ASEAN LITERATURE REVIEWER
Sonnet
Types of poetry
Lyric Poetry
- Refers to a short poem, often with
songlike qualities, that expresses the
speaker’s personal emotions and
feelings.
Narrative Poetry
- Longer form of poetry that tells an
entire story, with a beginning, middle,
and end. Narrative poem contain all of
the elements of a fully developed story,
including characters, plot, conflict, and
resolution. These poems are typically
told by just one narrator or speaker.
- Narrative poetry tells stories through
verse. Like a novel or a short story, a
narrative poem has plot, characters,
and setting. Using a range of poetic
techniques such as rhyme and meter,
narrative poetry presents a series of
events, often including action and
dialogue
- Narrative poetry presents a series of
events through action and dialogue.
- Most narrative poems feature a single
speaker: the narrator.
- Traditional forms of narrative poetry
include epics, ballads, and Arthurian
- romances.
Descriptive Poetry
- Descriptive poetry is the poetic
equivalent of a portrait or a landscape
painting. It is realistic and does not
delve into emotions and metaphor.
- Description in most poems is
ornamentation, but in descriptive
poetry, it becomes the center of
attention. This does not mean that such
poems are lacking in neither lyrical
quality nor that lyrical and narrative
poetry lack description
Subtypes of Poetry
- popular classical form that has
compelled poets for centuries.
- Traditionally, the sonnet is a fourteen-
line poem written in iambic
pentameter, employing one of several
rhyme schemes, and adhering to a
tightly structured thematic
organization. The name is taken from
the Italian sonetto, which means "a
little sound or song."
Shakespearean or English
- having the characteristics of
Shakespeare or his writings
- Shakespeare’s sonnets are composed of
14 lines, and most are divided into
three quatrains and a final, concluding
couplet, rhyming abab cdcd efef gg.
This sonnet form and rhyme scheme is
known as the ‘English’ sonnet.
- His sonnets vary its configurations and
effects repeatedly. Shakespearean
sonnets use the alternate rhymes of
each quatrain to create powerful
oppositions between different lines and
different sections, or to develop a sense
of progression across the poem.
Petrarchan or Italian
- Denoting a sonnet of the kind used by
the Italian poet Petrarch, with an
octave rhyming abbaabba, and a sestet
typically rhyming cdcdcd or cdecde
Haiku
- Japanese poem of seventeen syllables,
in three lines of five, seven, and five,
traditionally evoking images of the
natural world.
Elegy
- poem of serious reflection, typically a
lament for the dead

Limerick
- humorous, frequently bawdy, verse of
three long and two short lines rhyming
aabba, popularized by Edward Lear
Ballad
- poem or song narrating a story in short
stanzas. Traditional ballads are typically
of unknown authorship, having been
passed on orally from one generation to
the next as part of the folk culture
Ode
- lyric poem in the form of an address to
a particular subject, often elevated in
style or manner and written in varied or
irregular meter.
Epic
- is a long poem, typically one derived
from ancient oral tradition, narrating
the deeds and adventures of heroic or
legendary figures or the history of a
nation.
Sound Devices
Alliteration
- occurrence of the same letter or sound
at the beginning of adjacent or closely
connected words.
Assonance
- repetition of the sound of a vowel or
diphthong in non rhyming stressed
syllables near enough to each other for
the echo to be discernible
Consonance
- the repetition of the same consonant
sounds in a line of text.
- These similar sounds can appear
anywhere in the word, but will usually
be found at its end or middle, or at the
end of the stressed syllable.
Onomatopoeia
- he formation of a word from a sound
associated with what is named
Rhyme
- correspondence of sound between
words or the endings of words,
especially when these are used at the
ends of lines of poetry.
Rhythm
- is a strong, regular, repeated pattern of
movement or sound
Figurative Devices:
Simile
- figure of speech involving the
comparison of one thing with another
thing of a different kind, used to make a
description more emphatic or vivid
Metaphor
- A metaphor is a figure of speech that
describes an object or action in a way
that isn't literally true, but helps explain
an idea or make a comparison
Personification
- the attribution of a personal nature or
human characteristics to something
nonhuman, or the representation of an
abstract quality in human form
Irony
- he expression of one's meaning by
using language that normally signifies
the opposite, typically for humorous or
emphatic effect
Metonymy
- he substitution of the name of an
attribute or adjunct for that of the thing
meant, for example suit for business
executive, or the track for horse racing
Synecdoche
 - figure of speech in which a part is made
to represent the whole or vice versa Merits - praiseworthy quality

VOCABULARY Remote - unsociable

Magpie - a bird with black and white feathers Unbearable - not able to be endured or
and a long tail tolerated

Areca nuts - the nut that comes from a plant
called Areca. It is sometimes used to make
medicine
Quan - the name for an urban administrative
unit in Vietnam
Suit of clothes - a set of garments for outerwear
all of the same fabric and color.
Dram - a small drink of whisky or other spirits
Frivolous - not having any serious purpose or
value
Feeble - lacking physical strength, especially as
a result of age or illness
Incessantly - without interruption; constantly

Matchmaker - a person who arranges Pitiful - full of commiseration, meanness

relationships and marriages between others
Prejudices - preconceived judgment
Shrivel - to become dry, smaller, and covered
with lines as if by crushing or folding Miseries - state of suffering

Dewdrop - a droplet of water formed as dew Indecisive - not definite

Partitioned - divide into parts Bribes - unjust bait

Swarms of bed
Odd-shaped – strange; unusual

Illusion - a thing that is or is likely to be wrongly

perceived or interpreted by the senses.

Plastic Horizon - the line that separates two

layers or divisions
bugs - group
Void - not valid or legally binding of bed bugs
Vague - of uncertain, indefinite, or unclear
character or meaning with large in
Rouse - bring out of sleep; awaken.

Widower- who lost partner by death

number
Descendants - directed downward

Anxious - uneasiness
2. Kinky hair end time of
- natural hair everything
texture in 5. Crushing
Africa; frizzy with
hair thumbnail -
3. Laughed pressing hard
mockingly - between the
involves nail of the
laughing at thumb
someone
Swarms of bed bugs - group of bed bugs with
large in number

Kinky hair - natural hair texture in Africa; frizzy

unkindly hair

Laughed mockingly - involves laughing at

4. End of the someone unkindly

End of the world - finish; termination; end time

world - of everything

Crushing with thumbnail - pressing hard

finish; between the nail of the thumb

Rubbish - waste material; very bad; worthless

termination; or useless
Pagoda - a Hindu or Buddhist temple or sacred
building, typically a many-tiered tower, in India
and East Asia
Bickering - argue about petty and trivial matters
Toddler - a young child
Heave - lift or haul (a heavy thing) with great
effort.
Stingy - unwilling to give or spend; ungenerous
Pussy - a cat?!
Spinster - an unmarried woman, typically an
older woman beyond the usual age for
marriage.
Nirvana - a transcendent state in which there is
neither suffering, desire, nor sense of self, and
the subject is released from the effects of
karma and the cycle of death and rebirth.
Shriek - utter a high-pitched piercing sound or
words, especially as an expression of terror,
pain, or excitement.
Reluctant - unwilling and hesitant; disinclined
Gape - be or become wide open
Dame - the title given to a woman equivalent to
the rank of knight
Plum - an oval fleshy fruit that is purple,
reddish, or yellow when ripe and contains a
flattish pointed pit
Jetty - a landing stage or small pier at which
boats can dock or be moored
Sprigs of flowers - a small spray of some plant
with its leaves, flowers, etc
Sauntered up - to walk in a slow and relaxed
way
Shuddered like a malarial victim - to tremble
with a sudden convulsive movement
Spick and span - spotlessly clean and well
looked after
Goner - a person or thing that is doomed or
cannot be saved
Mend - repair (something that is broken or
damaged)
High chignon - hair that is tied in a smooth knot
at the back of a woman's head
False tress - hairpiece consisting of a tress of
false hair
Melee - a situation that is confused and not
under control
Distraught - deeply upset and agitated; worried
Conflagration - an extensive fire which destroys
a great deal of land or property
Suspended - to stop something from being
active, either temporarily or permanently
Mist - a light rain or a collection of very small
drops of water in the air that is like a fog
Stumps - a small part of something that remains
when the rest of it has been removed or broken
off
Smouldering - burn slowly with smoke but no
flame
Derrick - a framework or tower over a deep drill
hole
Taunting - degrading, belittling your opponent,
and in the process disrespecting the game
Emblazoned - marked or shown in order to be
very noticeable
Protrude - extend beyond or above a surface

Akimbo - with hands on the hips and elbows
turned outward
Frantic - wild or distraught with fear, anxiety, or
other emotion; panic
Den - a wild animal's lair or habitation
Oasis - a fertile spot in a desert, where water is
found
Tranquility - the quality or state of being
tranquil; calm
Neoclassical - designating or of a revival of
classic style and form in art, literature.
Comport - conduct oneself; behave
Sultanate - a state or country governed by a
sultan.
What Is Mental Health?
Mental health includes our emotional,
psychological, and social well-being. It affects
how we think, feel, and act. It also helps
determine how we handle stress, relate to
others, and make choices. Mental health is
important at every stage of life, from childhood
and adolescence through adulthood.
Over the course of your life, if you experience
mental health problems, your thinking, mood,
and behavior could be affected. Many factors
contribute to mental health problems,
including:
- Biological factors, such as genes or brain
chemistry
- Life experiences, such as trauma or abuse
- Family history of mental health problems
DENOTATION AND CONNOTATION
Denotation is the lexical or dictionary meaning
of word while Connotation is the implied or
suggested meaning associated with the word. In
denotation, cellphone is an electronic device
while in connotation, it is a communication or
bonding.
Connotative words
Depressing tears – tired of crying
Mother effort – actions come from
unconditional love
Sharp knife – can be related to severence,
death, sacrifice, division, or liberation.
Sweet words – words that make someone blush
Mind-changing – having a realization
Baby - the greatest source of joy inside a family
Mother - the one who keeps the family tight
and cares for everyone, especially her children
Impostor - a two-faced person
Judge - a man of justice
Home - a place of warmth, comfort, and
affection
Denotative words
Impostor - one that assumes false identity or
title for the purpose of deception
Snatched - hastily or ineffectually attempt to
seize (something)
Resembles – have qualities or features,
especially those of appearance, in common
with (someone or something); look or seem
like.
Coincidental - happening or existing at the
same time
Severely - causing great discomfort, damage, or ● Largest city, business and financial hub
distress: a severe pain of Vietnam

Pitied - to feel sadness or sympathy for Vietnamese Proverbs:

someone's unhappiness or threatening
situation ● “Careful attentions prevents
misfortune.”
Scrambled - make one's way quickly or ● “Eat one, pay one. Tit for tat.
awkwardly up a steep slope or over rough ● “Adversity is the mother of wisdom”
ground by using one's hands as well as one's ● “Like father, like son”
feet. “Nine people, ten ideas”

Vietnamese Sayings:
VIETNAM
● “Young bamboos are easy to bend.”
Land of the Blue Dragon or Land of the
● “The higher you climb, the heavier you
Ascending Dragon
fall.”

Facts about Vietnam:

1. Vietnamese people are also called

Viet people or Kinh people

2. It has 54 ethnic groups

Official Name: Socialist Republic of Vietnam 3. Majority of the people are Atheist
Form of government: Socialist Republic
4. Hanoi is their capital city
Three Dynasties in Vietnam:
5. Lotus is their national flower. It is a
1. Ly Dynasty symbol of pure beauty and the strong spirit
of Vietnamese people.
2. Tran Dynasty
6. Bahn mi and Pho are two Vietnamese
3. Le Dynasty street foods defined in the Oxford
dictionary.
The country was divided into two during French
colonization: 7. It is among the top 5 Happiest Countries
in Asia Pacific.
1. North Vietnam (Communist)
8. There is no legal drinking age.
● Headed by Ho Chi Minh who is also
one of the most influential communist 9. Teachers are highly respected
leader in 20th century.
10. Chữ Quốc Ngữ - National Language
2. South Vietnam (Anti-Communist)
11.Vietnam is located at the “heart of
Ho Chi Minh City ASEAN”.

● Formerly known as Saigon Social Belief and Custom of Vietnam

 1. Ancestor Worship
2. Burning Votive Papers
3. Visiting the Pagoda by the Beginning of
the year
4. God of wealth worship in business
5. Lunar New Year Reunion
*** The theme is centered around the concept
of obedience to family orders and the love of a
mother for her daughter to the point that she
don’t want to let go of her child.
B. A School Boy’s Apology

Tourism: Author: Linh Dinh

● Ho Chi Minh City
● Dalat It is a poem that manifests Vietnam’s history. It
● Tam Coc mostly talks about the wars which took away
● Mekong Delta the lives of thousands of Vietnamese.
● Nha Trang
C. Inside Submarines
● Sapa
● Hanoi
Author: Linh Dinh
● Ha Long Bay
It is a poem that revolves around the hardships
Greetings in Vietnam: of life, poverty, uncertainties, and being
hopeless.
● Hello - Xin chào
● Hey - Ơi Additional information:
● Good Morning - chào buổi sáng
● Good Afternoon - chào buổi chiều ** Folk literature always praised beauty,
● Good evening - chào buổi tối humanism, and the love of goodness, and
● How are you - Khỏe không? contributed to the formation of a national
● Nice to Meet You - Rất vui được gặp sense.
bạn
● Thank you - Cám ơn ** It is not only an oral tradition, but a mixing of
three media.
Three Types of Painting in Vietnamese
Literatures 1. Hidden - only retained in the memory of
folk authors.
1. Lacquer Painting 2. Fixed - written
2. Folk Prints 3. Shown - performed
3. Silk Painting
** Myths - consist of stories about supernatural
Literature of Vietnam beings, heroes, creator gods, and reflect the
viewpoint of ancient people about human life.
A. The Cherished Daughter (Poem)
** Cadao - these are folk poems. It can be
Author: the author is anonymous loosely translated as “unaccompanied songs”

Translated by: Nguyen Ngoc Bich ** Written Literature

It is a story of a girl who is longing to be From the 10th century, literary works were
married. However, she is not doing so for the written in Han (Classical Chinese) and it held a
sake of her respect to her mother and their prime position by the early 18th century.
culture.
 However, entering the 20th century, works
written in classical Chinese disappeared.
** The beginning of modern Vietnamese
poetry may be traced back to the early years of
the twentieth century when poet Tan Da (1888-
1939) began to experiment with irregular verse
lengths, signaling the first serious attempt to
break away from the classical model.
During the 1930s, Tan Da’s pioneering work was
taken a step further by the New Poetry
Movement which was established in Ha Noi in
1932 by Lu.
LAOS
- Land of million elephants
FACTS
- Laos is Southeast Asia’s only Landlocked
Nation
- Laos has a cave with hundreds of
Ancient Buddha sculptures
- The ancient laotians buried their dead
in massive stone jars
FLAG:
Capital of Laos
- Vientiane
- Also the largest city in Laos
- home of the most significant national
monuments in Laos – That Luang –
which is a known symbol of Laos and an
icon of Buddhism in Laos.
- Other significant Buddhist temples in
Laos can be found there as well, such as
Haw Phra Kaew, which formerly
housed the Emerald Buddha.
- POPULATION: 7. 276 Million (2020)
- Language: Lao/Laotian
- Religion: Theravada Buddhism
LITERATURE:
- The people of Laos have a rich literary
tradition dating back at least 600 years,
with the oral and storytelling traditions
of its peoples dating back much earlier
- Their literature refers to the written
production of Laotian peoples, its
emigres, and to lao-language works
- There are 47 recognized ethnic groups,
with the Lao Loum comprising the
majority group.
LANGUAGE:
- Lao as national Language
- Belongs to the Tai language family
Four ethnolinguistic families:
1. Lao-Tai (Tai-Kadai)
2. Mon- Khmer (Austroasiatic)
3. Hmong-Mien (Miao-Yao)
4. Sino-Tibetan
Lam or Khap
- Traditional folk music
● Lam- stands for vocal traditions of the
North with 7 syllables per line, while
● khap- stands for the singing style with 4
to 5 syllables per line in the south.
3 MASTERPIECES OF LAOTIAN LITERATURE
The Vetsantrasadok
- most popular and deals with the life of
buddha before his enlightenment.
The Sin Say
- Sin Say, the hero, was born holding a
bow and arrows in his hand. His
brother, Sang Thong, was a golden
snail, and his half-brother was an
elephant with golden tusks. This story
tells how the ogre Nhak Koumphan
stole the brothers’ aunt and how the
 brothers defeated the ogre and rescued
their aunt.
Thao Hung
- Is a historical epic. Its hero belongs to
the Mon-Khmer ethnic group. It
recounts the struggle between ancient
ruling families in Indochina.
Dhammapada
- Important book in Buddhist literature.
- Contains 423 versus spoken by the
Buddha on various occasions.
- Originally written in Pali, a language
that closely resembles Sanskrit.
EARLY LITERATURE OF LAOS
- The earliest literature to emerge in
what is now the Lao PDR served to
perpetuate the proverbs, myths,
legends and cosmology associated with
particular ethnic groups.
- 547 stories in the oldest and most
complete collection
- The jatakawere intended to teach the
virtues of self sacrifice, honesty and
morality to the common person.
- The last and longest, known as the
Vessantara, was later to become Phra
Vet, the most popular of all the jataka
stories in Laos.
- From the 8th century onwards,
Buddhist practices introduced into the
region by early Mon rulers were slowly
adopted by the incoming Tai and
syncretised with animist practices
The literature during the Lan Xang Era
- Lang Xang also spelled “Lang Sang” and
“Lane Xang” meaning “a million
elephants”
- It was founded from a congeries of
small Lao polities in the last 14th
century, and it survived until roughly
1700
THREE ILLUSTRIOUS KINGS OF THE 16TH
CENTURY:
- Winsunarath (1500-1520)
- Photisarath (1520-1550)
- Sai Setthathirath I (1550-1571)
Tham - a special script for the writing of
religious text
Pharak Pharam - Laos version of Ramayana epic
Phongsav adan lan xang
- Greatest poem including Champasiton,
Kalaket, Nang Taeng On, Nnag Phom
Hom, Sithone and Manora, Linthong
and Sinxay
- Epic poem: Thao Hung Thao Cheuang
- Nangsu - reading a book
LITERATURE OF LAOS DURING THE FRENCH
PERIOD
- Printing arrived late in Laos
- First publications appeared in 1920s
- During the latter years of the colonial
period most french -language
government publications were still
printed in Viet Nam while Lao-language
was sent to neighbouring Siam.
First modern Lao Novel
- Phra Phoutthahoup Saksit (The Sacred
Buddha Image, 1944) written in easy-to
understand Lao Language by Pierre
Somchine Nginn (1892-1971)
LAOS LITERATURE (1953-1975)
- By 1953 the Franco-Lao Treaty of Amity
and Association, gave control to the
Royal Lao Government, with exception
of the military.
Laotian civil war
- Between communist Pathet Lao and the
Royal Lao Government from May 23,
1959 to December 2, 1975
- Called a secret war.
Literature produce during war can be divided
into two distinct groups:
- Literature created in the regions of the
country (Royal Lao Government)
- Literature from the Liberated Zones
(communist, Pathet Lao)
FAMOUS AUTHOR AND WORKS
Douangdeuane Bounyanvong
- Pen name Dokked
- She began to write while she was still a
student in 1966
- Her husband, Outhine Bounyavong was
one of the Lao’s leading writers
- Wrote 8 novels, about 40 short stories
and over 60 poems
- Currently the managing director of the
“Land of Bamboo Textile Museum and
Medicinal Herbs and Plants Garden
- Awarded as the Arts and Culture Prize
of the Fukuoka Asian Culture Prizes in
2005 and was a recipient of the
prestigious Southeast Asia Write Award
in 2006 for her novel The Charm of the
Forest
- Her best known book is her mothers
narrative biography with the title When
Mother was in Prison, published 2004.
Dara Viravong Kanlagna
- Editor at Phainam Magazine
- Started as schoolteacher in 1958
- Authored 66 short stories, 99 poems, 7
novels, and a screenplay for a popular
film entitled Boua Deng
- Established Vannasin (1979), a literary
magazine.
- Awarded the Nikkei Asia Prize for
Culture and Community
- Fore her collection of Poems with the
title Hak dok chung bok ma, Dara
Kanlagna received the southeast asia
write award in 2010
- Wrote There is Not Only You
Outhine Bounyavong
- One of Lao’s best known writer
- His novels provides a commentary on
the changing values of Laotian Society
- Works deal with themes such as the
malignant effects of colonization and
the difficulty in upholding traditional
Laotian Values
- Mother’s beloved is his second
collection of short stories
Dr Thongkham Onemanisone
- First Lao writer to receive the
prestigious SEAWrite Award in 1998 for
his work, Pheau Hak Pheua Nang (For
Love for her)
- Founder member and chairperson of
the Lao writer’s association
- Wrote The Bewail of Mother
GREETINGS IN LAOS
1. Gmorning - Sabai dii
2. Good evening - None lap fan dii
3. How are you? - Sabai dii bo
4. Fine, thank you, and you? - Sabaii, khop
tchai le tchao de?
5. No - Bo
6. Sorry - Kho thot
7. Goodbye - La kone
8. Welcome - Nyinditonhab
9. Thank you very much - Khop tchai lai lai
10. Yes - Tchao
11. You’re welcome - Than nyinditonhab
12. No, thank you! - Bo khop tchai
13. I understand - Khaphachao khao tchai
14. I don’t understand - Khoi bo khao tchai
BRUNEI
Negara Brunei Darussalam (Malay) 8. My name is… - Nama saya…..
Negara Brunei - “the state of Brunei” 9. What is your name? - Apa nama
Darussalam - “Abode of Peace” kamu/kita?
Brunei Darussalam (English) 10. I am from… - Saya berasal dari…
11. Good morning - Selamat Pagi
Geography 12. Good afternoon - Selamat Petang
- North west coast of Borneo Island 13. Good evening - Selamant malam
- 4 district: Brunei/Muara, Tutong, Belait,
and Temburong Forms of Literature from Brunei
- Approximately 2-3 hrs flying distance 1. Poem
- Total land area: 5,765 square - Poem (Pantum) - malay
kilometers inheritance or a genre of pure
malay literature work in the
Capital city archipelago including brunei
- Bandar Seri Begawan darussalam
- Referred to as “Bandar” - Epic poem - long narrative
poem that is usually about
Highest peak heroic deeds and events that
- Pagon Peak are significant to the culture of
the poet
Government - Verse (Syair)- kind of song that
- Absolute monarchy/sultanate - is sung in verses to narrate tales
- Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin of writing with rhymes
Waddaulah - current prime minister - Sajak - malay free form style
and 29th Sultan of Brunei (meaning “rhyme” in English)
that was full of nationalistic
People symbolism once used as a
- Called Bruneians means of propaganda during
- Ethnic group: the days when the japanese
- Malay occupied the island during
- Kedayan WWII
- Belait - Haiku - consists of 3 lines. The
- Tutong first lines consist of 5 syllables,
- Bisaya the second line consists seven
- Murut and the last line five.
- Dusun - Folk song - composed of
traditional brunei malay songs
Bahasa Melayu (Malay) - official language categorized under 5 categories;
- Working songs
Useful phrases in Brunei (in Malay) - Magical or spiritual
Basics: songs
1. Yes - Ya (awu) - Love songs
2. No - Tidak (Inda) - Lullabies
3. I don’t want - Tidak Mahu (Inda mau) - Festivities song
4. How are you? - Apa Khabar 2. Prose
5. Fine/very well - Khabar Baik - Myths
6. Thank you - Terima Kasih - Legendary or a traditional story
7. You’re welcome - sama-sama that usually concerns an event
 or a hero, with or without using - Travel Brunei Darussalam Poem -
factual or real explanations Bandar Seri Begawan
- Legends - a narrative that - The Wild Men of the East
focuses on a historically or
geographically specific figure
and describes his exploits
1. Religious legend
2. Supernatural legend
3. Individual legend
4. Local legend
- Tales
1. Common tales or tales
of romance
2. Comedy tales
3. Animal tales
4. Short story
5. Novel

3. Drama
- Mode of a fictional representation
through dialogue and performance.
One of the literary genres which is an
Cambodia
imitation of some action.
- Infinite landscapes of raw beauty,
Notable people in Brunei Cambodia is like the garden of Eden in
South-East Asia. The Khmer ground,
Paduka Sultan Muhammad Shah 1st reviving after a difficult past, embraces
(Muhammad Shah) the future with harmony and lightness
- Established sultanate of brunei and was and is re-emerging as "the country of
its first sultan smiles”

Hajah Norsiah Binti Ha Abdul Gapar Capital

- Recipient of the S.E.A write award 2009 - Phnom Penh

Yura Halim Language

- Wrote the National Anthem of Brunei - Khmer. Part of the Mon-khmer
language family
Siti Kamaluddin
- First female director in brunei Geography
Darussalam who is also considered to - bordered by Thailand to the west and
be one of the 50 Most influential north, Laos to the north, and Vietnam
women in Brunei to the east and south.

Literary Pieces Government

- Cambodia has a constitutional
- The Oilfield Labourers monarchy, with King Norodom
- Borneo’s Green Heart Sihamoni as the current head of state.

Currency
- Cambodian Riel (72.88) for Peso (1)
VOCABULARY WORDS:
1. Hello - “Soustei” “Choum Reap Sor”
2. Pretty - Sa’at Sa’at Nas
3. Good Day - Aroun Soustei
4. Goodbye - Chom Reap Ler
5. I love you - Khnhom Sralanh Anak
National Anthem
- Nokor Reach or Royal Kingdom in Eng.
THE RISE AND FALL OF KHMER ROUGE REGIME
Cambodia before genocide
- bloody civil war.
- Cambodian monarchy was seen as
corrupt and ineffectual.
- Income inequality was rampant.
- Ultimately, the Khmer Rouge would
take power in 1975, installing Pol Pot as
the leader of the country.
Cambodian Genocide
- 1975, Khmer Rouge fighters invaded
Phnom Penh and took over the city.
With the capital in its grasp, the Khmer
Rouge had won the civil war and, thus,
ruled the country.
- The Khmer Rouge was totally a brutal
regime that ruled Cambodia Pol Pot’s
attempts to create a Cambodian
“master race” through social
engineering.
WHO IS POLPOT?
- forces loyal to him quickly set about
remaking Cambodia, which they had
renamed Kampuchea
- Pol Pot, or Brother Number One, was
the leader of the Khmer Rouge He was
born Saloth Sar to farmers in rural
Cambodia in 1925.
THE END OF POLPOT
- The Vietnamese Army invaded
Cambodia in 1979 and removed Pol Pot
and the Khmer Rouge from power, after
a series of violent battles on the border
between the two countries.
- Vietnam retained control in the
country, with a military presence, for
much of the 1980s, over the objections
of the United States.
Tuol-Sleng Museum
- the memorial site of the S-21
interrogation and detention center of
the Khmer Rouge regime. Located in
the heart of Phnom Penh, it preserves a
tragic period in history with the aim to
encourage visitors to be messengers of
peace.
LANDMARKS
1. Angkor Wat
- enormous Buddhist temple
complex located in northern
Cambodia
- argest religious monument in
the world
2. The Royal Palace
- Phnom Penh Royal Palace is a
Khmer-style Throne Hall that
was built in 1866 to serve as the
residence of the King of
Cambodia and his family.
3. Koh Ker
4. Vimean Ekareach
- capital city of Phnom Penh has
many wonderful structures
built in authentic Khmer style of
architecture
5. Koh Rong Samloem
- Island off the coast of
Sihanoukville, Cambodia,
6. Tonle Sap
- Lake in the northwest of
Cambodia
Classification of Khmer Literature
1. Epic
2. Poems
3. Verse novels
4. Short stories
 5. Code of conduct 1. The crocodile and the five judges
6. Well known authors 2. Bed bug and the louse
3. The two women scrambled for a baby
PERSONS IN CAMBODIA 4. Origin of the Tiger
1. King and Duong 5. Vorvong and Saurivong
- Renowned poet who brought
together writers at his court
who were involved not only in
composing original works but
also in revising old manuscripts
and translating Buddhist texts
from Pali into Khmer.
MYANMAR
2. King Thommaracha
- Wrote a poem directed to the - THE GOLDEN LAND
Khmer young generation which - located between Bangladesh and
is still a well loved traditional Thailand with India and China to the
piece of poetry north.
3. Loung ung
- A life-long activist, Loung Ung is
public speaker, bestselling
author of “First They Killed My
Father. Since then, she has
worked on various campaigns
to end violence against women

Notes:
Reamker
- Best known epic of Cambodian Capital City: Nay Pwi Daw
Literature and the version of Ramayana Government: Parliamentary Republic
Tum Teav Population: 55, 204, 549 (located in the
- A tragic love story believed to be based Western Portion of Mainland Southeast Asia)
on real events that occurred during the Official Language: Burmese
17th century
Money Currency: Kyat
Rim Kin’s Sophat
“Thee Khan (patience) is a core value in
- First cambodian novel
Myanmar”
Dik Dankle Sap
- First modern novel of Cambodia 3 Mountain Ranges
1. Arakan Yoma Range
Popular Literary Piece 2. Bago Yoma Range
1. Legacy of ancestors 3. Shan Plateau
2. The significance of angkor 3 Main Rivers
3. Constructive criticism 1. Irrawaddy
4. Learning and saving 2. Salween
5. Seeking and making friends 3. Sittaung

Stories Nay Pyi Taw Burmese: “Abode of Kings”

 - also spelled Nay Pyi Daw or Naypyidaw
- Third-largest city of Myanmar
Language
- Burmese
- spoken by two-thirds of the population
Religion
- Theravada Buddhist -nearly 90% of the
country Christians and Muslims
- 10%, mostly consisting of ethnic groups
FACTS:
- suffered decades of repressive military
rule.
Famous Foods:
1. Mohinga
2. Shan-style noodles
3. Sweet snacks
4. Curry
5. Tea leaf salad
6. Shan-style rice
ETIQUETTE
- It is considered important to dress in
modest and neat clothing.
- When passing or receiving an item, use
both hands together to signify respect.
- It is rude to eat something without
offering it to anyone else present first.
- Many Burmese do not drink alcohol
because of its prohibition under
Buddhism’s principle teachings
- If a woman needs to pass something to
a monk, it is best to give it to a male to
then pass forward or hold the object
with a handkerchief/tissue.
Events Milestone:
1. Bagan Empire
2. Taungu Empire
3. Konbaug Empire
4. Colonial Times
5. World War II & Post-War Period
6. Independence
7. The Modern Era
FACTS:
1. Myanmar is also known as Burma
2. 1989 – Union of Myanmar
3. In Burmese Language, the country is
known as Myanma
4. There are 8 most known ethnic group in
Myanmar: the most dominant is Burman
5. They have approximately 107
languages spoken.
6. Myanmar is one of the most linguistically
diverse country
7. Buddhism is the dominant religion
8. Burmese families are very close-knit. In
Myanmar, families are perceived to have a
collective reputation or face
9. People from Myanmar tend to maintain
a modest and calm disposition. This is partly
due to the concept of face.
10. The respectful and compliant character
of the Burmese often leads them to quite
accepting of the differences in power and
status throughout society.
11. The Burmese are generally very patient
and stoic in difficult circumstances. “Shi-
par-say-taw” – “Let it be”
12. Consideration of other people’s feelings
is essential for Burmese. “Ah-nar-de”
13. To pay deep respect, kneel on the
ground and touch your palms and forehead
to the floor three times - this custom is
called “kadaw”
Official Language is Burmese:
Burmese is a tonal language
3 Main Tones:
1. High
2. Low
3. Creaky
Other Tones:
 1. Stopped
2. Reduced
Myanmar’s Economy
** Myanmar’s economy is among the least
developed in the region and is essentially
agricultural. About 70% of the labor force is
employed in agriculture, 7% in industry, and
23% in services.
A. Agriculture – backbone of Myanmar
economy.
B. Forestry – 70% of country’s population
is mainly dependent on forest resources.
C. Fishing – occupies important place in
Myanmar’s economy and culture.
2. Never use your feet to point to a thing
or a place.
3. Never touch a person’s hair, head or
cheek, even if you consider it as a
friendly gesture.
4. If presenting or receiving a gift, always
do so with both hands.
5. People are supposed to take off their
shoes and socks before entering a
temple and leave umbrellas outside.
6. To show respect to grandparents,
parents, and teachers on formal
occasions, Kneel down with foreheads
and elbows touching the ground
(Gadaw)
7. When passing a pagoda or meeting a
monk, they put their palms together in
a gesture of reverence.

Tourism: Traditional Costume:

a. Old Bagan The most widely recognized Burmese national

b. Mandalay costume is the longyi, an ankle-length wrap
c. Inle Lake around skirt worn by males and females.
d. Yangon
e. Pyin U Lwin ** For women, the longyi, also called thummy,
f. Ngwe Saung runs at waist level. An Ahtet Hsin, a stripe of
g. Bago cotton, is attached to the top of the skirt to
h. Kyaikto keep it in place.
i. Pauduk
** For men, their national costume is often
j. Chinte
ideally combined with a Taipon (a traditional
k. Daung
Burmese shirt).
l. White Elephant
m. Saung Gauk Festivals in Myanmar:
n. Chinlone
o. Laphet Thoke 1. Tazaungdaing Festival
p. Mohinga 2. Taunggyi Balloon Festival
3. Thingyan Festival
Myanmar Culture: 4. Elephant Dance Festival
5. Phaung Daw Oo Pagoda Festival
1. Young people are advised to bow down
while crossing in front of old people. Myanmar’s Literature:
 ● Earliest forms of Burmese literature ● The Myazedi Inscription – executed by
were in stone engravings (Kyauksa) Prince Rajakumara in A.D. 1113 and was
during the Bagan Period in the 11th discovered in 1887.
century.
● Later, Palm leaves were used as their Greetings in Myanmar:
Paper (Peisa)
● Good Morning - “Mingala nan ne khin
● In 15th century Janaka Tales was the
ba”
main concern of the literature
● Hello - “Min-ga-la-ba shin” (said by a
● After British Colonization, the literature
woman)
began to reflect western culture.
● Hello - “Min-ga-la-ba khin-bah” (said by
● The first Myanmar novel was an
a man)
adaptation of Alexander Dumas The
● Are you well? - “Nei kaurn thala” (most
Count of Monte Cristo
common Myanmar greeting)
● Modern Literature of Myanmar began
● Thank you - “Cezu tin ba deh”
in the 1930's where the Khistan
● Goodnight/Goodbye - “Thwa bi”
Movement was developed.

Myanmar Stories:

CLOSE PROXIMITY

Written by Journal Kyaw Ma Ma Lay

It is one of the short stories in Myanmar literature.

This story is all about the family, specifically the impacts of having separated parents on the child—how
it affects their behavior, their character, as well as their mental health. The story also depicts the
struggles of the child with having separated parents.

CHARACTERS

● U Po Sein. He is a 75-year-old man and the father of Ma Thaw.

● Daw Pan U. She is a 75-year-old woman and the mother of Ma Thaw.

● Ma Thaw. She is a 35-years-old woman, and the daughter of U Po Sein and Daw Pan U.

SUMMARY

Ma Thaw's parents had already separated but remained in the same house. Each of them has their own
stove because they prepare their meals separately. They have separate earnings as well. They have not
spoken to each other for 25 years. Meanwhile, Ma Thaw is a spinster. She is the one who cooked for her
father and helped her mother in the kitchen.
The relationship between her parents began when U Po Sein arrived from the upcountry to treat a
smallpox patient. Since the disease spread quickly, U Po Sein was forced to stay for a longer period in
order to treat the entire village. To keep him from leaving, the villagers matched him with Daw Pan U, a
40-year-old seamstress.

In the end, the marriage did not work out well. First, due to shyness. They refuse to visit the pagoda or
monastery together like the other couples. Even after the birth of Ma Thaw, they remained shy of one
another. However, as their child grew older, the shyness transformed into fighting. Daw Pan U was
irritated with her husband because, according to her, he always spoke abruptly, thought too highly of
himself, and was selfish, fussy, and unforgiving. On the other hand, U Po Sein was irritated with his wife
because, according to him, she was stingy, did not get along with anyone, had too many things going on,
and was stubborn, ungrateful, self-centered, and unhelpful. It was when Ma Thaw was 10 years old that
everything exploded. That day, U Po Sein, filled with resentment for his wife, declared himself no longer
married to her, set up a separate kitchen for himself, and began cooking for himself.

Ma Thaw, on the other hand, was tired of living her life as a buffer between her parents. Her parents
had their own story of adversity towards each other, and she no longer wanted to listen to it over and
over again because the more she heard those words, the more miserable she felt. Also, due to her
parents’ situation, she chose to become a spinster. She doesn’t want to get married because of the fear
that she might experience the same thing with her parents and her child will endure the same thing
she’s gone through with her parents.

One day, Ma Thaw heard her parents’ prayers, and it broke her heart even more. One line from her
father’s prayer is this: “May all creatures have neither hatred nor enmity, may they have neither
anxieties, nor fears, may they keep themselves in well-being and prosperity.” Meanwhile, her mother’s
last part of the prayer is this: “Those who live far, those who live near, all these creatures of the world
may they be well, body and mind, may they be free of danger, anxiety and suffering.”

These made Ma Thaw cry. She was hurt that her parents are wishing for other people’s well-being, while
full of hatred for one another. Ma Thaw claims this, because the prayers of her parents imply that “May
all creatures be blessed, except for that person in my house”.

The story reveals that Ma Thaw is a selfless and loving daughter. It must be challenging for her to grow
up with her parents' situation, but she chose to stay with them until the end and try to understand both
of their sides. However, her parents, U Po Sein and Daw Pan U, were too selfish. Their ego made their
family lifeless. They became self centered and did not make any effort to adjust to one another's
personalities. In the end, it is their child who suffers the most, and they were unaware of this.
 The Kindergarten Teacher

By Aung Thinn

It's a story about a teacher, specifically a kindergarten teacher, who has a different way of teaching her
students.

The story was narrated from a first-person point of view. The narrator used the word I which implies
that what he was narrating was his observation of the happenings around. And the narrator of the story
is the friend of the main character who is also a teacher.

I arrived just as the schools reopened for the new semester and I realised I had been way off the mark
with my evaluation of 'good teaching.' On that visit to Taung dwin-gyi, I liked to spend my time at the
Shwe In Taung pagoda where a little museum had been set up. On my way to the museum I would drop
in at the primary school next to the pagoda to inform my friend, U Nyan Sein who teaches there, that I'd
be waiting for him. He was also an art teacher but he also taught reading and writing to the newest
children in school: the kindergarten. One day I stood at the door of his class to tell him to come along to
the museum afterwards. He was drawing something on the blackboard: I watched to see what it would
be. His class of five-years-olds waited silently. And after a minute, he drew a tortoise. He turned back to
the board and started another drawing - at the other end. For two or three days I would just see him
making drawings and telling stories so I asked him why he was not teaching anything. The next day I
went to his class. And there's one kid crying out loud and not listening to the class. He called the class:
"Hey, today I'm going to give you some plums, you want them?" The kid who liked to cry did not raise
his hand but gaped up at his teacher: would there really be plums, he seemed to be wondering. U Nyan
Sein turned to the board."Today, I'm going to buy plums from you, five at a time" he announced. He
drew a very round circle clockwise on the blackboard. The kids made motions in the air with their little
hands. I wondered how he would check on writing anticlockwise, since he could not be watching all the
kids at once. A little voice piped up: "Teacher, he's drawing a rotten plum, like this!" his little hand
waving in the anti-clockwise move. Another kid said, while drawing in the air, "No, no, I'll write it like
this!" making clock-wise motions with his hands. The kids set out with a will, drawing 'plums' on their
slates. The kid went away happy. The Myanmar alphabet was based on the circle and the letters are in
that sense deviations of the sweet plum, a very round little circle. The class of five years olds were
having a time of their lives; the plum picking session was a great success.

And U Nyan Sein's way of teaching went on like this all through the alphabet.

It would be easier for the students to learn their alphabet by drawing it. By thinking of the plum,
they can visualize it in their minds and it would help their brain to remember things.

Moral lesson:

If there's a will, there's a way. We all know how hard it is to be a teacher because being a teacher
requires a lot of effort and patience, especially for a kindergarten teacher. The kind of students they
have can be easily defocused when they see something that catches their attention. Their work
does not end when the class ends because they can be a teacher anytime, anywhere.

The Wedding Reception

By Nyi Pu Lay

The wedding reception tells us the story of the couple who's about to be married. It starts with their
friends and relatives waiting for the van that will give them a ride to the venue. When the van arrived,
they didn't expect that it would look like a vehicle used to travel vegetables from one place to another.
It was not a luxury car but it's a kind of a gift to the couple since the driver is their friend. Thus, sein hla
tried to pack as many as possible so that his friend won't make many trips. When the van came back, it
had picked up the bride Mar Mar Tin from the beauty salon. She has her makeup done and wore a gem
necklace and strand of pearls around her neck which looks real in photos. Anyone in the neighborhood
who's not going, all came out as fast as they could to have a look at the bride. As usual, each of them has
their own comments about what they saw. When the bride arrived at the venue, she asked her partner
regarding the condition of his father. It turned out that the groom's father wasn't able to attend the
wedding due to his illness. He was fine now but everyone thought he was already a goner a month ago.
The wedding hall was filled with guests. The bridal couple live in the same neighborhood so there were
no strangers. The ladies manning the gifts table were busy making a list of the presents, while eating
cake and gulping down tea. The elders sat in a group, happily smoking cigarettes. The event ended
successfully. The couple gave money to the young men as in the tradition “Payment for Stones' ' which is
a sum paid off to avoid the teasing throwing of stones on the house that night, while the girls were
promised by the couple to treat them to a good show on the TV. The childrens wanted to come too so
the bride agreed but she felt worried about having enough and stole a glance at the borrowed silver
bowl holding the cash gifts.

When the couple arrived at the house, Father asked them how the ceremony went. When their father
had known that they would be treating the girls and kids to the show Mandalay Dance Troupe, he
wanted to come. At first Sein Hla was hesitating since he knew U San Tin, the owner of the TV, is not a
very happy man. But he wanted to make his Father happy so he obliged. He carried father in his back
and held the potty basin while his new wife carried the folding chair. Sein Hla reminded her father to not
be embarrassed when he needs to pee.

U San Tin welcomed them and even greeted his father. The show went on and on and all of them
enjoyed watching. In fact, they were still smiling as they took their leave. Sein Hla lifted his father and
realized that his old man had peed without noticing it. There was a small wet patch on the floor. Sein Hla
immediately grabbed the brand new handkerchief Mar Mar Tin was holding and was supposed to wipe
the floor. U San Tin stopped him and told him to not bother. It was an unexpectedly kind word from U
San Tin. They said their good bye while apologizing. U San Tin squeezed Father’s hand as they left. Sein
Hla carried his father, wondering how this night U San Tin had been so nice.