on both sides of such borders are the same – Tibetan. No problem. No customs checks in most areas. Locals cross freely without documents. It's a lifeline for them. Thorough border checks only on Friendship Highway linking Kathmandu and Lhasa.

10) These scholars found that locals in Mustang are excited about new highway being built though recent Al Jazeera documentary suggests that locals are more concerned about possibility of Chinese traders and influence, plus local support for the Tibetan cause. Martin Saxer said that many of these communities were once cosmopolitan and were centres of trade before the border shut down after the fleeing of the 14th Dalai Lama. In fact, even today, they were not completely cut off. A Mustang ritualist he interviewed has a son who's a sushi chef in New York and he wanted the son to return to take over him.

11) Two Chinese special zones in Laos: Golden Boten City and Golden Triangle City. The former has now been abandoned (or largely so): http://www.economist.com/node/18744577 The latter tries to cultivate a more wholesome image, with agricultural projects. Both have trappings of Chinese state, including use of political language/terminology (e.g., Ling-dao or leader), Chinese signs, RMB, uniformed security, etc. Former run by HK resident and latter by a Macau resident – but both were originally PRC – from Fujian and Dongbei respectively.

Brief mention of the Myanmar Kokang and Wa Special Zones. Both has suffered decline or even conquest by Myanmar Government. All failed examples of attempts by former drug lords or warlords to transform their wealth into more legitimate looking businesses albeit with PRC characteristics and trappings of state power. All have support of PRC local county governments but such support can collapse overnight if the Central Government feels that they may compromise Chinese international standing.

TWC suggests some parallels with tax heavens in the Caribbean, e.g., BVI and Cayman Islands, which are hybrid or forgotten political remnants of past empire now attempting to serve businesses or individuals seeking regulatory arbitrage.

12) Burmese Muslims such as the Indian-looking Rohinyas might be seen internationally as oppressed and poor refugee peoples, but many have in recent years moved to Yunnan and prospered in the Myanmar jade trade, especially in Ruili/Baoshan areas. Transnational, hold Myanmar, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Saudi passports. Chinese allow them to stay and run jade shops, though they tend to send children daily to schools in Myanmar. Speak all the languages of neighbouring countries. Many have epic stories of being chased out of Arakan homeland, across to Bangladesh, India and re-enter Myanmar from the far north, then China. China open to them. Benign. Muslim communities in South Asia and Malaysia can be unfriendly to Rohinyas but the Huis of China welcome them to their mosques. China has become a sanctuary if not paradise to them.

13) Anxiety on Sino-Indian border over opening of border at Sikkim. Story of Indian ghost soldier "border baba ghost" who warned about war and materialism. Shrine taken care of daily by soldiers and even Chinese soldiers had seen him. Chair left for him at Sino-Indian border meetings. http://soumenpurkayastha.suite101.com/the-ghost-soldier-on-duty-a374225

14) The divide between different categories of Chinese: The Constructors (建设者) who came with the Bingtuan (兵团) – PLA soldiers who settled after the conquest by CCP and all "opportunistic" late-comers. Even among the Constructors, there are those who say that they are with Bingtuan Spirit and consciousness (觉悟), and others who do not. Examples of those who do not ("the Subalterns") may include some of the 8,000 Hunnanese girls who went to Xinjiang to work but ended up being persuaded to marry men of the Bingtuan, some of whom were much older. In 2007, amidst the Urumqi riots and rising tension, films were made about the heroic Bingtuan and the women sent to marry them – 八千湘女上天山 (8000 Hunnan Girls Going to Tian Shan http://ent.sina.com.cn/f/v/bqxnshtsh/ ) and 戈壁母亲 (Mother of Gobi). TWC: I wonder what are the perceptions of the Bingtuan of the oldest group of Han population in Xinjiang, i.e., the 10% of XJ population that was Han before the arrival of the PLA.

15) Chinese stereotypes of Vietnamese traders: Cunning, irresponsible, crafty. Many Chinese businessmen claimed that they have been cheated by Vietnamese and yet have no choice but to continue to trade with them. Some even said they should "punish" Vietnam militarily. But is this a fair comparison? More studies needed on Vietnamese perception of Chinese. TWC: Interestingly, during my days working in a China company, the Vice-Chairman's son had spent many years as an engineer with a Chinese industrial group in Vietnam and he said the same about the Vietnamese. Since the same has often been said about PRC businessmen by other Asians, I suspect that business ethics and practices of PRC and Vietnam are probably quite similar and some PRC businessmen cannot get over the fact that the Vietnamese sometimes beat the Chinese in terms of craftiness.

16) An environmental and animal rights movement is rising in China. This is a good sign.

17) More than 50% of married Dai women from the Menglian Dai-Lahu-Wa Autonomous County (孟连傣族拉祜族佤族自治县) in Pu'er Prefecture move to Hat Yai or Dan Nok on Thai-Malaysian border to work in massage parlours. Red light district with people from Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and other parts of China, but few Thais. But these Dai women do not see themselves as sex workers but providers of companionship. They speak Thai in the open to avoid detection but speak Mandarin to Chinese-Malaysian men to promote intimacy and relationship. Not clear immediate sexual transaction but complex emotional comradeship. They seek long term relationship with these men during which the men may put the women up in an apartment in Hat Yai or even money to build a house in China. There is no attempt to lie to the Malaysian men about the marriage status of the women. In fact, that status makes them more attractive as personal confidante. This is what Chris Lyttleton calls "Entrepreneurship of Intimacy".

Some of the women have become so well-off that they run hotels and shops using money earned from such relationship. They often spend 5-10 years in Southern Thailand during which the same Malaysian men had special arrangements and then return to their homes in China. Some Malaysian men even visit them regularly in China. The phenomena have become so embarrassing to local county authorities that they no longer issue passports to Dai women between 18 and 35 years old. Since then, Dai women who leave their counties tend to bring along their daughters who were below 18 years old so that they can also eventually participate in the same "trade". Dai men do not typically work overseas. Some Dai men are quite happy to receive remittances from their wives overseas while a few instances of bitterness have been reported – Lyttleton admits that more studies of the family impact of this "trade" has to be done.