I may be beginning to learn a bit about Thai history just as I begin to feel attracted to South America again.
Lanna is a name given a large section of the north of Thailand. Petchaboon, where I am now may mark the southern boundary of Lanna. However my guess is that it lies south of that boundary. There is a mountainous area not far north of Petchaboon which seems to mark that boundary pretty well
I see a way to make a home for myself here in Petchaboon, but do not find myself strongly attracted to the idea. I may move back to Chaing Mai before the end of the year. There I may have some more work don on my eyes and prepare for a move to .....perhaps Manizales, in Caldas Colombia.
The beginnings of Lanna fairly well coincides with the beginning of modern Thailand. I'm not very confident of any understanding of Thai history yet, but I'll do the best I can at the moment. Lanna became influential in Siam at about the same time as Mongol-Chinese influence was on the upswing in SEA. The people of Lanna with their King Mengri were among the few to successfully resist that powerful influence.
Southeast Asia which had long been strongly Indianized became so Sinicized that has been called Indo-China.
I guess that what must Thais learn is that Mengri successfully resisted a Mongol led Chinese encroachment on the area and with two friendly kings went on to found Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, and other important cities which exist today and began a culture well recognized today.
Showing posts with label SEA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SEA. Show all posts
Monday, September 9, 2013
Thursday, April 26, 2012
More SEA: Gunjarat
Gunjarat is not in SEA, South East Asia. It faces the Arabian sea as a state in western India. I was the seat of the Indus Valley Civilization. A Gunjar nation was probably trading with Sugar before 1000 BC. It was probably dealing with with pre-Islamic Arabs before 500 BC. Muslims were active in the area before 11200 AD. People of Gunjar may have traded with people of SEA before did Tamil people of southeast India. People of southeast India were trading in SEA before the birth of Buddha.
Indian Muslim traders from Gunjarat were probably the source of Islam in SEA. Those sea-going traders well knew the stretch of water, between the the Malay peninsula and the Indonesian island of Sumatra, known as the straits of Malacca. Traders from Arabia, Persia, and southern Indian kingdoms used those straights to reach Kedah and Guangzhou as the Gunjar had earlier.
Keda is located at the entrance to the Straits. It lays on the Spice Route. Tamils knew Kedah as Kedaram. Very early settlers in Kedah were sea-faring Austronesians. Their descendants traded widely.
Guagzhu is the Chines area we know as Canton. It hah been called Panyu and by about 200 BC became a kingdom which included Vietnam. Beginning about the 7th century and continuing through the 12th century Arab and Persian traders were well known in Guangzhou. By around 800 AD those traders may have been known as sometimes pirates and slavers.
Trade in SEA has been important from very early times, especially sea trade. There is likely to have been trade between India and China passing through SEA and entrepots there from about 3000 BC: that's over 5000 years of ongoing interaction.
In the later days of that SEA trade I say that the Persians and Arabs followed the Indians; the Portuguese followed the Arabs; the Dutch followed the Portuguese; the English followed the Dutch. U.S. interests followed the English. All these interests pirated, cheated, and killed to maintain their positions.
Malaysians are related to Polynesians. As a sea-going people of the region they played an important part in the doings their from earliest times until now. The Malaysian peninsula forms one side of the Straits.
Sumatra, forming the other side of the Straits, is the largest SEA island entirely in Indonesia. Settlement and colonization of Sumatra was begun by Austronesians from Taiwan about 500 BC. Sumatra was known as a source of gold from early times.
Gunjarat effected SEA from ancient times. Could that effect have begun in a bronze age of about 3500 BC? Could it have reached as far as present northeast Myanmar?
What do we know of Islam in India before 1000 AD? Were pre-Islamic Arab traders actively trading between Gunjarat and the Straits of Malacca before 500 BC?
Please remember that the above only represents my best guesses of the moment. And please remember too that I look forward to hearing your guesses and speculations.
Indian Muslim traders from Gunjarat were probably the source of Islam in SEA. Those sea-going traders well knew the stretch of water, between the the Malay peninsula and the Indonesian island of Sumatra, known as the straits of Malacca. Traders from Arabia, Persia, and southern Indian kingdoms used those straights to reach Kedah and Guangzhou as the Gunjar had earlier.
Keda is located at the entrance to the Straits. It lays on the Spice Route. Tamils knew Kedah as Kedaram. Very early settlers in Kedah were sea-faring Austronesians. Their descendants traded widely.
Guagzhu is the Chines area we know as Canton. It hah been called Panyu and by about 200 BC became a kingdom which included Vietnam. Beginning about the 7th century and continuing through the 12th century Arab and Persian traders were well known in Guangzhou. By around 800 AD those traders may have been known as sometimes pirates and slavers.
Trade in SEA has been important from very early times, especially sea trade. There is likely to have been trade between India and China passing through SEA and entrepots there from about 3000 BC: that's over 5000 years of ongoing interaction.
In the later days of that SEA trade I say that the Persians and Arabs followed the Indians; the Portuguese followed the Arabs; the Dutch followed the Portuguese; the English followed the Dutch. U.S. interests followed the English. All these interests pirated, cheated, and killed to maintain their positions.
Malaysians are related to Polynesians. As a sea-going people of the region they played an important part in the doings their from earliest times until now. The Malaysian peninsula forms one side of the Straits.
Sumatra, forming the other side of the Straits, is the largest SEA island entirely in Indonesia. Settlement and colonization of Sumatra was begun by Austronesians from Taiwan about 500 BC. Sumatra was known as a source of gold from early times.
Gunjarat effected SEA from ancient times. Could that effect have begun in a bronze age of about 3500 BC? Could it have reached as far as present northeast Myanmar?
What do we know of Islam in India before 1000 AD? Were pre-Islamic Arab traders actively trading between Gunjarat and the Straits of Malacca before 500 BC?
Please remember that the above only represents my best guesses of the moment. And please remember too that I look forward to hearing your guesses and speculations.
Saturday, March 31, 2012
More About SEA: Cham
The Cham people are an ethnic group of Southeast Asia. They may be found in Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, etc. They form the core of the Muslim community of Cambodia and Vietnam. Even so, many Cham are Hindu, or Buddhist.
The Cham are remnants of the kingdom of Champa which flourished from the 7th century to the 18th century.
Cham speak a Malayo-Ploynesia language called Cham. The Cham were, for most of their history, seamen and traders. They dealt much with China. In Hainan they are know as Utsula.
They experienced military conflict with the Khmer Empire.
Monday, February 6, 2012
California
California on the far western Pacific coast of the US is more than desert. It has snowy mountains. It has valleys broad an narrow. It has lakes from high and crystal clear to low and saltier than the sea. It has a beautiful long and varied coastline. It may be the greatest agricultural in the Union.
~ population is just under 34 million
~ area is just under 159 thousand square miles
~ it's the third largest state in the Union
~ the capital is Sacrament located eastish of the Golden Gate city of San Francisco
~ the highest point is the peak of Mount Whitney at about 14500 ft.
~ the lowest point is in Death Valley, 282 ft. below sea level
What else would you like to know?
~ population is just under 34 million
~ area is just under 159 thousand square miles
~ it's the third largest state in the Union
~ the capital is Sacrament located eastish of the Golden Gate city of San Francisco
~ the highest point is the peak of Mount Whitney at about 14500 ft.
~ the lowest point is in Death Valley, 282 ft. below sea level
What else would you like to know?
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Malaysia
Until recent times Malaysia was said by Europeans to be in the East Indies. Now that part of the world is called South East Asia, SEA.
I bet that the word 'Malay' is of ancient southern India origin. Although Malaysia may be best know for its seagoing and trading past,the origin of the word 'Malay' may mean something like 'mountainous' which much of the interior of Malaysia is.
To me much of the Malay language and people seem related to Polynesia people. The fact is that they are related to that great mixture of people making up the cultures of South East Asia. India has long been a strong influence there. China to has had long standing influence and that influence increased during the rise and fall of European empire building in the area. Many Chinese were brought to Malaysia as workers during that time.
I suspect that the Malay language is spoken as the first language of just over half the population. Chinese speakers are next in number. Several other languages are popular including English.
Sunni Islam is the largest religious group and includes over 60& of the population. Buddhism is next and is practiced by less than 20% of the population. There is religious freedom, but Islam is the state religion.
Education is good and is open to a wide portion of the population.
Malaysians can play a good game of soccer even though Americans may be the only people to call it soccer.
The title of the elected ruler is, I think, Yang de Pertuan Agong. You may call him Lord and, in the third person, refer to him as His Majesty. The UNMO rules.
Malysias neighbors include Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, and the Philippians.
I bet that the word 'Malay' is of ancient southern India origin. Although Malaysia may be best know for its seagoing and trading past,the origin of the word 'Malay' may mean something like 'mountainous' which much of the interior of Malaysia is.
To me much of the Malay language and people seem related to Polynesia people. The fact is that they are related to that great mixture of people making up the cultures of South East Asia. India has long been a strong influence there. China to has had long standing influence and that influence increased during the rise and fall of European empire building in the area. Many Chinese were brought to Malaysia as workers during that time.
I suspect that the Malay language is spoken as the first language of just over half the population. Chinese speakers are next in number. Several other languages are popular including English.
Sunni Islam is the largest religious group and includes over 60& of the population. Buddhism is next and is practiced by less than 20% of the population. There is religious freedom, but Islam is the state religion.
Education is good and is open to a wide portion of the population.
Malaysians can play a good game of soccer even though Americans may be the only people to call it soccer.
The title of the elected ruler is, I think, Yang de Pertuan Agong. You may call him Lord and, in the third person, refer to him as His Majesty. The UNMO rules.
Malysias neighbors include Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, and the Philippians.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Aesti
Those who came to be called Aesti seem to have come to be a people made up of a variety of other peoples who may have been attracted to the east Baltic shore by trade.
Those peoples seem to have come by sea and by land, drawn by the amber trade
They probably spoke an old Prussian which seemed related to languages spoken in the far western isles in the early days of Roman empire. They were seen as an independent people made up of a variety of tribes which included Irish, Scot, Wends and other Slaves, Swedes, Poles, Norsemen, and others.
They were overcome by Goths under Ermaneric* before the story of Beowulf was written.
*Ermaneric probably held sway over a vast territory from the Ukraine to the Baltic.
Those peoples seem to have come by sea and by land, drawn by the amber trade
They probably spoke an old Prussian which seemed related to languages spoken in the far western isles in the early days of Roman empire. They were seen as an independent people made up of a variety of tribes which included Irish, Scot, Wends and other Slaves, Swedes, Poles, Norsemen, and others.
They were overcome by Goths under Ermaneric* before the story of Beowulf was written.
*Ermaneric probably held sway over a vast territory from the Ukraine to the Baltic.
Monday, March 21, 2011
UAR Notes Continued
In earlier notes I wrote of the ancestors of the peoples of the Emirates before Muhammad and Jesus.
In later times the offspring of these special people were known for protecting their waters and tending to deal with others with respect and honor. Many of them had used the sea far and long their roadway for trade. They contacted a great many different peoples and were know by those others as competent and trustworthy. They were navigators, seamen, merchants and traders. They carried news and learning along with their cargoes and goods. They could tell a good story too. Let me add that their ships tended to be small, but technically advanced and their cargoes tended to be precious.
Most of them became men of Islam at an early date. To this day most of them pray to the One five times.
They had not knuckled under to Rome in the days before the Prophet nor afterward, but the did accept its gold. When the Poruguese and then the Dutch and then the English came to their waters and began to to trade along their long establish routes they were not please. These Frankish Europeans did not seem to understand how to treat others with honor and respect. They seem ignorant of the ways of dealing diplomatically with others. They were neglectful of simple diplomatic courtesies, but their guns seem to get better year by year.
The Europeans, though seemingly ungrateful, had learned from Semitic peoples. From men of Islam they learned of numbers, medicine, philosophy and more.
The ancestors of the men, and women, of Fujairh, Abu Dhabi, Sharjish, Ajman um al Quwain, Ras al Kaimah, Dubai and beyond are learning of new happenings and doings today. They are remembering the best of their past and learning the bes of the present. Hopefully, they are giving all of their children to learn well, for they are not many.
Please feel free o save me form my ignornce. Feel free to correct my errors. I know ittle and have much to understand. In these post I am noting bits and pieces that come to my aging mind. For example, it comes to me that there is an oud. There is an oud that could well be the most popular musical intstrutment of this land. I have not visited this land. Has it been called Khaliji? Then I imagine that there is an oud of haliji. My ears are not so old that the oud of Khaliji could not bring some of the spirit of Khaliji to my mind and heart.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Religion in Early South East Asia
I have posted on SEA religion before, but, as usual, their is more to say.
Of what we might call the world great religions, Brahmanism seems to have been the first to take hold in maritime South East Asia, as it was in much of the mainland realm. It was followed by Saivism and Mahayana Buddhism before the arrival of Islam.
Brahmanism, without much evidence of the caste system was evident in most of SEA before the 7th century AD, and was almost certainly there several centuries earlier.
These are my honest opinions and best guesses at the moment. I will be honored by and grateful for all the corrections or additions you may make. You will find me a willing leaner.
Of what we might call the world great religions, Brahmanism seems to have been the first to take hold in maritime South East Asia, as it was in much of the mainland realm. It was followed by Saivism and Mahayana Buddhism before the arrival of Islam.
Brahmanism, without much evidence of the caste system was evident in most of SEA before the 7th century AD, and was almost certainly there several centuries earlier.
These are my honest opinions and best guesses at the moment. I will be honored by and grateful for all the corrections or additions you may make. You will find me a willing leaner.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Countries that can still be travelled on the cheap - travel tips and articles - Lonely Planet
Countries that can still be travelled on the cheap - travel tips and articles - Lonely Planet
I want to know of an excellent and cheap way to get to these places by sea from the US.
I want to know of an excellent and cheap way to get to these places by sea from the US.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Some SEA Beliefs
In most of South East Asia Buddhism might be called he state Religion. However in Viet Nam the Chinese custom of state authority moderates this influence. Chinese tradition supplies an ideology that legitimized authority over many phases of life. That means that it is justified in regulating the affairs of Buddhist monks to a greater degree than is generally accepted elsewhere. The ideology I mention is, of course, Confucianism.
Of the great religions, Brahmanism seems to be the first o take hold in maritime SEA as it was in much of the mainland realms. I was followed by Saivism and Mahayana Buddhism before the arrival of Islam. Brahmanism, without much evidence of the cast system of Hinduism, was evident in most of SEA before the 7th century and was probably several centuries earlier.
Old Javanese sources from the 11th century on mention three religions under the supervision of the central government: Saivas(worshiper of Siva), Buddhists, and Reis(court Brahmins). Important Tantric rites were performed b Buddhist monks and the court Brahmin. In Java, then and now, there were other religions and sects at a greater distnce from the larger centers of power. Saints referred to bu Saias of the time were Kusika, Garga, Mairi Kurusya, and Patnjali. Also the teacher Agastya is mentioned.
Is good to keep in mind that from at least 400 BC to 1300 AD there is nearly constant commerce with India and intermediate commerce with China.
As we well know Islam became the main religion of maritime SEA with the major exception of the Philippines. Theravada Buddhism became the main religion of mainland SEA. Islam took pervasive hold in the area more than six centuries after the foundation of Islam in the Middle East. Te first center of power of Islam was probably at Aceh of recent tsunami fame. Islam rose in Malaca and in ll directions including Patani in southern Thailand.
Of the great religions, Brahmanism seems to be the first o take hold in maritime SEA as it was in much of the mainland realms. I was followed by Saivism and Mahayana Buddhism before the arrival of Islam. Brahmanism, without much evidence of the cast system of Hinduism, was evident in most of SEA before the 7th century and was probably several centuries earlier.
Old Javanese sources from the 11th century on mention three religions under the supervision of the central government: Saivas(worshiper of Siva), Buddhists, and Reis(court Brahmins). Important Tantric rites were performed b Buddhist monks and the court Brahmin. In Java, then and now, there were other religions and sects at a greater distnce from the larger centers of power. Saints referred to bu Saias of the time were Kusika, Garga, Mairi Kurusya, and Patnjali. Also the teacher Agastya is mentioned.
Is good to keep in mind that from at least 400 BC to 1300 AD there is nearly constant commerce with India and intermediate commerce with China.
As we well know Islam became the main religion of maritime SEA with the major exception of the Philippines. Theravada Buddhism became the main religion of mainland SEA. Islam took pervasive hold in the area more than six centuries after the foundation of Islam in the Middle East. Te first center of power of Islam was probably at Aceh of recent tsunami fame. Islam rose in Malaca and in ll directions including Patani in southern Thailand.
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