Sangsaeng

2012 Spring SangSaeng 1
No.33 Spring 2012

ISSN 1599-4880
Living Together Helping Each Other
International
Understanding through
Traditional Sports
Climate Change and
Development
An Interview with
Professor Dallmayr
Spreading a Culture
of Peace through Sports
Directors Message
F
or a long t ime, t he value of spor t has
been recognized by UNESCO in building
a cult ur e of peace. Toget her wit h t he
education for a culture of peace, which is located
at the heart of UNESCOs constitutional mandate
to build peace in the minds of men, sport should
be also regarded as one of the important positive
conLrIbuLors Lo Lhe heIds oI cuILure, envIronmenL,
gen d er eq u a l i t y, n on - vi ol en ce, a n d s oci a l
integration.
The year 2012 marks a year of the Olympics
t h at br i n gs t h e wor ld t oget h er t o celebr at e
h uma n i t y. Th e Olympi cs h a s gon e t h r ough
various ups and downs in its history; however, it
is important to notice that it originates from the
roots of bringing about peace in this world through
sports. Sport, in fact, goes way beyond just getting
good result s. It can act as a medium t o furt her
foster global understanding.
Ther efor e, t his spr ing issue of SangSaeng
a i ms t o focus on explor i n g h ow spor t s ca n
build a culture of peace and enhance the better
understanding of different cultures. The United
Nat ions Office on Spor t for Development and
Peace (UNOSDP) and UNESCO share their views
and experiences on how sports can be utilized as
a means t o advance development and spread a
culture of peace. Moreover, it introduces various
sports from the region of which the general publics
ar e less awar e of. Dr . Seung-soo Lee walks us
t hr ough a long hist or y of t r adit ional spor t s of
the region along with their relationship with the
transmitters, their traditional cultures, and their
identities. Also, Dr. Archara Soachalerm and Dr.
Evfrat Imambek present in-dept h explanat ions
concer ning t r adit ional spor t s of Thailand and
Kazakhstan.
Dur ing an int er view wit h Pr ofessor Fr ed
Dallmayr, he touches upon the meaning of new
humanism t hat we, as human beings, have t o
help each other and be responsible for this shared
world. In line with the theme of this issue, we can
see t hat sport s can be a significant t ool for t he
promot ion of t he new humanism, which would
be the foundation of Education for International
UndersLundIng, und IL wouId dehnILeIy conLrIbuLe
to tackling the current crises.
In conclusion, the above-mentioned articles let
us think from a different point of view about sports
having an educational impact in terms of cultural
comprehension, mutual tolerance, and eventually,
building a cult ure of peace and underst anding.
Along with other articles solicited in this magazine,
I hope that this issue will enrich your ideas and
broaden your perspective on EIU.
Lastly, on behalf of all the APCEIU staff, I wish
all the best to the athletes around the world who have
been training so hard for their chance to compete in
the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games
and hope that the Olympics will bring about more
peace and harmony to the world.
LEE Seu n gh wa n
Director
Director LEE (in the center of the
front row) with participants of the
ROK-Mongolia Teacher Exchange
Programme
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Cover photo: Children playing Sepaktakraw
in Malaysia Han Geum-Sun / APCEIU
C O N T E N T S
3 Directors Message
4 Special Column
Climate Change and Development: Time for a Paradigm Shift?
8 Focus: Spreading a Culture of Peace through Sports
8 Sport as a Powerful Means for Development and Peace
11 Promoting Sport for a Balanced and Peaceful Society
14 An International Understanding through Traditional Sports
17 The Traditional Sports of Thailand
20 Kokpar, the Sport of the Ancients Played Today
23 Best Practices
23 Youths Work Together to Make a Revolution for Marginalized Groups
28 Learning Universal Values through World Heritage
32 EIU Happy School
An Innovative Social Enterprise on the World Stage
34 Interview
Towards New Humanism and EIU:
An Interview with Professor Dallmayr
37 Comic Relief
The Cries of the Trees
38 EIU That I Am Thinking Of
Enriching Global Understanding through Online Videos
40 Letter
41 Special Report
Souls Wandering Above Water: The Sea Gypsies
45 Peace in My Memory
Living in Harmony
47 UndersLundIng Lhe AsIu-PucIhc RegIon
Reviving Shamanic Traditions in Northeast China
51 APCEIU in Action
ISSN 1599-4880
Registration No: -00017
Living Together Helping Each Other
SangSaeng () i s publ i shed
three times a year by the Asia-Pacic
Centre of Education for International
Understanding (APCEIU) under the
auspices of UNESCO.
26-1, Guro-dong, Guro-gu, Seoul,
Republic of Korea, 152-050
Tel: (+82-2) 774-3956
Fax: (+82-2) 774-3958
E-mail: sangsaeng@unescoapceiu.org
Website: www.unescoapceiu.org
Publisher: LEE Seunghwan
Editor-in-Chief: Kwang-Hyun Kim
Editorial Staff: Jeehyeon Kim
Copy Editor: Yoav Cerallbo
Designed by: Seoul Selection
Printed by: PITEC
SangSaeng (), a Korean word
with Chinese roots, is composed of
two characters: Sang (), meaning
mutual (each other) and Saeng (),
meaning life. Put together, they mean
living together, helping each other,
which is our vision for the Asia-Pacic
region. SangSaeng () aims to be
a forum for constructive discussion of
issues, methods and experiences in
the area of Education for International
Understanding.
Signed articles express the opinions of the
authors and do not necessarily represent the
opinions of APCEIU.
4 SangSaeng 2012 Spring 2012 Spring SangSaeng 5
Special Column
Climate Change and
Development:
Time for a Paradigm Shift?
By M. Adil Khan
(Professor, School of Social Sciences, University of Queensland, Australia)
adil.khan@uq.edu.au
K
yot o pr ot ocol , Ba l i con fer en ce a n d
mor e r ecent ly t he Rio confer ence and
numerous other meetings and research
works continue to warn us of the dangers of climate
change and as a remedy, most prescribe restraints
on carbon dioxide emissions.
Many countries take these warnings seriously
an d accor di n gly, h ave put i n place var i ous
LechnoIogIcuI us weII us hscuI meusures Lo combuL
carbon dioxide emissions but yet those who are
the worst polluters do little to change their carbon
footprint.
While the actions of those who are applying or
are in the process of applying controls on carbon
dioxide emissions are indeed commendable, those
who ar e eit her pr ocr ast inat ing or going about
t hings as business-as-usual have become t he
biggest source of worry.
For those who do little or nothing at all, my
suggestion is that we must all coax those groups of
countries to do something more concrete to abate
climate harming activities.
Somet h in g Mor e I mpor t a n t
However, here I also wish to raise an issue that
is much more fundamental, something that cuts
acr oss all nat ions r ight acr oss t he boar d; t his
has to do with a value system that is essentially
consumerist and thus, environmentally extractive.
Therefore, I ask whether, in the face of ever
increasing consumerist and materialist lifestyles,
t he har binger of cor por at ist capit alist syst em
of economic development , t he mit igat ion and
adaptation measures including those that relate
to carbon dioxide emission reductions, will have
much effect especially in an exist ing economic
arrangement t hat is inherent ly exploit at ive and
thus ecologically predatory.
My own view on climat e change is t hat we
cannot eat our cake and have it too.
Her e, t he key quest ion is whet her wit hout
ch an ges t o our econ omi c t ar get s an d mor e
specifically, t o our vision of development t hat
advocates conspicuous consumption and regards
moder at ion as backwar d-looking t he so-called
remedial measures that are designed to tame our
factories will bear much result?
The corporatist capitalist notion of economic
developmen t , a post in dust r ial, post colon ial
concept , sees t he end pr oduct of development
as a form of lifestyle and a value system that is
essentially consumerist and materialist.
Wit h global war ming on t he r ise, climat e
change and environment al decay looming large
and the very existence of many nations and people
at stake, is it advisable to stay with the dominant
t heor y of developmen t , which is in her en t ly
resource extractive and thus is self-destructive?
ShouId we noL be goIng beyond Lhe suerhcIuI
and t ackle t he fundament alshift our vision of
development and its end-product, a consumerist
ma t er i a l i s t l i fes t yl e, t o s omet h i n g t h a t i s
conserving and sustainable?
Pr omot in g a Differ en t Solu t ion
Key t o t his shift is sit uat in g t he con cept of
development within value systems that promote
conservation as a way of life.
Until recently, most traditional societies tend
to have pursued growth within the parameters of
social, cultural and environmental sustainability.
But t hese values have since been r eplaced
by colon ial an d n eocolon ial con t r ol of t heir
institutions that propagate models of development
and that are culturally alien and environmentally
self-destructive.
Therefore, should we not ponder and t hink
that going the way we are going and pursuing what
we seek as development is not the way to go?
The current model of development seems to be
causing more harm than good not only to ourselves
but also to the rest of the world.
Sh ou l d we, t h er efor e, n ot r ei n ven t a n d
r eincor por at e values t hat had kept balance in
our lives, those that we always have had but lost
t hr ough colonial occupat ion and neocolonial
Inuences?
In stressing the importance of this reinvention,
Trevor Blackwell and J eremy Seabrook not e in
their recent publication, Revolt against Change:
Towards a Conserving Radicalism, that Popular
t radit ions of frugalit y were not ideologies, t hey
were living practices. They were the way ordinary
women and men carried out their daily lives and
t aught t heir childr en t o follow t hem. That all
this should have been discarded overnight was a
grievous loss, and grievously we are paying for it.
To want t o r eevaluat e and r evalue t hese
traditions has nothing to do with a desire to return,
t o inflict a life of penny pinching miser y and
privation upon people. It is rather a wish to restore
a sense of balance against the celebration of waste,
B
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With global warming on
the rise, climate change
and environmental decay
looming large and the
very existence of many
nations and people at
stake, is it advisable to stay
with the dominant theory
of development, which
is inherently resource
extractive and thus is self-
destructive?
Special Column
u sense oI judgmenL uguInsL Lhe gIorIhcuLIon oI Lhe
sueruous.
Such ideas of conserving lifestyles have had
many precedents in the Asian value systems as well.
Asia n Va lu es a s a n An swer
For example, Buddhism pr omot es t he idea of
bahujanahitaya bahujanasukaya lokanukampaya
meaning that every society must strive for, the
good of the many, for the happiness of the many,
out of compassion for the world.
Where else would you a get a more compelling
paradigm of sustainable human development than
this?
Similar ly, in Hinduism, t he basic t enet s of
life have always been guided by t he t winning
principles of simple living and high thinking.
In Islam, t he Kor an st at es, t hou shall not
indulge in silken clot hing t he st r ess is on
moderation in consumption and avoidance of the
sueruous.
Clearly, traditional value systems do not view
development as a higher mat er ial st at e; r at her
it regards development as a st at e t hat balances
social and environmental with material a state
wher e mat er ial possession is t o be r egar ded as
complement s t o and not t he main agenda of
human development.
With colonization long gone and with not so
happy outcomes of consumerist materialist model
of development, time, therefore, may have come
for all of us to draw upon our long lost values that
until recently, guided us through a concept of life
that is materially adequate but environmentally
conser ving and most impor t ant ly, spir it ually
enriching.
This is fin e, but can we alt er t hin gs an d
resurrect concepts and ideas that have either been
long forgotten or devalued?
There is no easy answer to this, but all I can
say is that we simply cannot go on the way we are
going. We have to make a new beginning.
There are numerous examples of how many,
including t hose in t he West , benefit t ed fr om
indigenous value syst ems including t hose t hat
relate to crucial aspects of governance.
The long held back fact of the matter is that
the original drafters of the American constitution,
the likes of Benjamin Franklin, J ames Madison
and Thomas J effer son, dr ew heavily fr om t he
traditional social and political norms of the Native
Indian Americans.
The Amer ican fat her s looked at t he Nat ive
Indian practices concerning freedom of choice and
respect to each others rights and participation in
decision-making, just to name a few.
Th es e a r e a l l n or ms t h a t h el ped Na t i ve
Americans maintain peace, harmony and human
dignity in their communities and enshrined the
Article of Confederation and the Constitution of
the United States of America with these values and
norms.
Resu r r ect ion of An cien t Va lu es
In the area of development, there is at least one
country in the world, Bhutan, that has consciously
r eject ed t he developmen t model based on a
count r ys gr oss domest ic pr oduct and inst ead
hus redehned Lhe conceL Lo suIL ILs unIque needs
that combines cultural autonomy, environmental
sust ainabilit y and spir it ual nour ishment wit h
economic targets through the achievement of what
it calls, the Gross Domestic Happiness index.
I n deed, while t hese examples ar e highly
inspiring, it is also true that we may not be able
to change our economic model overnight, but we
can cert ainly make a new beginning. By slowly
resurrecting our traditional value systems, we can
start to change our economic aspirations and their
materialist targets.
Ed u ca t i on , a mon g ot h er t h i n gs , h a s t o
play a ver y impor t ant r ole in r esur r ect ing and
implementing this proposed shift in values that
wouId sLIgmuLIze Lhe sueruous und gIorIIy sImIe
living and high thinking as a business of life.
It is also true that we
may not be able to
change our economic
model overnight, but
we can certainly make
a new beginning. By
slowly resurrecting our
traditional value systems,
we can start to change our
economic aspirations and
their materialist targets.
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1. A man carrying water walks through
dried land caused by climate change
2. Wild flowers in the High Moor of Mt.
Daeam in Republic of Korea, one of
a very few places where numerous
species of rare plants are well
preserved
T
he United Nations has long recognized and used
sport as an innovative low-cost and high-impact tool
in humanitarian, development, and peace-building
effor t s. Many UN funds, pr ogr ammes, and specialized
agencies have used and cont inue t o use spor t in t heir
rojecLs und rogrummes Lo uchIeve LheIr secIhc objecLIves.
The UnILed NuLIons OIhce on SorL Ior DeveIomenL und
Peace (UNOSDP), created in 2001 by former UN Secretary-
GeneruI Koh Annun, ucLs us Lhe guLewuy oI Lhe UN sysLem
regarding Sport for Development and Peace (SDP). The
OIhce Is heuded by Lhe SecIuI AdvIser Lo Lhe UN SecreLury-
General on Sport for Development and Peace and consists of
u Heud OIhce In Genevu und u smuIIer IuIson OIhce In New
York City. The current Special Adviser, Wilfried Lemke, was
appointed in 2008 by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
The Special Adviser and UNOSDPs mandate is based on
three main pillars. As advocates, they lead the UN systems
effor t s t o pr omot e under st anding, use of and suppor t
for sport as a versatile tool for social change. In the role
of facilitator they encourage dialogue, collaboration and
partnerships around the SDP. Last but not least, the Special
Adviser acts as a representative of the Secretary-General and
the UN system in the world of sport, for example, at global
sports events and key conferences.
Although UNOSDP does not implement or lead large-
scale country programs on the ground, it aims at creating
partnerships, synergies, and concrete initiatives, bringing
different actors together such as UN agencies, governments,
civil society, National Olympic and Paralympic Committees,
world sport organizations, federations, associations, NGOs,
foundations and the media.
Sp or t a s a Pea ce-bu ild er
UNOSDP, together with its partners, including the UN sister
agencies, is actively promoting the use of sport for peace-
building. Sport, as a universal language, is a powerful tool
t o pr omot e peace, t oler ance, under st anding, and social
cohesion by bringing people together across boundaries,
cult ur es, and r eligions. I n par t icular , spor t plays an
important role in peace education.
Here, the intentional and structured work with sports
positive characteristics, norms and ideals, such as teamwork
and team spirit, solidarity, cooperation, communication,
fair - play, r espect for t he compet it or an d t he r ules,
equalit y, and leader ship help build t oler ant , r espect ful
and conscious societies with individual members who are
skilled in managing relations on and off the pitch in a non-
violent manner. Moreover, the values learned in sport are
transferable and can also contribute to a strong democratic
culture.
Well-designed and well-led sport programmes allow
encount er s in a neut r al space and in an envir onment
wher e possible aggr ession, pr ejudices, and st er eot ypes
can be tackled and transformed. Sport is used to facilitate
rapprochement and reconciliation between opposing parties.
It can be an effective delivery mechanism for post-conflict
educat ion and conflict pr event ion measur es. Spor t has
been successfully used as part of counseling programmes
within an integrated approach to rebuilding trust, healing
und reconcIIIuLIon, und benehLIng, Ior InsLunce, wur vIcLIms,
former child-soldiers, refugees and int ernally displaced
persons.
Sp or t a s a Dip loma t ic Tool
A large number of entities of the UN system, supported by
UNOSDP, have implemented sports for peace grassroots
pr ogr ammes in many count r ies, including in Asia. For
example, wi t h t h e suppor t of t h e UN Developmen t
Pr ogr amme (UNDP), t he Foot ball Associat ion of t he
Maldives has under t aken a pr oject in 2010 t o incr ease
women s par t icipat ion in foot ball an d spor t s; t hus,
promoting empowerment and equality.
Si mi l a r l y, a p r oj ect by t h e Ta j i ki s t a n Na t i on a l
Taekwondo Federation with support from UN Women and
UNOSDP aims to strengthen the access of girls to sport and
to promote womens rights in the country.
I n Sr i La n ka , t h e UNDP pr ogr a mme Spor t for
Peace creat ed an enabling environment using sport for
reconciliation and peaceful coexistence, targeting youth from
dIIIerenL eLhnIc grous In conIcL-rone und derIved ureus
in the aftermath of the civil war and the tsunami.
In addition, UNOSDP, under the leadership of Special
Adviser Lemke, has started the UNOSDP Youth Leadership
Camp Programme, whose two-week long inaugural edition
was held in January 2012 in Doha, Qatar.
There, 29 young people from nine count ries in sub-
Saharan Africa and the Palestinian Territories enhanced
their leadership skills on how to use sport to address pressing
social issues affecting their underprivileged communities.
At the end of the Camp, the participants felt empowered
and had new plans for their future and that of their peers.
Lookin g Ah ea d
It is planned t o hold fut ur e edit ions in ot her count r ies
t o cover and benefit all of t he wor lds r egions, and, in
particular, use the camp to bring together participants from
communities, countries, and territories that were or have
been In vIoIenL conIcL wILh euch oLher or where InLrucLubIe
tensions persist. Against this background, the camps aim
to serve as a fertile and neutral ground to find common
Focus: Spreading a Culture of Peace through Sports
Sport as a Powerful Means
for Development and Peace
By Eric Dienes
(United Nations Ofce on Sport for Development and Peace)
dienes@un.org
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Wilfried Lemke
during shooting of the
documentary "Gold"
in Nairobi, Kenya
denominators in and through sport.
The yout h, equipped wit h new skills and
more knowledge about approaches and cultures
are hoping to act as multiplicators in their home
communit ies and societ ies by helping t o br ing
about positive social change and turning around
negative perceptions.
The UNs activities and work around Sport for
Peace in the communities and on the grassroots
level are complemented by its close cooperation
with the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
This partnership has a long history and has been
fur t her st r engt hened wit h t he IOC becoming a
Permanent Observer at the UN General Assembly
in 2009.
Wor kin g wit h t h e Olymp ic Fla me
Bot h or ganizat ions shar e a ser ies of object ives
and values and understand sport as a catalyst for
development and peace. The UN and the IOC work
together in many fields such as SDP projects and
global advocacy.
Since 1994, the UN General Assembly adopts
r esolut ion s t hat ur ge t he obser van ce of t he
Olympic Tr uce on t he occasion of t he Olympic
and Paralympic Games. At the Games themselves,
the UN and the Olympic families work together
on diverse issues such as education, health, and
environmental sustainability.
The 2008 Olympic and Paralympic Games in
BeIjIng served us u cuLuIysL In muny oI Lhese heIds.
At t he 20 10 Inaugur al Yout h Olympic Games
in Singapore, several UN agencies were present
on site to work with participating youth. In this
vein, UNOSDP and the UN family stands ready
t o cooper at e wit h all engaged st akeholder s on
the occasion of future Games, including the 2018
Winter Games in Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea.
In the last decade or so, new and innovative
development and peace-building strategies, such
as the use of sport, have proven successful. The
appoint ment of a Special Adviser on Spor t for
Development and Peace supported this evolution.
Nowadays, int er disciplinar it y and holist ic,
mult ifacet ed appr oaches t o development and
peace-building are coming centre-stage, and this is
where sport can play a strong part.
Whet her it concer ns t he educat ion on t he
common values of sport shared by the UN and the
Olympic Movement such as fair play, friendship,
and respect or grassroots projects, sport represents
a power ful t ool and cat alyst for posit ive social
change.
With the objective of achieving the MDGs by
2015, UNOSDP along with its many partners, are
trying day after day to implement these strategies.
Sport is a worldwide activity; even if it takes place
in communities in a far-out region of Asia, sport
has the capacity to bring people together and unite
them, and this is what we must build upon.
2
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1. SG Meeting: UN Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon with Special Adviser
on Sport for Peace and Development
Wilfried Lemke
2. Peace Day Celebrations in Monrovia,
Liberia included a football match
between Liberia's top amputee football
players
3. Participants at the inaugural UNOSDP
Youth Leadership Camp in Doha,
Qatar, 9-19 January 2012
By Nancy McLennan
(Assistant Programme Specialist, Anti-Doping and Sport, UNESCO)
n.mclennan@unesco.org
Promoting Sport for a Balanced
and Peaceful Society
S
in ce it s est ablishmen t , UNESCO has
worked internationally to create a genuine
dialogue among civilizations, cultures and
peoples.
Therefore, if at t he very heart of UNESCOs
mission to build peace in the minds of people
is t he celebr at ion and cult ivat ion of posit ive
forms of human expression, then there can be no
doubt that sport plays a key role in advancing the
Organizations mandate and spreading a message
of peace.
Sport has a unique ability to attract, mobilize
and inspire people t o make posit ive changes in
t heir own lives and in t he lives of ot her s. The
increasing recognition of sport as an instrument
for peace explains why the United Nations System
is mor e and mor e oft en using it s significant
benehLs Lo uchIeve Lhe ugreed deveIomenL gouIs.
In t his regard, t he Unit ed Nat ions Office on
Sport for Development and Peace was established in
2001 to bring the worlds of sport and development
closer together.
In an effort to capitalize on sports power to
broadcast messages across borders and into living
rooms, particularly within the framework of events
like t he FIFA Wor ld Cup and Olympic Games,
UNESCO wor ks wit h bellwet her feder at ions t o
engage young people and promote tolerance and
understanding.
Th e Sp or t of Bu ild in g Br id ges
Using the influence of international sports stars
and their clubs, UNESCO has developed a range of
partnerships with FC Barcelona and Malaga CF in
Spain and Ruby Shenzhen FCin China.
Within the framework of the partnership with
Malaga CF, resources are pooled to promote peace
and tolerance among young people. The use of the
internet and social media is prioritized as a means
of disseminat ing UNESCO values concer ning
int er cult ur al dialogue and t he impor t ance of
education.
The partnership with FC Barcelona centers on
a project called Yout h Voices against Racism,
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Everyday physical exercises in
a primary and secondary school
in Vietnam, 2008
in society and to get respect from the boys.
A Level Pla yin g Field
Essentially, UNESCO works from the principle that
sport provides a leveled playing field in terms of
class, ethnicity and historic or cultural difference.
Sporting exercises represent some of the most
sustainable parts of community identity, in many
cases remaining essentially unchanged for thousands
of years and forming the backbone of societies.
Not only does par t icipat ion in spor t , and
par t icular ly t r adit ion al spor t s, t each us t he
impor t ance of cult ur al ident it y and her it age
but it does so in a language which t r anscends
geogr aphical boundar ies, r eligion and polit ical
difference; a universal language which does not
exclude those marginalized in society and which is
accessible to both the young and old.
It is in t his way t hat t r adit ional spor t s ar e
intangibly linked to culture, identity and our sense
of self.
Their pr act ice is oft en closely int er woven
with established conventions of ritual and social
hier ar chy as well as t he daily an d season al
r hyt hms of domest ic and agr ar ian pr oduct ion,
entertainment, and religious festivals.
It is this individuality of traditional sport that
is also its unique selling point. As such, traditional
sports are a symbol of the cultural diversity of our
societ ies and, equally, t he r ecognit ion and t he
protection of them can lead to the revival of local
and regional customs.
Th e Va lu e of Sp or t
Traditional sports can also be a means to convey
values of solidarity, diversity, inclusiveness and
cultural awareness.
Par t icipat ion in t hem can cr eat e br idges
b e t we e n cu l t u r e s a n d co n t r i b u t e t o t h e
establishment of a culture of peace based on mutual
comprehension and tolerance.
I n t he Asia-Pacific r egion it is clear t hat
t r adit ional games, fr om Republic of Kor eas
int er nat ionally r enowned Taekwondo t o Main
Lereng invented by children in the late 1950s in
MuIuyu, Iorm u sIgnIhcunL urL oI cuILuruI herILuge.
Mor e t han t his, t hey r eflect t he ingenuit y and
resourcefulness of human beings.
Pa r t i cu l a r l y s e t wi t h i n t h e con t e xt of
globalization, many countries in the Asia-Pacific
region are undergoing a modernizat ion of t heir
socio-cultural heritage.
I n Si n ga p or e , for e xa mp l e , e con omi c,
social and envir onment al changes such as t he
disappearance of close-knit kampongos and village
communit y life have led t o a decr ease and, in
some case, ext inct ion of t radit ional games t hat
has a manifold and currently untold impact on the
development of infant/ child creativity as well as
social skills, team spirit and community.
It is for t hese r easons t hat , in a globalized
world, UNESCO and other actors must promote
the continued relevance of sport to a balanced and
peaceful society. Sport provides a framework for
action and a means of sublimating conditions of
inequity. In particular, we must work collectively
to retain the human values of sport.
Equally, we must pr omot e t he impor t ance
of preserving sports link with culture as part of
intangible cultural heritage.
In a t ime wher e t he specificit ies of cult ur e
are being usurped by globalization, actors (local
and international) need to cooperate to adjust the
conception of traditional sports and highlight their
continued relevance in peace building, tolerance
and cohesion.
which has enabled yout h fr om mor e t han 82
cities in 17 countries, to counteract racism in and
through sport by engaging them in policy-making
at the local and national levels.
UNESCO also supports bodies and events that
leverage sport towards participation and inclusion.
Currently, UNESCO is following with interest
t he pr oposal of t he Wor ld Mar t ial Ar t s Union
to establish a centre in Republic of Korea which
promotes youth civic engagement through sport.
In 2011, UNESCO awarded pat ronage t o t he
World Martial Arts Festival, held in Republic of
Korea and, in 2012, the Organization will support the
5th Children of Asia Games to be held in Yakutsk,
Russia in recognition of the events relevance to
UNESCOs work both with and for youth.
Mor eover , a key el emen t of UNESCOs
partnership with The Association for International
Sport for All (TAFISA) is the organization of the
World Sport for All Games, held every four years.
The Games provide a unique opportunity for
the public to engage and discover traditional and
contemporary sports from around the world in a
spirit of solidarity and friendship.
Among other initiatives, TAFISA will launch
a new project in 2012 in the Philippines - Project
HOPE ( Helpin g t o Over come Psychological
Effects of Typhoon Sendong) through Sport. This
InILIuLIve hus been secIhcuIIy desIgned Lo Ieveruge
Lhe uIhIIuLIon oI youLh und sorL Lo rovIde young
people with psychosocial support and overcome
t he t r auma t hey have exper ienced dur ing t he
typhoon an approach advocated by UNESCO.
Th e love of Sp or t is Gen d er
Neu t r a l
Equ a l l y, UNESCO u s es s p or t t o br oa d ca s t
t h e i mpor t a n ce of gen der equ a l i t y a n d t h e
empowerment of marginalized groups.
Th e p a r t i ci p a t i o n o f wo me n i n s p o r t
successfully challenges negative stereotypes and
preconceptions of women and illustrates equality
in action.
Spor t , as a t ool for cit izen educat ion, also
con t r i bu t es t o women s ci vi c a n d p ol i t i ca l
engagement , by developing t heir social skills,
confidence and capacities. It also provides them
with opportunities to integrate socially.
Non - for mal spor t educat i on h as pr oved
p a r t i cu l a r l y s u cce s s fu l i n b r e a ki n g d own
gen der st er eot ypes as can be seen wit h t he
Yout h Development t hr ough Foot ball Pr oject s
implemented by GIZ, an international cooperation
enterprise for sustainable development attached
to the German government. GIZ not only has 40
per cent female par t icipat ion but has had gr eat
success in r ever sing gender pr ejudice in t he
communities in which they work.
As noted by one of their young female coaches
in Namibia, Godfridah Kasangula, As a girl, sport
has helped me to positively participate and engage
2 3
1
1. Physical education at school
2. Introduction to Martial Arts, Japan
3. Initiation to martial arts, Thailand
In a time where the
specificities of culture
are being usurped by
globalization, actors need
to cooperate to adjust the
conception of traditional
sports and highlight their
continued relevance in
peace building, tolerance
and cohesion.
Sport, as a tool for citizen
education, also contributes
to womens civic and
political engagement, by
developing their social
skills, confidence and
capacities. It also provides
them with opportunities to
integrate socially.

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An International
Understanding
through
Traditional Sports
By Seung-soo Lee
(Professor, School of Asian Languages and Culture, Chung-Ang University, Republic of Korea)
waseda@cau.ac.kr
W
hat does the word sports usually reminds us of,
these days? Is it soccer, baseball, basketball or a
marathon?
These different sports have a rather short history, having
been creuLed und hrsL rucLIced In Lhe IuLe 1qLh cenLury In GreuL
Britain and later in the United States during the process of
modernization. Hence, they are thus called modern sports."
As major categories in the Olympic Games or the World
Cup, t hey ar e diffused wor ldwide and ar e oft en called
int er nat ional spor t s as well. The concept of spor t s t hat
commonly comes to our mind is, therefore, closely connected
to a globalized sport event.
Myr ia d of Differ en ces a n d Simila r it ies
However, there are a variety of sports that are not linked to
the Olympic Games or international competitions, but that
are nevertheless transmitted across generations, in certain
countries, regions, and among certain peoples and societies.
Regar dless of t heir fr equency or t heir number , t hese
sports maintain an intimate relationship with the people who
transmit them, their traditional cultures, and contribute to
the formation of these peoples identity. These sports will be
termed as traditional sports for the purpose of this article.
UHappily Swinging Away
In Kor ea, swings for women used dur ing t he fest ival of
Dano (Lhe hILh duy oI Lhe hILh monLh uccordIng Lo Lhe Iunur
calendar) are quite popular. Recently, this tradition has made
its way into a form of competition. Women compete to see
who can swing the highest; some generally reaching heights
of 10 meters. This activity is also practiced in North Korea, by
ethnic Koreans living in China, and by the Korean Diaspora in
Central Asia.
UWide World of Wrestling
During the same holiday, men compete in ssireum (traditional
Korean wrestling). This traditional sport coincides with the
times and seasons of agriculture, such as Dano and Chuseok
(Korean thanksgiving which corresponds to the first harvest
of the year). It acquires a special and important social and
cosmological meaning for men, for ssireum is recognized as
un eIhcIenL meLhod Lo Increuse u mun`s worLh.
Among the traditional sports, wrestling is notably diffused
worldwide under various forms such as sumo in J apan, bukh
in Mongolia, penches in India, gulat in Indonesia, koshti in
Iran, karakucak in Turkey, koureche in Kazakhstan, goughty in
Tajikistan, and so on. These numerous types of wrestling differ
in terms of rules, techniques, attire and cultural meaning.
UDragon Boat Races
In Cambodia, during the dry season, when water is no more
needed In Lhe rIce uddIes und rIce hus suIhcIenLIy grown, u
dragon boat race takes place in a branch of the Mekong River.
The boat used for the race is 40 meters in length, 1 meter in
width and is made from a thin and long wood log. Across the side
of the boat is drawn the rippling body of a dragon with sculptures
of the head and tail of the dragon adorning the front and back of
the boat respectively making the entire boat represent a dragon
ouLIng on wuLer. The ruce Is uImed uL suIeIy reLurnIng Lhe god In
charge of water, the dragon, back to the Mekong.
Today, this dragon boat race is not only limited to Asian
countries where rice farming usually occurs, but is spread
across the globe.
UUsing Animals to Enjoy Sports
Ther e is also a r ange of t r adit ional spor t s using animals.
Among such animals, the horse has been the most used, in
a variety of sports. The horse race at the Naadam Festival in
Mongolia, yabusame in J apan, jyarid in West Asia, horseback
mar t ial ar t s in Kor ea, and buzkashi in Afghanist an ar e a
few examples. In India and Indonesia, we can observe races
involving bulls attached to carts or riders on sleighs pulled by
a couple of cows.
Aside from these sports, multiple countries are familiar
wit h dogfight s, hor se fight s, bullfight s, and cockfight s.
urLhermore, ThuIIund Is known Ior ILs hghLIng hsh und Juun
Ior ILs hghLIng sIders. ChInu, on Lhe oLher hund, Is ouIur Ior
ILs crIckeL hghLIng, und Lhere Is even u nuLIonuI orgunIzuLIon
for this sport.
UTugging Away the Sport of War
In Akita, J apan, there is a tug-of-war event on the J anuary
15 of the lunar calendar. The rope used for this event is made
of rice straw and is composed of two ropes, called the male
rope and the female rope. It is 60 meters long and 1 meter
in diameter. The male rope is put within the oval-shaped
female rope, whereupon the two ropes are combined and the
tug-of-war can then begin. This event corresponds to the New
Year according to Akitas lunar calendar.
The tug-of-war is a sport event held in every rice-farming
country.
UGo Fly a Kite
Flying kit es and compet ing wit h ot her s by cut t ing t he
opponents kites down are also part of a traditional sport. Kite
hghLIng Is ouIur In EusL AsIu, und esecIuIIy In Koreu. MosL
participants use small kites that measure up to 50 centimeters
overall.
UMartial Arts
Martial arts, which uses ones hands and feet or even weapons
to bring the opponent down are also practiced worldwide:
t aekkyon in Korea, kendo in J apan, kararipayat in India,
mukalekare in Bali, muay-thai in Thailand, puntjak silat in
Indonesia and wushu in China.
China especially holds a traditional sports competition for
the minority ethnic groups once every four year. Many of these
martial arts are based on the regions aboriginal religions and
are thus strongly related to the formation of identity.
Cu lt u r a l Tr a d it ion s wor t h Ma in t a in in g
The traditional sports of Asia as introduced and described
above only constitute a small portion of the total traditional
sport s current ly exist ing and of what has been researched
so far. Furthermore, the sports illustrated in this article only
involve adults; sports that also involve children would make a
sIgnIhcunL uddILIon Lo Lhe LoLuI number.
TrudILIonuI sorLs ure u reecLIon oI Lhe regIonuI cuILure
and society, and it is through them that children train their
body, learn the rules and norms of their society, are taught
how t o t reat people and acquire knowledge and insight in
things. The process through which children become members
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Dragon boat race
W
ith its proud history, tropical climate
and r enowned hospit alit y, Thais
behavior is characterized as gentle,
peace-loving while embracing a rich diversity of
cultures and traditions.
For cen t ur ies, Thais have had t o defen d
ourselves and our land from aggressive powers.
Yet , t he kingdom is a never -ending sour ce of
fascination and pleasure for international visitors.
Throughout its over 1,000 years of history, the
kIngdom hus been dIvIded InLo hve mujor erIods:
Chieng Sane Period, Sukhothai Periods, Ayutthaya
Per iod, Thon Bur i Per iod, and Rat t anakosin
Period.
The history of Thailand as we know it, began
when the kingdoms of Lan Na (Chiang Rai/ Chiang
Mai) and Sukhothai, the first truly independent
Thai Kingdoms, est ablished highly developed
societ ies in t he Nor t h and Cent r al r egions of
Thailand in the 13th and 14th centuries.
Con t r ibu t ion s of t h e Pa s t a r e Felt
Tod a y
Thailand is one of t he most devout Buddhist
count ries in t he world. The nat ional religion is
Ther avada Buddhism, a br anch of Hinayana
Buddhism, pr act iced by mor e t han 95 per cent
of t he Thai populat ion. The r emainder of t he
p op u l a t i on a d h er es t o l s l a m, Ch r i s t i a n i t y,
Hinduism or other faiths all of which are granted
full freedom of expression.
BuddhIsm conLInues Lo cusL u sLrong Inuence
on daily life wit h senior monks being highly
revered. Thus, in towns and villages, the temple
(wat ) is t he hear t of social and r eligious life.
Medit at ion, one of t he most popular aspect s of
Buddhism, is pr act iced r egular ly by numer ous
Thai as a means of pr omot ing inner peace and
happiness.
Thailand can boast the distinction of being the
only country in Southeast Asia that has never been
colonized.
For a better understanding of the situation, it
is necessary to have a profound knowledge of what
happened in the past, what rules and standards
made Thai people differ ent and st and st ill in
relation to their characteristics in present day life.
Understanding the image of countries was vital
The Traditional
Sports of Thailand
By Achara Soachalerm
(Instructor, Department of Physical Education, Faculty of Education, Kasetsart University, Thailand)
soaamy@hotmail.com
of a societ y t hrough t radit ional sport s corresponds t o t he
enculturation or the socialization of traditional sports.
Besides the fact that these traditional sports belong to
secIhc eLhnIc grous und nuLIons LhuL ossess u Iong hIsLory
and tradition, they also have in common the fact that many
events are organized based on a strong religious element. In
ot her words, t hese sport s hold a hist orical and t radit ional
value and nat ur ally become object s of r espect or even of
divinizat ion. They are a cult ural t ool t hat reinforces t hese
peoples identity.
Traditional sports are considered as cultural traditions
t hat ar e maint ained in cont empor ar y societ y as par t of a
cumulated cultural style. While some change through time
rather than traditional culture, these traditional sports are
difficult to change since they are embedded into traditional
society.
Wh a t Does Un d er s t a n d in g Tr a d it ion a l
Sp or t s I mp ly?
Society does not always welcome these traditional sports. For
instance, many people have a negative attitude towards the
bullfighting tradition practiced in Spain. Some of the usual
criticism includes It is rare, It is unusual, What kind of sport
is it? It is savage.
This attitude emanates from the idea I am different from
you, drawing a clear distinction between oneself and others.
Accor ding t o such per spect ives, t her e would be not hing
that could be considered as familiar or common among the
mult it ude of t radit ions. We can nevert heless t hink of t wo
approaches: that it is different because it is peculiar, or that it
is not that different after all.
So far, our attitude towards traditional sports has been
based on our respective differences.
However, emphasizing on these dissimilarities allows only
little opportunity for acceptance of the other. We, therefore,
need to adopt a perspective that grants a common ground of
understanding.
To pr omot e an int er nat ional under st anding t hr ough
traditional sports, we also need to observe and recognize how
these different sport events go through change in cultural,
political and social contexts.
The fir st element t hat we can obser ve is t he issue of
ethnicity. The contemporary nation-state is not composed of
a single ethnic group and usually represents more than one
ethnicity under a states politics and economy. Each ethnicity
has diverse cultural techniques and media to express their
identity, and traditional sport is one of such methods. Second,
a majority uses it to form nationalism or nationality. Third, the
opportunity of confirming ones identity through traditional
sports has been linked to the opportunity of creating economic
rohL by LrunsIormIng Lhese sorLs InLo LourIsLIc roducLs.
This process involves t he addit ion of dramat izat ion t o
the original form to make it more appealing to tourists. This
act ivit y is closely r elat ed t o ones ident it y and sear ch for
oneself. In other words, traditional sports work as a cultural
mechanism that asserts identity.
On t he on e han d, we ar e facin g a globalizat ion of
traditional sports. We witness a clear cultural phenomenon
t hr ough which each n at ion or et hn icit y r econ st r uct s,
r econ fir ms an d r ein for ces it s t r adit ion . These r ecen t
circumstances have made the effort to overcome differences
and understand one anothers culture across borders even
more sIgnIhcunL.
Appreciating and accepting the traditional sports linked
t o a par t icular et hnicit y or societ ys cult ur e is a valuable
attempt that should be seen as an effort to apprehend not
only these sports but also the society and culture that has
been transmitted through them. It should be considered as a
respectable wisdom that promotes cooperation.
(Translated by Seulgie Lim)
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Bullfight, Cheongdo, ROK Wooden-bull fight inYeongsan, ROK
Muay Thai
The justification to educate
traditional sports and Thai
folklore theater promotes
ideals and values for the
body, mind and temper,
and helps to understand
the terms of friendship,
participation, universalism
and fair-play.
for many reasons such as investment, tourism, education and
business. Pichai Niramansakul (2010) stated that, in general,
the images of the countries are formed based upon perception,
experience and expectation.
In my opinion, the contributions of the tradition onto society
are twofold and possess both positive and negative aspects.
Fir st of all, t he posit ive aspect s include t he issue of
a healt hy mind and healt hy body, pr omot ion of physical
act ivit y, globalizat ion, univer salism, unificat ion and t he
encouragement of people to participate in sports.
Secondly, t he negat ive aspect s include t he issue of
advantage of body size differences and the train of thought
that victory is the only way.
En joyin g Sp or t s En cou r a ges Peop le t o be
t h e Bes t
From the spectators perspective, the spirit of sport brings
people together not only to achieve but to encourage people to
appreciate the potential of human endeavor as well.
Thr ough t his, it allows us t o cr oss t he boundar ies of
gender, disabilit ies, race, nat ional ident it y, socioeconomic
status, and culture.
SorLs und hysIcuI ucLIvILIes ure noL onIy Ior Lhe benehL oI
health and a better quality of life; they also protect the country
from invaders. For example, Queen Suriyothai may be the
most popular queen of the 15th century. She was well known
for protecting Ayutthaya, the capital of the kingdom of Siam at
LhuL LIme, by hghLIng on Lhe buck oI un eIehunL.
King Naresuan the Great (1555-1605) did Yutha Hathi, a
greuL royuI buLLIe hghLIng on Lhe buck oI un eIehunL uIso. KIng
Naresuan the Great was one of the countrys most celebrated
warrior-heroes and is believed to have been an excellent boxer
who made Muay Thai a required part of milit ary t raining.
Thais developed Muay Thai as a form of close, hand-to-hand
combat best suited for the kind of rough-terrain battle they
were hghLIng. Over LhuL erIod In our hIsLory, IL becume u rILe
of passage for Thai men to take up training in this form of
Thai martial art.
That is t he r eason why t r adit ional spor t s st ar t ed an
expr ession developed fr om pr ot ect ing t he count r y fr om
invaders. It is also the reason why Thai peoples way of life
is founded in an agricultural environment. Thai sports are
also a form of entertainment during religious ceremonies and
cultural festivals.
Sp or t s a n d Th ea t er Accen t u a t es
Th a ila n d s I ma ge
The Ministry of Education (2002) divided traditional sports
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Folk lores play
Thai Folk Dance Krabi Krabong
Elephant Show Meditation
InLo Lwo ILems. The hrsL Is LrudILIonuI sorLs such us cuILuruI
fest ivals, Muay Thai, Kr abi Kr abong, kit e fight ing and
ship racing. The last is Thai folklore theater, or traditional
theater, which are easy to produce such as horse riding,
buffalo riding folk dance and other forms of entertainment.
Therefore, I believe that traditional sports and Thai folk
theater offer a valuable as well as a unique contribution to
the literature concerning the ethics of sport.
Because of its clear delineation, traditional sports and
traditional theater as a valued cultural practice establishes
a solid foundation for sport as an important element in the
liberal education of individuals in a democratic society.
Tr adit ional spor t s and Thai t r adit ional folk t heat er
are to be taught and understood as a liberating practice
that requires the exercise of moral virtues in pursuit of the
internal goods.
I believe that sport has reached the point in its evolution
and development in the world that it is best considered as
a universally valued practice with inherent moral concerns
and that when it is viewed and taught in this way, it becomes
u jusLIhubIe urL oI Lhe educuLIonuI currIcuIum In schooI.
In the past few years, interest in the ethics of sport has
increased because a valued human pract ice can provide
normative criteria by means of which it is possible to assist
with making of moral judgment in and about all kinds of
sports.
BrIey, IL Is noL yeL suIhcIenLIy recognIzed LhuL sorL, IIke
science or medicine, is a particular type of human practice
that has its own integrity and is governed and characterized
by its rules and ethos.
Such practices are distinctive forms of worth in our daily
lives. Toget her t hey not only const it ut e wit hin a cult ure
but also signify t he source of human possibilit y and t he
values of a civilized human being, including concepts such
as fair play, peace and friendship. It is only when sport is
understood in this way that moral issues in relation to sport
become fully intelligible.
I n my poin t of view, t he just ificat ion t o educat e
t r adit ional spor t s and Thai folklor e t heat er pr omot es
ideals and values for t he body, mind and t emper , and
helps to understand the terms of friendship, participation,
universalism and fair-play.
Pos it ive Sign s of St u d yin g Da n ce
I discovered from my study about classroom action research
that was aimed to study the result of students who study social
dance , that it had the same results on creative thinking found
in students who study folk dance.
Hence, I developed three learning activities, including
sharing and learning in group process activities, inquiring
pr esent at ion act ivit ies and conclusion, and analyzing
through presentation activities.
The target population was 34 undergraduate students
who enrolled in a folk dance course in the second semester
of 20 10 . The inst r ument s wer e 15 inst r uct ional plans,
120-minute session each week, a behavioral observation
form, and a student-evaluation form to be conducted by
themselves.
Dat a was collect ed in ever y session. The fr equency,
percent age and cont ent analysis were analyzed. I found
that most of the students like to study and had a maximum
satisfaction to learn folk dance. In this study, 82.3 percent
liked folk dance while 85.9 percent enjoyed social dance.
The result were that their creative thinking ability increased
und Lhey buIIL u new uIhnILy Ior medILuLIon.
S
por t , as par t of mankinds cult ur e, is somet hing
more t han just a game; it is similar t o art , filled
with passion, fascinating plot twists and dramatic
outcomes.
In todays electronic world, sports as an entertainment
vehicle, has penetrated every aspect of our daily life and has
surussed even urL us u medIum LhuL Inuences our socIeLy.
Even mass media is more preoccupied reporting about
sports than literature or the theater. Young girls and boys,
even adults from every corner of Asia, ardently watch ice
hockey, r ugby, foot ball and t he Texas r odeo wit h gr eat
enthusiasm.
Could you just imagine what kind of a game it would
be if all t hese differ ent spor t s would be mor phed or
amalgamat ed int o one? I f you cannot , t hen come t o
Kazakhstan to watch kokpar.
The ancient game of nomads is sort of like rugby except
players are on horseback. It can also be compared to ice
hockey due t o it s dynamism, int ensit y of emot ion and
speed, but the difference is that instead of a puck or a rugby
ball, players use a headless carcass of a goat or calf. The aim
is simple, to score a point by carrying the carcass into a goal.
To play this ancient sport, players need to be more skillful
than a rodeo cowboy. The point is to remain on the saddle at
Kokpar,
the Sport of the Ancients Played Today
By Evfrat B. Imambek
(Associate Professor, Kazakh National Arts Academy named after T. Zhurguenov and Turan University, Kazakhstan)
evfrat.imambek.kazfuca@gmail.com
all times, and the only way to do that is to become
one with the horse. From then on, players have to
win the full contact fight against their opponents
who are trying to gain possession of the carcass.
Rea l Men Pla y Kokp a r
Kokpar , along wit h hunt ing and ot her spor t s,
is one of the most important cultural aspects of
Central Asian nomads. At first, it was performed
during hunting ceremonies, then it became part
of the regions cattle breeding lifestyle and during
lat er per iods, it became a cr ucial par t of t he
physical preparation for future soldiers.
I n moder n Kazakhst an, kokpar is played
everywhere but not every day and not by everyone.
First of all, the game is played during special
events such as weddings and funerals. It is also
played during import ant cat t le-breeding event s
like the arrival of the summer milking season or in
preparation of the long winter months. Sometimes
kokpar is performed during the anniversary of a
well-known person or event.
Secondly, t o play kokpar, a person needs t o
be physically fit because players are required to
lift the carcass of the dead animal, which weights
anywher e bet ween 40-60 kilogr ams, wit h one
hand at full gallop. Therefore, like many sports, to
play at a professional level, a man needs to prepare
his body and mind from a young age. There is a
saying that only real men play kokpar.
Un ion bet ween Ma n a n d His St eed
At its core, Kokpar is the union between a man and
his horse. The rider is the central figure with his
horse as his lifeline. Only stallions and male horses
participate in the game though mares are allowed
to compete.
Gallopers are specially trained for the tough
competition and are even taught to bite and push.
While t he game is being played, t he r ider s ar e
complet ely engulfed in t he game showing less
emotion than the horses. Therefore, fans watch
the horses with great interest. They watch how the
horses interact and struggle with each other and
how they harmoniously unite with their rider.
Not every horse can become a kokpar player.
St allions t hat possess a st eady ment alit y and a
calm and cool temperament are eagerly sought.
The best horses are mixed breeds. The ideal horse
get s it s speed fr om t he t hor oughbr eds and it s
endurance from native Kazakh horses.
Rider s t r ain t heir st allions r egular ly. These
speci al an i mals ar e measur ed by t h ei r own
standards of beauty and diet. Unlike race horses,
kokpar horses are fed rather well, and its career on
Lhe heId cun reuch u Lo 1o yeurs.
Awell-trained horse who has demonstrated its
skill at the game can cost anywhere from $10,000-
15,000.
The goat, on the other hand, costs much less.
Usually it is provided by the organizer of the game,
relatives or even friends who donate the animal as
a gift.
According to local custom, the goat used for
kokpar is normally beheaded and disemboweled
and has its limbs cut off at the knees. Four men
known as dzhigits (young men) hold the animal
during the cutting of the limbs so that no horse
would st umble. Aft er all t he blood has been
druIned, Lhe body Is sewed u und IeIL on Lhe heId
so that its muscles relax.
Wolf in a Goa t s Skin
Aksakals, the old men of the sport, consider the
goat a special animal wit h magical pr oper t ies.
They believe t hat it s meat possesses cur at ive
qualities because it was touched by hundreds of
hands. Furthermore, Aksakals believe that among
those hands, there could be a person with special
abilities. In olden times, it was believed that the
goats meat used during kokpar matches helped
barren women conceive a child.
From this point of view, the origin of kokpar
has sacr ed or igins and char act er ist ics and is
connected with the hunting of wolves. To play with
a killed predator means to absorb its spirit. Later,
the wolf was replaced with a goat.
I n Ka za kh s oci et y, kokp a r a l s o h el d a n
important role in the training of potential soldiers.
First and foremost , young at hlet es of t he sport
would learn valuable hours riding skills.
Evolu t ion Ch a n ges t h e Sp or t
Since then, new factories and stadiums were built
and many values were lost , forgot t en or failed.
Therefore, it is surprising that Kokpar remained an
important part of the Kazakh national identity.
Furthermore, the preservation and practice of
this heritage needs to involve all of Kazakhstans
cit izens, be it Russian, Ukr ainians, Chechens,
Germans and many others. By doing so, it promotes
the formation of a united Kazakhstan identity.
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Union between man and his steed
Best Practices
A
r i s t ot l e on ce s a i d t h a t good h a b i t s
formed at yout h make all t he difference
so empower in g t he youn g t o gen er at e
change is t he right answer. By doing so, reaching
environmental sustainability will no longer be just a
millennium development goal target.
Realizing it s impor t ant r ole, I est ablished an
independent and nonpr ofit yout h empower ment
organization in Indonesia named GARUDA Youth
Community (GYC) in 2009.
GYC engages in conservation and environmental
pr ot ect ion t hr ough a var iet y of pr oject s such
a s ca mpa i gn s a n d pr opa ga n da , r es ea r ch a n d
development, and social enterprise and community
empowerment.
We come up with an idea to sharpen youngsters
sensitivity and participation in making change by
giving t hem some exhilarat ing experiences where
they could both develop talents and skills and help
each other through our projects.
Now, GYC has become a national platform that
has reached over 5,000 young people t hroughout
Indonesia. The program established branches at 25
universities and three big cities in Indonesia: Jakarta,
Bandung, and Surabaya, and continues to create the
needed impact on society.
Local people committing to work
collaboratively to achieve better welfare
By David Immanuel Sihombing
(The Founder and President of GARUDA Youth Community)
david@gycforchange.org
The games r ules have r emained unchanged
t hroughout t he years. What also makes t his sport
special is thatlike our ancestorsafter the game, all
participants would join for a communal meal using the
meat that was the subject of rivalry.
I n adapt ing t he spor t for t odays fast paced
era, kokpar modernized it s rules t o become more
entertaining. It has also started televising its games
t o many count ries in t he hope of at t ract ing more
viewers.
In t he moder nized ver sion of t he game, each
team consists of 10 riders or dzhigits, with only four
Iuyers Irom eILher sIde on Lhe heId uL uny one LIme.
It is permitted to replace the horse or rider during
the game.
For safet y r easons, it is for bidden t o at t ack
another rider while he lifts the carcass off the ground.
It is also against t he r ules t o whip, knock down
players and horses, frighten and drive away riders
from opposing teams.
The game consists of two, 20-minute halves with
an extra attacker added during overtime if the game
ends in a tie.
Kokpar has over come t he t r ials of hist or y
including the totalitarian regimes of recent past. The
sport has developed and has gained popularity since
Kazakhstan gained its independence after the fall of
the Soviet Union.
Kokp a r on t h e I n t er n a t ion a l St a ge
In todays kokpar, there are regularly held national
championships, international tournaments and cup
matches with teams from Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan,
Turkey, Tajikistan, Asian Russia (North Asia), and
Hungary. In response to its growing presence in the
region, television stations that broadcast the matches
attract hundreds of thousands of viewers.
The Kazakhst an Nat ional Kokpar Feder at ion
is one of 17 member-states represented within the
Int er nat ional Feder at ion known as t he Kok-bor i.
It s member s ar e cur r ent ly t r ying t o have kokpar
recognized as an Olympic event.
Kazakhst an , which has r ecen t ly join ed t he
UNESCO Con ven t ion for t h e Safeguar din g of
I nt angible Cult ur al Her it age, has begun t aking
inventory of the countrys valuable cultural assets.
One of t he first it ems accept ed in t he Kazakh
parliament was kokpar. The next step will be to put
forward a recommendation for support from several
countries with the hopes of having it included in the
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list.
Kokpar , as well as ice hockey, r ugby and t he
Texas r odeo, ser ves as a means for int er nat ional
u n d er s t a n d i n g. I n d oi n g s o, i t a d va n ces t h e
knowledge of the different cultures of the world and
creates mutual understanding for everyone.
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The riders can only whip their own horses
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Best Practices
Get t in g t o t h e Root of t h e Pr oblems
To make a change relevant for society, we need to
examine t he needs of our communit ies and find
the hidden potentials that will be promising for the
future if well-developed. We seek this prospective
opportunity in the slum countryside of Cilincing, a
northern district of J akarta.
All these years, Cilincing has been known for its
rich resource of clams, thus offering its residents the
casual labor of peeling clams to gain a primary source
of income. They usually wor k in gr oups peeling
around 100 kilograms of clams everyday. Needless to
say, each individual may only make on average about
Rp 15,000 to Rp 25,000 ($1.70-2.80).
Thats why their meager income is likely to help
them survive day by day without having a chance to
possess better nutrition, food and clean water supply,
education, and health care access.
As a consequence, many kids are out of school
and end up as casual wor ker s along wit h t heir
parents. Only less than 10 percent are enrolled in
high school. In the meantime, they also have a great
deal less healthcare.
Fur t her mor e, pover t y is also a cause of ear ly
childbear ing and t eenage mar r iage. Many young
gir ls under 20 year s of age ar e now becoming
impover ished young mot her s in Cilincing. At t he
time the child is born, they end up fairing poorly and
of course, the child is much more likely to continue
the cycle as an adult. This is what we call the circle
of evil.
Behind all those problematic situations, Cilincing
has a lot of pot ent ial t hat has not been fur t her
examined. Living in coast al ar ea for gener at ions
has equipped its local citizens with some hereditary
skills. Most of them have the ability to create art from
sea creatures.
This potency actually reveals an opportunity to
brIng Lhem InLo hnuncIuI Indeendence. WhuL we do
to accomplish this objective is to provide them with
buIL InsLeud oI gIvIng Lhem hsh.
We came up with collaborative business projects
anchored on social and environmental objectives and
bring a continuous mentorship and empowerment
t o t he local people in Pondok Bambu, Cilincing,
to start and operate a business making handmade
handicraft s from clam wast e. By organizing t hem
into self-help groups, they can collaborate together
t o impr ove t heir social and economic st at us and
preserve the environment.
Socia l En t er p r is e Pr oject
Kreasi Laut (Marine Creation) Social Enterprise
is the initiative that creates a better living path for
eoIe resIdIng In CIIIncIng. The rojecL secIhcuIIy
addresses the primordial concerns of marginalized
and high-r isk gr oups, in par t icular , unemployed
women and out of school youngsters.
They are provided with two types of activities:
t r aining t hat develops t heir livelihood skills and
competence on business, technology, management,
and leadership; and mentorship that guides them on
enLrereneurshI Lo uchIeve hnuncIuI IILerucy
Ba n k Sa mp a h ( Wa s t e Ba n k)
For people in Cilincing who most ly live on $2 or
$3 a day, the economy always comes first and it is
pr obably t he only one t hing t hat t hey const ant ly
bear in mind. As long as they can generate a stipend
that at least meets their minimum needs, they do
not complain t o live wit h t housands of kilograms
of shell waste and to wash dishesand some even
take showersat the seafront; a place that is used to
dispose of different forms of waste including human
waste.
It is simply impossible to help them relate the
environmental change and its impact on their lives
unless theres a strong economic factor behind it.
Thats why we come up with an idea of visualizing the
remunerative incentives behind every kilogram of
shell waste they dispose nearly every day. Incentives
could both strongly motivate people to behave and
act in a certain way, and help them recognize another
alternative. After all, they possess free will and the
freedom to change.
As an incentive-based program, Bank Sampah
cr eat ed a pr ogr am t hat bot h min imizes wast e
production and raises environmental awareness in a
sustainable way by giving rewards in terms of savings
for every kilogram of shell waste they collect and sort
out. The amount varies depending on the weight per
kilogram and its clam type.
By or gan izin g t his in t er ven t ion , r esiden t s
boosted their earnings to an average personal daily
gross of 30 percent to 50 percent of their primary
daily income just from peeling clams.
Sca llop Sh ell Ha n d icr a ft s Bu s in es s
Un it
We have a mission t o manage t he wast e int o a
recycling program that both lessens the amount of
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1.Existing condition in the slum area
of Cilincing
2. A group of wives being trained on
how to recycle shell waste
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wast e and t ransforms it int o a new sust ainable
source of income.
We conduct continuous training on the basic
compet ence of oper at ion and management t o
enhance their business knowledge and organize
wor kshops t o cult ivat e t heir skills in making
artistic creations from mussel waste.
Now we are transforming recycled bean clams
as well as scallop shells into a range of consumer
personal products like necklaces, bracelets, and
headbands to home furniture such as tissue boxes,
vases, mirrors, photo frames, and more.
This entrepreneurial activity delivered a weekly
income of Rp 50,000-150,000 ($6 to $16) for each
individual and more import ant ly, revived t heir
conhdence Lo become IndeendenL und un usseL Lo
society.
0LFURQDQFH)LUP
Monet ar y incent ives impr ove t heir economic
status, but how long will they last?
In fact , most of t hem never save t he money
they earn in a bank; instead, they hide their money
under their mattress. Either way, they spend all or
most of their earnings on trivial things, so in the
end, the extra income they generated was in vain.
To find a solut ion t o t his, our communit y
is collaborat ing wit h Koperasi Kasih Indonesia
( KKI ) , a mi cr ofi n a n ce i n s t i t u t i on ba s ed i n
Cilincing t hat is support ing over 150 small and
Best Practices
micro-businesses.
Of the income generated from the production
of handicr aft s, 10 per cent went t o t he gr oups
oper at ional fund t o suppor t t heir handicr aft
businesses, 20 percent was deposited in an account
under their names in KKI, and the remaining 70
percent went directly to them.
To ensur e t he savings will go t o t he r ight
place, we impose a regulation that applies to all
member s. They ar e only allowed t o wit hdr aw
t heir savings under t wo condit ions: healt h care
and education necessities. There is also a reward
for members who do not withdraw their savings
within three months after their latest withdraw,
which is Rp 25,0 0 0 ($ 2.8) t o t r ansfer t o t he
borrowers savings account.
Livin g Toget h er , Help in g Ea ch
Ot h er
This initiative is only the beginning. At least we
are now on the correct path in accomplishing a
collaborative welfare system while preserving the
local environment.
I ndeed t her e is not hing impossible when
hope, det er minat ion, har d wor k, and st r ong
collaboration are tied together.
Nobody can do anything, but everybody can
do something. Together, we could make a greater
difference.
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1.GYC members are giving handicraft
training to the unemployed women in
Cilincing
2. Variety of Scallop Shell Handicraft
Products - Tissue Box Pt.1
3.Variety of Scallop Shell Handicraft
Products - Tissue Box Pt.2
Products - Vase and Multi-function Box
Products - Brooch
G
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To make a change relevant
for society, we need to
examine the needs of our
communities and find the
hidden potentials that will
be promising for the future
if well-developed.
Learning Universal
Values through
World Heritage
By Nasreen Iqbal
(Teacher, Grammar School Rawalpindi, Pakistan)
n.iqbal47@hotmail.com
Best Practices
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A group of students with the poster of the Teachers Resource Kit
Best Practices
T
he future of our irreplaceable heritage lies
in the hands of our young people who will
eventually become its custodians.
In order to inspire and motivate them to value,
appreciate, conserve and preserve their heritage,
students in schools may be encouraged to acquire
knowledge about heritage sites, understand the
people to whom they belonged and become aware
of t he philosophies t hat exist ed on t he basis of
which t heir life-st yles and wor ld-views wer e
determined.
Based on this awareness, skills of critical and
analyt ical t hinking, pr oblem solving, decision
making and acquir ing habit s of r eflect ing on
critical issues could be developed through relevant
projects in Heritage Education.
The primary objectives of Heritage Education,
t h u s b ecome t h e p r ovi s i on of kn owl ed ge,
development of skills for arriving of solutions to
t he mult ifar ious challenges t hat t he individual
faces in t he wor ld of t oday an d acquisit ion
of at t it udes t hat would cr eat e a comfor t able,
equitable and harmonious environment for all.
Teachers are pivotal in the effort to transmit
t he message of t he World Herit age Convent ion
to young people, thus making it imperative that
t hey maint ain wit hin t hemselves a high level
of motivation and passion so as to arrive at the
expected outcomes. For this, their innovation and
creativity as well as their own continuous capacity
building are also of paramount importance.
Tea ch er s Res ou r ce Kit
Her it age in Youn g Han ds seeks t o en han ce
st udent s cognizance of t he import ance of t heir
her it age, t he compulsion for t hem t o become
heritage helpers and through learning about the
past create positively in their present and future.
This kit focuses on resource material about the
four UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Pakistan:
Shalamar Bagh, Taxila, Moenjodaro and Rohtas
Fort.
Th e en sui n g act i vi t i es ar e based on t h e
t hemes of Cult ur e of Peace, Ident it y, Tour ism
and Environment. The kit has been prepared for
dissemination by Grammar School Rawalpindi.
Sa mp le St u d en t Act ivit y
A sample activity from Project Taxila was a field
trip arranged to Taxila Museum and the excavated
sites of Sirkap and J ulian.
Agroup of students observed and documented
t he r ich, ancient ar chit ect ur e of t he Gandhar a
civilizat ion and how it sur vived for cent ur ies
despit e t he ar ea being vandalized by invader s.
They made a list of damage done to the heritage
sit e in t he past and by ir r esponsible t our ist s.
They also enlisted areas where the buildings and
excavated sites needed repairs and maintenance.
The st udent s obser ved how UNESCO had
helped in restoring the site which is on the list of
UNESCOs outstanding World Heritage Sites.
The activity at Sirkap and J ulian was followed
by a role play based on the principles of Buddhas
Noble Eightfold Path.
Th e y a l s o vi s i t e d t h e mu s e u m wh i ch
showcases the most ancient artifacts, stupas and
statues of Buddha.
Gr ammar ian s as Pat r imon it os ( her it age
helpers) conducted a community clean up activity
at the heritage site and gardens of Taxila Museum.
As a concluding act ivit y, t he st udent s designed
and made posters to promote Taxila as a tourism
site.
The knowledge and activity process enhanced
the students life skills and gave them a sense of
ownership for their irreplaceable cultural heritage.
This encouraged them to become custodians to
preserve, conserve and share it with the rest of the
world.
Ther e was also a r ealizat ion of how people
of differ ent fait hs and beliefs lived t oget her in
harmony, and how Buddhism promoted the same
values as Islam of equitable, just and sustainable
communities. It developed critical thinking skills
along with a sense of responsibility and acceptance
of their own multicultural identity.
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1. Posters designed and made by students
2. Studying map of Taxila
3. Group art activity
4. Grammarians conducting a community
clean up activity at the heritage site
and gardens of Taxila Museum
5. Students building a heritage site model
G
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Teachers are pivotal in
the effort to transmit the
message of the World
Heritage Convention to
young people.
EIU Happy School
K
OTO believes in the right of every young
per son t o live t heir lives wit h skills,
dignit y and pride. We empower young
people in the program with the necessary life skills
Lo muke Lhe rIghL decIsIons, encouruge conhdence
and to invest positively in themselves and their
community.
For mor e t han 12 year s, KOTO (Know One
Teach One) has been transforming lives of street
und dIsudvunLuged youLh In VIeLnum In Lhe heId oI
hospitality.
Ever y six mont hs, KOTO Hanoi and KOTO
Sa i gon r ecr u i t u p t o 60 you n g i n d i vi d u a l s
fr om all differ en t pr ovin ces an d cit ies. Our
t ar get yout h come fr om backgr ounds such as
abused, exploit at ion, t rafficked, suffered family
displacemen t due t o ur ban izat ion , or bein g
economically disadvantaged.
An Innovative Social
Enterprise on
the World Stage
By Jimmy Pham
(KOTO Founder and International CEO)
trinhnt.hn@koto.com.au
Wh a t Th ey Offer
KOTO offer s t he full package t o it s t r ainees
including 24 mont hs accommodat ion, t r aining
in the hospitality industry, English and life skills,
meals, uniforms, health checks and even a small
training allowance each month for trainees all
completely free.
When n ew r ecr uit s come in t o t he KOTO
program, they can immediately feel that KOTO is a
IumIIy whIch cures ubouL uII oLhers. rom Lhe hrsL
day they arrive, they are greeted and taken care of
by trainees of older classes (or their big brothers
and sisters).
These yout h will go on a 24-mont h journey
where they must learn not just vocational training
but also values such as tolerance, patience, and
harmony.
Every trainee at KOTO is different, they come
from different places, speak different dialects and
have different personalities, and at KOTO, as a big
family, they learn to embrace the differences and
cultural diversities.
KOTO is also a place where big smiles bring
promise of love, compassion, and securit y. The
staff works hard because we believe we can make a
difference to the lives of the youth in our care.
We s t r i ve t o n u r t u r e ou r t r a i n ees i n t o
becoming less vulner able. We inst ill in t hem a
happy confidence that will transform them into
well r ounded individuals. We do t his t hr ough
teamwork, compassion and trust in each other.
When we gr ow, we gr ow t oget her . KOTO
started out in 1999 with a small sandwich shop in
Hanoi, with only nine trainees in the first class.
We now have 100 trainees currently in training
and a beaut iful r est aur ant -bar over looking t he
Temple of Literature. Its reputation and success is
through the hard work of the staff, current trainees
and over 30 0 gr aduat es which KOTO Hanoi
has pr oduced over t he year s for t he booming
hospitality industry.
Exp a n d in g Ho Ch i Min h Cit y
In 2009, we r eplicat ed t he Hanoi model in Ho
Chi Minh Cit y, ext ending t he KOTO family t o
t he sout h, offer ing mor e oppor t unit ies for t he
disadvantaged youth.
When KOTO SuIgon hrsL sLurLed, Lhe sLuII und
alumni from KOTO Hanoi was there to support the
LruInIng und heI wILh Lhe seL u oI Lhe hrsL cIuss.
Following in the footsteps of Hanoi, KOTO Saigon
is also t r aining up t o 10 0 on t he job t r ainees
at a busy r est aur ant . An inaugur al gr aduat ion
t o celebrat e KOTO Saigons first t wo classes of
trainees will be held in J uly this year.
Th e s u c c e s s o f t h e KOTO mo d e l h a s
been r ecognized by t he I nt er nat ional Labour
Or ga n i za t i on ( I LO) i n a r e p or t on you t h
employment initiatives. Last year, I was very proud
to be honored as a Young Global Leader 2011 by
the World Economic Forum. This further placed
us on the world stage as the KOTO model further
soared into the international spotlight.
Ch a llen ges Br in g Fr u it
Success did not come all that easy for us. We have
faced many challenges over the last couple of years
due Lo Lhe gIobuI hnuncIuI crIsIs.
Limited funding, rising costs of living as well as
InuLIon were Lough buLLIes Ior us. We needed Lo
keep costs down but we didnt want to compromise
on the care we give to our trainees nor the quality
of our training.
Also maint aining compet it ive salar ies and
capacit y building for our st aff t o sust ain our
growth were also challenges we had to go through.
Const ant adjust ment s t o t he model have
t o be made t o be able t o adapt t o chan gin g
circumstances but our value of being a family did
not change.
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1. Vo Huu Thuong Class 4 KOTO HCM
2. KOTO Anual Field Trip 2011
K
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TOWARDS NEW HUMANISMAND EIU
:
NEVER GIVEINTO CYNICISMAND DESPAIR
An Interview with Professor Fred R. Dallmayr
1. Could you please tell us how you rst got interested
in UNESCO and began to take part in UNESCOs
activities?
As you know, UNESCO is a branch of the United Nations.
Having exper ienced Wor ld War I I as a child, I have
been committed to the goal of the UNthe goal of peace
and global cooper at ionfr om t he ver y beginning. By
emphasizing t he r ole of educat ion, UNESCO makes a
crucial contribution to the world community, because it is
through cross-cultural education that global cooperation
becomes possible. It was in the 1980's that I first became
act ively involved in UNESCO, init ially in t he Kor ean
National Commission for UNESCO (KNCU). KNCU invited
me to UNESCO meetings in Asia. In this way I also became
acquainted with UNESCO people from Paris, especially the
section chairs in philosophy and the social sciences. In the
1990's I began to be invited to World Philosophy Days
sponsored by UNESCO and thus, I participated in many
such days, for example, in Paris, Morocco, Moscow and
other cities of the world.
2. You were a research scholar in India at the
University of Baroda from 1991 to 1992 and later
worked on books related to India. Could you explain
how your interest in India started?
My interest and involvement in India started in 1984. I was
invited to participate in a political philosophy conference
at the University of Baroda. The conference was organized
by Dr. Bhikhu Parekh who t hen was Vice Chancellor of
that university (and later became a professor in England
and still more recently a member of the House of Lords).
At t he 1984 confer ence t her e wer e some people fr om
Europe and America, but the majority came from different
par t s of India. Thus, I became acquaint ed wit h many
Indian int ellect uals and colleagues. Subsequent ly t hey
invited me to come back to India and to lecture at their
universities and colleges. This I did for the next fifteen or
twenty years. I developed a keen interest in Indian history,
culture, and philosophy. Together with Dr. Ganesh Devi,
I t hen put t oget her t he volume Bet ween Tradit ion and
Modernit y : Indias Search f or Ident it y . The book was
meant to introduce readers to the great diversity of cultural,
intellectual, and religious strands or traditions in India.
3. As a professor of philosophy, what is your opinion
about philosophy in Asia?
For a long t ime, philosophy in Asia has been neglect ed
and even dismissed by some West er n philosopher s, on
the assumption that the only real philosophy is Western.
Having studied Indian philosophy, and later also East Asian
philosophy (Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism), I knew
that this was wrong. So I became involved in the Society
for Asian and Comparative Philosophy (SACP) and during
2004-2005, I served as its president. This was for me a great
learning experience, as the meetings of this Society bring
together experts in both Indian and East Asian philosophy.
4. You agreed it is problematic that todays colleges
and universities are reducing or eliminating the
humanities or liberal arts programs due to the
growing needs of professional training in order to
raise employment rate of their graduates. This trend
is also being observed in the Asia-Pacific. In your
opinion, what are some ways we can change this
trend and let people recognize the importance of the
humanities?
The st at us of t he humanit ies and liber al ar t s pr ogr ams
today is very fragile or precarious in many countries (both
in t he West and t he East ). The main reason is a cert ain
development or growth ideology which places all the
emphasis on economic productivity and technical know-
how. Thus, students are channeled mainly into professional
careers which promise t he highest individual and social
pay-off. In some cases, humanities programs are sharply
cur t ailed or else ent ir ely eliminat ed. Univer sit ies ar e
incr easingly being st r uct ur ed like cor por at e business;
manager s at such univer sit ies do not under st and t he
language and concer ns of t he facult y in liber al ar t s. To
counter this trend will require a sustained educational effort
and a willingness of public intellectuals to sound the alarm.
(Martha Nussbaum's book Not for Profit is precisely one
such wake-up call.)
5. I n one of your i nt er vi ews r egar di ng SNS
(Social Networking Sites), you mentioned that
we need to teach the youth about how to truly
communicate with each other rather than to just
enjoy entertainment via SNS. In your opinion, would
you consider the concept of understanding in
Education for International Understanding (EIU) and
communication the same? If they are similar or
different, could you elaborate upon their similarities
or their differences?
I do n ot en t ir ely dismiss SNS; t o some ext en t , t hey
serve a therapeutic purpose by giving people (especially
young people) t he feeling of being socially connect ed
despite the fact that they live increasingly in an atomistic
world (governed by the profit motive). So people like to
communicate on Facebook, Twitter, and other media -
that is, communicate often with large groups of anonymous
st r anger s. But such communicat ion is not t he same as
dialogue and genuine understanding. On internet engines,
people just send to others blogs or tidbits of opinion or
Interview
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Professor Dallmayr at the World Humanities Forum 2011
36 SangSaeng 2012 Spring
Interview
information. What is lacking is real mutual engagement and care,
the probing and questioning of views, and thus the possibility of
humanistic learning. If communication is reduced to the exchange
of random tidbits, then it is just fun and gameswhich is far removed
from moral education and character formation.
6. SNS has led the way in bringing the Arab
Spri ng. How woul d you expl ai n the
relationship between SNS usage and
democracy?
In the Arab Spring, SNS has indeed
p l a yed t h e r ol e of a ca t a l ys t ,
b y a l e r t i n g ma n y p e op l e t o
gr i e va n ce s a n d t o wh a t i s
h a p p en i n g i n t h e s t r eet s .
Thus, many people became
democr at ic agent s for t he
fi r st t i me i n t h ei r li ves.
However , wh i le ser vi n g
a s s u ch a ca t a l ys t , SNS
does not have the capacity
t o s u s t a i n a movemen t
t owar d t h e cr eat i n g an d
consolidation of democracy.
This is demonst rat ed by t he
decay of t he Arab Spring in
most of the Near East (with the
possible except ion of Tunisia).
The point is t hat democr acy is not
just a moment ar y euphor ia. To build
democracy, one has to study the working of
existing democracies and also the teachings of
prominent democratic thinkers. Above all, democracy
requires the cultivation of democratic dispositions and character
qualities. This does not happen through SNS.
7. The international community is currently facing crises
caused by economic, environmental, and natural disasters. If
we assume that our time is an age of crisis, how should we
solve this? Moreover, how would you describe the term, new
humanism?
Ther e ar e indeed many cr ises confr ont ing humankind t oday:
geopolitical, economic, and ecological. Geopolitically, we face the
problem of continuous warfare and possibly the danger of a nuclear
holocaust. The needed remedy here is better diplomacy and an effort
to achieve military, especially nuclear, disarmament. Economically,
t he global melt down in recent years has demonst rat ed t he grim
failure of casino capitalism. The needed remedy here is to design
a new economics beyond t he pale of bot h neoliber alism and
communism. Ecologically, we face the danger of global warming
and resulting natural disasters. Here the remedy has
to be the reduction of greenhouse gases and
the resolute protection of our natural
habit at . What all t hese r emedies
have in common is the needed
cu r t a i l me n t of r a mp a n t
s e l f i s h n e s s a n d t h e
cultivation of a sense of
et hical r esponsibilit y
f o r o u r s h a r e d
wor ld. This is t he
point of t he new
human ism: n ot
a h u m a n i s m
defined by selfish
d omi n a t i on bu t
o n e s t r e s s i n g
t h e h u ma n r ol e
a s gu a r d i a n a n d
caretaker.
8 . T h e t i t l e o f
t h i s ma g a z i n e i s
S a n g S a e n g ( ) ,
which translates as living
t oget her, hel pi ng eac h
other, how would you define
the significance of SangSaeng in
promoting EIU?
The title of the magazine, SangSaeng, captures precisely the meaning
of the new humanism: namely, the emphasis on bringing together
and helping each other. In this manner, the magazine (in my view)
makes a real contribution to the much needed international or global
understanding through education.
9. Do you have any comments for SangSaengs readers?
My comments to the reader: study and take to heart the meaning
of SangSaeng. Also, never give up; never give in to cynicism and
despair. This world is still young and full of promise. We have to be
the keepers of this promise.
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Comic Relief
The Cries of the Trees
(Maldives)
In the pale light of the early morning, all the trees from a village assembled to hold a meeting. The king of the trees was
listening to complaints about the devastation brought on to their family members by the inhabitants of the village. Every tree
stood up, recounting their terrible plight, their voices trembling with emotion as they cried over their fate.
The other trees agreed and decided to nd a new home where they can live peacefully in a protected environment. After all,
the trees wanted to be treated with the same respect that humans share. Once it was decided, all the trees gathered in the
afternoon and left the place they called home for so long.
Upon arriving to their new home, the trees ran in a state of euphoric bliss into the densely wooded jungle. At their new home,
everything sparkled with beautifully eye-catching colors. One by one, they walked through the thickness of the jungle before
settling into their new habitat.
However, back in their old home, the villagers realized that they couldnt live without the trees. Whenever they found shade,
they would huddle trying to protect themselves from the pounding of the sun. They soon began to feel uncomfortable and
even sick. The trees also suffered from misery of loneliness. The undisturbed bliss came with a price of missing their former
human neighbors. One day, a team of trees secretly visited their old village to observe how their former neighbors were doing.
That is when they saw a terrible sight of people suffering. The trees sympathized with their former neighbors.
Laughing and feeling happy that they are needed again, the trees hurried back to their previous lives. Everything seemed
totally different from before. Feeling dizzy with incredible happiness to be together with the villagers, both trees and people
lived happily ever after.
We do not want to see the future generation of our young
shrubs live a life of misery. Were also part of the village just like
other living creatures. We should immediately leave this place
before the villagers cut down our mature.
Come on! Lets not waste any more
time. The once selsh villagers now
miss and respect us more than
before!
Wow! Everything here
is so magical. Lets go!
F
RED DALLMAYR is Packey J . Dee Pr ofessor in t he Depar t ment s of Philosophy and Polit ical Science at t he
Univer sit y of Not r e Dame. His fields of r esear ch ar e associat ed wit h compar at ive polit ical t heor y and cr oss-
cult ur al philosophy. He has also wr it t en numer ous influent ial books, including t he r ecent publicat ions of I n
Sear ch of t he Good Lif e: A Pedagogy f or Tr oubled Times (20 0 7), Dialogue among Civ ilizat ions: Some Exemplar y
Voices (20 0 2), and Bey ond Or ient alism: Essay s on Cr oss-Cult ur al Encount er (1996).
Story written by Aminath Zeeniya (Maldives), Comic drawn by Lim Guan Hong
This story was selected by the 2011 EIU Story Collection Project
38 SangSaeng 2012 Spring 2012 Spring SangSaeng 39 2012 Spring SangSaeng 39
I
m not a Facebook or Twitter addict but I know that if I
need Lo hnd u IrIend wenL Lo eIemenLury schooI wILh,
ucebook Is robubIy Lhe hrsL Iuce where shouId sLurL
looking.
I also know t hat t he Obama administ r at ion r egular ly
shares new updates to the public through their Twitter feed
and YouTube channel.
Theres no doubt that the advent of the social networking
culture has made the world a much smaller place by allowing
us to share and access information like never before.
In my opinion, such a development has and continues
to drive a sense of open community, where we feel the need
t o be act ive part icipant s of t he global societ y, who are t o
some degree having an impact on education for international
understanding.
Reelin g Wor ld t h r ou gh Vid eo
The most engaging form of internet media available to us today
is undoubtedly that of video. Everyone from news channels to
online travel agents incorporate videos to provide the user with
a visually appealing form of their story or product.
Thunks Lo Lhe Inuence oI YouTube, our vIdeo exerIence
in the modern day has become a very social experience with
abilities to comment, rate and even get a sense of the videos
popularity through view counter. In real terms, a person or
entitys success can be measured by the popularity of their
content on the much more socially active internet.
Such a system reminds me of the video store we had in the
neighborhood I grew up in.
A customer simply walked through the narrow aisles of
VHS tapes and DVDs to make their selections, then went
up to the front desk to checkout. The store clerk recorded
the members name and ID next to the movie titles ID in a
large ledger like book. There were no computers involved;
just a large manually maintained database of movies and
members with their associated dates.
Befor e we chose a movie, my fr iends and I always
reIerred Lo LhuL Iedger Lo hnd Lhe mosL ouIur movIes und
the latest arrivals. The popular movies had more checkout
records by it s name while t he most recent movies were
entered on the last pages.
Subconsciously, we were using information shared
by oLher members Lo hnd conLenL LhuL enLerLuIned us. We
eit her t rust ed t he select ions of ot her people or we were
curious to see what all the fuss was about. Nevertheless, we
increased our chances of making a good selection by using
this method.
The current state of online videos can be compared to the
video store, except at a much larger scale with people from
every walk of life potentially viewing the exact same video.
Its a trend that helps videos go viral.
Th e Blockbu s t er of Vir a l
Popular videos get more views, leading to people sharing
the same via email, social network messages and more.
Soon enough Chr ist oph Rahages shor t video of his
4,000 kilometer walk through China becomes one of the
most viewed videos in the world. Such a system sees no
political or geographic boundaries.
People who wish to interact with the world, upload a
public video of their experience, art form or form of opinion.
By simply viewing this, we, as users, have chosen to take
time to indirectly interact with the creator.
I n cr easin g commen t s an d view coun t s pr obably
provides the creator with a nacreous sense of satisfaction; a
sense that the broader audience possibly appreciates his or
her work.
In an elementary sense, this is a form of community.
As t h e i n volvemen t of commun i t i es becomes mor e
prominent, this means additional avenues for impacting
and strengthening global understanding.
At a more global level, the video sourcing movement has
allowed us to gain deeper insights into the ways of life in
other parts of the world.
Vir a l Bu ild s Commu n it ies
Gr owing up, I was always cur ious t o see how penguins
mingled among each ot her . Now I can pr obably find a
couple dozen free videos on t he subject , all recorded by
people who want to share such a rare sight.
A community that has certainly advanced the spread of
new and innovative ideas is TED.
This organization holds conferences around the world
with lecturers discussing topics from fashion to gravitational
propulsion to the alien creatures at the very bottom of the
ocean. Their online dat abase of lect ure videos is hugely
successful on the internet and rank among the most shared
forms of content.
This shows not only that people are generally hungry for
new knowledge, but also that video is an idoneous medium
of absorbing this information.
Anot her mor e r ecent example of videos as a desir ed
medium is the popularity of Khan Academy, a source of free
online tutorial on mainly K-12 subjects.
With millions of daily views of their video lessons, Khan
Academy is setting a new shift in the way students learn
their material. In this case, the social aspect extends beyond
the internet to potentially shape someones career.
Socia l Sh a r in g Op en s Bor d er s
Thanks to the mass popularity of social sharing, we have
arrived at a time where our views and opinions of foreign
cuILures ure Iess Inuenced by Lhe medIu.
In retrospect, my understanding of East Asian cultures
was very different from what it is today.
Through videos of travel bloggers and friends who have
spent time in these countries, I now have a more realistic
insight into the cultural norms in these countries. It works
vice versa as well.
I n t odays econ omic en vir on men t , Asian Pacific
count ries are receiving plent y of at t ent ion as t he rising
power s. As t he number of for eigner s in t hese count r ies
grow due Lo u boomIng busIness eru, IL Is benehcIuI Lo guIn
an insight into their backgrounds as well, since a lot of the
management styles from the west are now being followed in
the east.
Western universities have long been regarded as ones
that offer a world class education. With top universities like
MIT and Stanford University offering online videos of the
some of their courses for free, such an education is more
readily available.
Subsequently, a keen enthusiast can expand on a real
world underst anding by list ening t o t he perspect ives of
notable leaders on the World Economic Forum channel.
Our voluntary participation on social networks is an
indication of our eagerness to reach out, far beyond our
immediate circles.
Perhus we do LhIs Lo hnd someLhIng LhuL LruIy cuLures
our int er est or maybe it s just anot her dimension of
interactivity in addition to our generally social lifestyle.
Whatever the case, our adoption of social media of all
forms is advancing us to an open global community where
we are constantly engaged in learning more about our world
by first expanding our out look on peace, human right s,
cultural diversity as well as sustainable development for the
promising future.
EIU That I Am Thinking Of
ENRICHING GLOBAL UNDERSTANDING
THROUGHONLINE VIDEOS
By Ajay George
(Graduate Student in Software Engineering, University of St. Thomas)
drajaygeorge@gmail.com
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40 SangSaeng 2012 Spring 2012 Spring SangSaeng 41 40 SangSaeng 2012 Spring
Letter
By Jesse M. Balinas
(Director, Integrated School, Angeles University Foundation, Philippines)
balinasjm@auf.edu.ph
Dear APCEIU,
Thank you so much for the opportunity to be included in the
forum of educators forming a sustainable network across the
AsIu-PucIhc regIon Lowurds u CuILure oI Peuce.
I left Clark International Airport on Wednesday at 12:50
a.m. on October 12, 2011. The Kapampangan language with
intermittent Filipino filled the air while sparse Korean was
heard within close distance. Approximately four hours at
39,700 feet and 2,026 kilometers away, the plane landed at
Incheon International Airport.
I r eceived t he applicat ion t o par t icipat e in t he 2nd
Asia-Pacific Leadership Academy for School Principals on
Educat ion for Diver sit y on August 8, 2011. Ther e is one
recurring thought in my mind. Coming from an archipelagic
country, the Philippines with 1,707 islands (depending on the
tide, it could be one island less when its high tide); I came
with a lot of issues to share with others concerning diversity.
Preparing t he document s for t he APCEIU Leadership
Academy proved to be educational. Simply by organizing all
the things that I would need to meaningfully participate is
another learning experience for me.
I st uffed among my belongings souvenir s fr om t he
Philippines t o be given or exchanged. One of t he most
engaging on my list is t o pr epar e ever yt hing needed for
making a kite. I brought materials, songs, and a video of kites
from my country.
Kit es ser ved as a common denominat or among t he
participants. It was so enlightening that kites, no matter how
simple, have played a crucial role in all of our childhoods. The
urL oI yIng und mukIng kILes LuughL us dIIIerenL skIIIs needed
to succeed in life. Some that came to mind are interpersonal
skills, socialization, diplomacy and creativity among others.
We will never cross the same river twice. The next time
we meet we will be different individuals. The gist of learned
concepts is:
1. Education for International Understanding
is not International education.
2. Diversity is a double-edged sword
3. Human Rights has ABCD
4. Pedagogy means leading a child
5. We learned to be children again
poem writing, kite making, dancing, singing and
ultimately, making friends through the Sister School
Programme.
APCEIU built in us the capacity to hit the ground running.
The ball is in our hands now. Let the view that Education for
International Understanding by Dr. Samuel Lee (2011/ 10/ 13)
persistently echo in our minds as we think about the next
st eps t o t ake. We owe it t o our schools. We owe it t o t he
world. We owe it to the children.
Fellow alumni of the Leadership Academy, until we meet
again! I really enjoyed everything about Seoul, Republic of
Korea .
In closing, I was at Incheon Int ernat ional Airport on
Wednesday at 2:50 p.m. of October 19, 2011. The Korean
lan guage filled t he air as spar se Kapampan gan wit h
intermittent Filipino was heard. Approximately four hours
at 39,700 feet and 2,026 kilometers on, the plane landed at
Diosdado Macapagal (Clark) International Airport. My travel
has come full circle.
Thank you APCEI U for making my exper ience and
understanding richer and deeper than ever.
Sincerely yours,
The Pleasant Surprises from EIU
Special Report
T
he sea gypsies of this earth, travelling throughout
the worlds oceans and seas are comprised of three
different tribes, living in three different regions.
The Moken from the Andaman Sea inhabit the borders
of Thailand and Myanmar, the Badjau, native of the Sulu
Archipelago, live along the borders of the Philippines and
Borneo, and the Vezo from the Mozambique Sea reside near
the island of Madagascar.
The similar it ies t hat t hese t hr ee n omadic t r ibes
present, in terms of livelihood and cultures, have led some
anthropologists to state that all three tribes were driven as
far as Africa by a sea current from a monsoon originating
around Malaysia, where they all originated.
Th e Moken t h e St r in g of Life a n d
Dea t h Des t in ed by t h e Sea
Unlike other diasporas who initially had a country of origin
but were forced to leave their homeland for one reason or
another, the Moken people have always lived at sea, without
a nationality that naturally pertains to people living on land.
Throughout their history, the Moken have moved along the
shoreline of the Malay Archipelago and have today migrated
to the south of Myanmar.
There are currently approximately 2,000 Moken people
living in the Mergui Archipelago in the Andaman Sea, where
about 800 small islands are spread.
The Moken ar e bor n at sea and die at sea; when a
child is born, t he umbilical cord is t hrown int o t he sea.
Their house is a kabang, a small wooden boat made t o
accommodate them while they roam the seas during eight
to nine months a year.
They usually set up their life in the coral reef region, in
the shallower part of the sea, but they take their boats to the
deeer regIon Lo hsh durIng Lhe dry seusons. Come Lhe ruIny
season, they stay in their small cabins built on one of the
shores of the small surrounding islands, and wait until the
monsoon reaches an end.
The Moken hnd LheIr euce on Iund, burIed, uILer LheIr
death, in the hopes that they may start anew on land in their
next life.
SOULS WANDERING ABOVE WATER:
THE SEA GYPSIES
By Jong-Woo Park
(Director, Indivision Production, Republic of Korea)
gangdo@gmail.com
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(L) Making Korean traditional kites
(R) The Cultural Night
People at the Surin Islands still use their harpoons to fish
The ability of the sea gypsies to see underwater is twice as better and more
accurate than the average person. The difference in the density of the air and
water does not allow our eyes to find their focus under water. However, the
Moken eusIIy munuge Lo hnd smuII hsh or cIums underwuLer wILhouL uny heI.
Furthermore, they are able to dive 25 meters under water without any diving
equImenL, where Lhey hnd hsh und cIums uII Lhe whIIe hoIdIng LheIr breuLh.
Bein g On e wit h Na t u r e, Not a Met a p h or
Wind is an essential part of their life ever since their birth and they learn to live
with it. They predict the wind and waves by observing the wind and the sea. A
sIngIe dI oI LheIr hnger InLo Lhe wuLers cun LeII Lhem where Lhey ure IocuLed und
how long it will take them to reach their destination. J ust like we on earth have
names for each hill and mountain and remember them by such, each Moken has
a map of the sea in his or her mind.
During the monsoon season, the large amount of rain forces them to stay in
LheIr ouLIng homes Lhey buIId uIong Lhe seushore. AILhough u ouLIng home muy
resenL beLLer IIvIng condILIons Lhun u bouL, Lhe dIIhcuILIes und hurdshI oI LheIr
daily lives still persist.
Water is scarce and precious, and a rainy day suddenly becomes a busy day
for everyone, who makes sure to preserve every drop of the falling rain. The
tropical storm that pours down on them nearly every day allows them to survive;
for without drinking water, living at sea would be impossible.
Needless to say, there is no electricity at sea and once the sun sets, one is
forced to stay inside the house during the long night, until another day comes.
If by any misfortune, the storm rages on, the inhabitants can only pray the
seu hnds ILs cuIm uguIn, wILhouL uny romIse LhuL LheIr IIves wIII be sured durIng
the storm.
Th e Moken a ft er t h e Ts u n a mi
The Moken sea gypsies have become known wor ldwide aft er t hey sur vived
the 2005 Southeast Asian tsunami. The tsunami had always been a legendary
cataclysm passed on from generation to generation like a myth among the sea
gypsies.
Once the calm sea draws back, an enormous wave will come and engulf the
island.
On the day of the tsunami, the Moken used their wisdom and prediction of
the sea, which had been passed down to them from their ancestors, and managed
to escape to the mountains. However, the natural disaster completely changed
their lives.
The Thai government, judging the sea had become too dangerous to live on,
introduced the Moken to a refugee camp on land. Conflict and disagreement
arose between the younger generation, who wanted to stay on land, and the older
generation, who wished to go back to the sea, their home. Whereas the former
had experienced a new culture and way of life on land and saw it as an escape
from the harsher life at sea, the latter perceived the sea as the only thing they had
known, and thus, the foundation of their life, and wished to go back.
Since the tsunami, many sea gypsies have forcefully been migrated to land,
without any consideration for their own opinions, and have been restrained from
going back to the sea. The Thai call them Chao Ley (people of the sea), and those
among the sea gypsies that decide to accept the Thai culture and to stay on land
in houses built for them along the coast are called Thai Mai, meaning New Thais.
Although these Thai Mai possess Thai nationality, the Moken who still reside
at sea, are not conferred any nationality.
Special Report
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While a wife rows their kabang, a husband fishes in the sea
Special Report
A Th ou s a n d -yea r Lon g Tr a d it ion a n d
Livelih ood a t Da n ger
The sea, where the sea gypsies used to live and work had
initially provided them with everything.
The Moken have traditionally used their diving skills
and their harpoons to fish. They always caught the exact
amount of fish they needed and never thought of selling
the remaining fish to others. The only sea products they
soId In Lhe murkeL were Lhose Lhey hshed such us drIed seu
cucumber, conch or clams.
However, trawlers from Thailand and Myanmar have
recently begun combing the sea with their giant fish nets
quickly reducing t he number of fish t he sea gypsies can
catch.
Fur t h er mor e, si n ce t h e t sun ami , t h e con cer n ed
governments have forbidden any diving activity from the
sea gypsies for reasons related to environmental protection.
Those who are actually responsible for drying out the sea
from its natural resources are now forbidding a small group
of people who have been living for thousands of years off
the sea without any trouble.
As trawlers are getting more active in Myanmar as well,
patrol boats disguised as trawlers roam the waters looking
for boats belonging to sea gypsies and inflicting a severe
punishment without mercy.
Seeing their survival being threatened, there are more
and more Moken who leave the sea and change their lives
and careers to work in mines and farms, or who become
subordinate to ship-owners from Myanmar and Thailand,
similar to tenants.
The gover nment s in Myanmar and Thailand have a
common plan of forcing the sea gypsies to stay in one place
and transforming them into tourist attractions but all the
while hesitating to allow them a nationality.
The Moken have always gone back and forth from land
to sea freely, in harmony with the rotation of dry seasons
and monsoons. Nevertheless, they stand today uncertain of
whether they will be able to continue the life their ancestors
have pursued for thousands of years.
(Translated by Seulgie Lim)
Peace in My Memory
I
n the Philippines, like in many other countries in Southeast Asia, food is one vital component among the many facets
of community life. Whenever people come together for a meeting or simply to hang out with friends, food is always
a part of the community experience. When a family member, for example, leaves for a trip, the rest of the family will
send her or him off with food or, at least, something to eat so that they will not go hungry along the way. Upon there return,
that person would usually bring "pasalubong" or gifts for the family and friends, which would always include food among
many other gifts.
Food and eating together is a way of life among Filipinos. It is a social ritual. Whenever there is food, fellowship among
those present is its spontaneous outcome.
My personal experiences suggest that eating together, particularly with loved ones and friends, is therapeutic. Food,
when shared within this context, becomes a means of experiencing a sense of belonging and security. It connects individuals
to a group by giving each person a sense of security and of being part of a community.
Food and eating together transcends personal boundaries. I observe that most Filipinos are open to letting go of
inhibitions when they are eating together especially within their circle of friends. The rapport that they establish reinforces
this communal spirit. It fosters a much closer relationship and somehow brings them a much higher level of bonding.
Hello Ha lo-Ha lo
One typical Filipino dessert that would best describe this synergy is "halo-halo," which literally means mix-mix. Halo-halo is
actually a blend of exotic fruit, milk, and ice cream. This delightful fare is served colorfully stacked on shaved ice. On a warm
summer day, this popular iced dessert is so refreshing that it cools the body and mind.
WhuL Is so umuzIng ubouL huIo-huIo Is LhuL you cun LusLe Lhe dIsLIncL uvors oI ILs IngredIenLs. They uII bIend LogeLher wILhouL
necessarily losing their particularities so to speak. This is what makes halo-halo utterly delicious and special among Filipinos.
In order to come up with a perfect blend, every serving has to have an equal amount of ingredients to keep the balance
LIVING
IN HARMONY
By Al Fuertes
(Assistant Professor, George Mason University)
afuertes@gmu.edu
1
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1. The Sea
Gypsies live
and work
in oating
homes. A
mother wears
rice powder
to protect her
skin from the
strong light of
the sun
2. Children of
the Sea
Gypsies
usually swimin
the sea or y
kites on their
oating homes
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Halo-halo
Peace in My Memory
REVIVING SHAMANIC TRADITIONS
IN NORTHEAST CHINA
By Kun Shi
(Director, Confucius Institute, University of South Florida)
kshi@usf.edu
Understanding the Asia-Pacic Region
T
hese days, the term shamanism has caught increasing attention from both the researchers and
laypersons. Indeed, publications and popular media about shamans and shamanic healing can be
found everywhere.
A 2009 New York Times headline article (A Doctor for Disease, A Shaman for Soul) increased the
awareness of Asian shamans in the English-speaking world. In 2010, the ifeng Television Network in China
aired a series of shows about a Daur female shaman (Siqingua) that reached millions of viewers in China.
The word shaman came from the Tungus-speaking groups living in todays Siberia and northeast
China. It means he or she who knows. (People in other parts of Asia have various names for shamans,
such as b in Mongolian and mudang in Korean.) Shamans are the most knowledgeable persons in
traditional communities. They are either chosen by the spirits or hereditary, but they become shamans
of flavors, ot herwise t oo much of anyt hing may
ruin the entire delicacy. This is the secret of a halo-
halo.
On e may say t h at t h e effect may n ot be
necessar ily t hat bad since all t he ingr edient s,
except the sugar, milk, and ice cream, are simply
just fruit. However, if there is more of a particular
kind of fruit in a serving, the overall taste of a halo-
halo dish as a concoction, may not yield its desired
resuIL becuuse Lhe uvor oI LhuL cerLuIn IruIL wouId
dominate this dessert at the expense of the rest.
Ha lo-h a lo a s a Symbol
Halo-halo is being r efer r ed t o by many as an
excellent met aphor t o descr ibe int er per sonal
relationships among Filipinos and what it means
to live together in this setting.
I t s r e l e va n ce b e come s mor e a p p a r e n t
especially when understood from the perspective
of a communit y t hat values int er dependence
and ext ended family t ies. Her e, each member
contributes, in whatever way possible, towards a
common welfare that is the preservation of their
r espect ive families and t he building up of t he
community as a whole.
On the other hand, the metaphor also indicates
that when one person, an organization or a group,
for example, dominat es t he int er nal affair s of
a par t icular societ y, or if one par t icular ent it y
attempts to absorb what others can contribute in
strengthening their relationships and community
life, the overall dynamics of the entire system will
be affect ed. In ot her words, when one want s t o
dominate, the rest are deprived from utilizing their
potential towards a common goal.
What the metaphor of a halo-halo tells us is
that any community ought to have a kind of social
dynamic where the contributions of its members,
i n wh at ever possi ble way, wi ll be mut ually
benehcIuI und suLIsIyIng Lo uII.
Ha l o - h a l o r e mi n d s me o f t h e ki n d o f
community that many children and young people
fr om ar ound t he wor ld dr eam about for t heir
future. They dream of a community characterized
by u n i t y a n d a r e a bl e t o l i ve p ea cefu l l y i n
coexist ence and in solidar it y wit h one anot her
for the common good of everyone no matter their
aspirations, talents, abilities or walks of life.
Reflect ing on t he dynamics of t he differ ent
ingredient s in a halo-halo dish, t he meaning of
unity, therefore, is not uniformity or sameness but
rather harmony in diversity.
* Pr of essor Al Fuer t es i s Ph. D i n Con f li ct
Analysis and Resolution. He travels around the
world working for peace and trauma healing
wit h children, y oung people, and communit y
leaders.
1
1. Prof. Fuertes and his family having
dinner together, Surigao City,
Philippines
Oroqen shaman Chuonnasuan (Meng Jinfu) and his wife
A
l F
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te
s
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b e ca u s e o f t h e i r u n i q u e e xp e r i e n ce a n d
extraordinary qualities.
The present author has documented shamans
of sever al et hnic gr oups in nor t heast China,
including t he Daur , Ewenki, Manchu, Mongol,
and Or oqen. Shamans of all gr oups ar e highly
respected by their people and function as spiritual
leaders and healers. They all use drums and chants
to connect with the spirits. Below is a virtual tour
of the shamanic cultures in that part of the world.
Ma n ch u in J ilin
If you have watched the movie, The Last Emperor,
you ma y h a ve r emember ed a s cen e wi t h a
shamanic ritual in the Forbidden City. Shamans
played an important role among the Manchu in the
past and are increasingly popular today in rural
areas. Over the last three decades, a number of
Manchu scholars have published extensively and
portrayed shamanism as the backbone of Manchu
identity.
The trend helped establish several centers and
museums on shamanic cultures. For example, the
hrsL MuseumIor ShumunIc CuILure wus esLubIIshed
at Changchun Universit y in May 2006. Around
the same time, a theme park focused on shamanic
culture opened in the suburb of Changchun, capital
cit y of J ilin. Wit h advice fr om r esear cher s and
shamans, the park incorporated shamanic symbols
and rituals. Visitors can even experience a series
of tests designed upon a shamans initiation rite.
These are helpful in educating the public about
shamanism; they also serve as centers for research
on shamanism for local and international scholars.
As a result, selected novices are getting trained by
master Manchu shamans to carry on the tradition.
Or oqen in Heilon gjia n g
The Oroqen is one of the smallest ethnic groups in
China. Once nomadic, most of the Oroqen today
live in per manent villages locat ed sout h of t he
Heilong (Amur) River.
Wit h t he help of my colleagues in China
and a grant from the Wenner-Gren Foundation,
Richard Noll and I visited a number of shamans
in northeast China in 1994, including the Oroqen
shaman, Chuonnasuan (Meng Jinfu). We were able
to document the life and practices of the Oroqen
shaman, alt hough he was no longer pr act icing
healing rituals.
Du r i n g t h e t r i p , we fou n d t h a t Ch i n a s
nat ional CCTV had made a document ary about
Chuonnasuan, entitled The Last Mountain Spirit.
We wer e happy t o see him becoming a her oic
figure on the Chinese national television but felt
sad that he might be the last Oroqen shaman.
Da u r , Ewen ki a n d Mon gols in
I n n er Mon golia
East ern part of Inner Mongolia is t he cradle of
surviving shamans of various ethnic groups. Since
1994, I have made four r esear ch t r ips t o Inner
Mongolia to study shamans of the Daur, Ewenki,
and Mongols. I have documented extensively and
ubIIshed some heId reorLs (In journuIs Shaman
and Shamanism). One r epor t in Shamanism
(Spr ing 20 0 6) descr ibed a r eviving shamanic
tradition among the Mongols, including a young
Mongolian with a Ph.D. who was going to become
a shaman.
1
2
1. 22-meter tall shaman statue on top of
the Morin Dawa Museum of Shamanic
Culture
2. Siqingua making divination diagnosis
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The most exciting experience I had was with
the Daur people. The 2010 census records a total
populat ion of 132,400 Daur. Most of t hem live
in t he Mor in Dawa Daur Aut onomous Banner
(County) that borders Heilongjiang. The shamanic
t r adit ion among t he Daur is so st r ong t hat t he
local gover nment built a museum dedicat ed t o
shamanismt he lar gest in t he wor ld. On t op
of t he museum, t here is a 22-met er t all bronze
st at ue of a shaman beat ing a drum, present ing
the supernatural power of the shaman. Displayed
inside the museum are more than three hundred
exhibit pieces of shamans costumes, drums, and
other items from eight ethnic groups: the Daur,
Ewen ki, Hezhen , Kor ean , Man chu, Mon gol,
Oroqen, and Sibe.
I vi s i t e d t wo Da u r s h a ma n s a n d t h e i r
appr en t i ces i n Mor i n Dawa an d Hulun bui r
(Hailar), and all of t hem are women. The most
powerful among them is Siqingua, who became a
shaman at the age of 48 in 1998. She is so popular
t hat her clinic is oft en full of client s; some
coming from as far as Mongolia and Russia. She
uses various techniques for treatment, including
drumming, chanting, seeking help from the spirits,
divination, and sometimes herbs. The unique thing
about Siqingua is that she takes notes of diagnosis
of each client. She has trained several shamans and
attended or presented at international conferences
on shamanism.
7KH6LJQLFDQFHRI6KDPDQLF
Cu lt u r e
Shamanism is an essential part of the traditional
cult ur es in Nor t heast Asia. In r ecent decades,
t he Chinese gover nment implement ed mor e
liber al policy t owar ds shamanism, which has
given rise t o t he revival of shamanic t radit ions
among many ethnic groups in China. This trend
contributes to preserving and enriching cultural
diversity of the region. It also helps to maintain
the age-old tradition of shamanic healing. If the
Russian scholar Shirokogoroff (who published The
Psychoment al Complex of t he Tungus in 1935)
were alive today, he would be happy to see dozens
of books on shamanism. We owe a gr eat deal
t o t hose who have cont ribut ed t o t he revival of
shamanic tradition in Northeast Asia.
1
2
3
1. Mongolian Serenchin in 1995
2. Richard Noll and Kun Shi with Manchu
shaman Guan Bairong in 1994
3. Daur shaman Siqingua drumming for
her clients
APCEIU in Action
20 12 Ca p a cit y Bu ild in g Wor ks h op s for
Niger ia n Ed u ca t ion Ad min is t r a t or s a n d
Sch ool Tea ch er s
T
wo Capacity Building Workshops for Nigerian Educators were held
in Korea from 4 to 18 March and 1 to 22 April 2012. 9 education
administrators and 23 teachers respectively came from Nigeria to participate
in the workshops. The workshops provided lectures on education in Korea,
study visits, cultural experience programmes, and teacher-exchange
workshops. Moreover, it led the participants to develop a national action plan
to enhance the basic education in Nigeria.
By Soyoun PARK (sypark@unescoapceiu.org)
20 12 ROK-Mon golia Tea ch er
Exch a n ge Pr ogr a mme
T
he official opening ceremony of the 2012 ROK-Mongolia Teacher
Exchange Programme was held in Seoul, Korea on 13 April 2012. With
aims to strengthen the capacity of teachers and exchange the expertise of
the participating countries, the programme welcomed 19 Korean teachers
and 20 Mongolian teachers. The participants will have in-depth experiences
in education systems, cultures, and languages of hosting countries through
the programme. Before dispatching the teachers to the selected schools,
the programme provided them with 2-week long pre-departure and
local adjustment trainings that consisted of lectures, practicum, visits to
education-related institutes, and cultural experiences.
By Kwang-Hee KIM (khkim@uescoapceiu.org)
A Gu id ebook f or Tea ch in g EI U a n d MDGs
A
PCEIU has published A Guidebook for
Teaching EIU and MDGs, which brings
together the idea of borderless world beyond the
education system into the reality of international
development. The guidebook provided alternative
of perspectives in viewing EIU as the foundation
of human devel opment through the mul ti -
dimensional lenses of cultural diversity, pedagogy
of teaching, peace education, and international
development. The guidebook also presents handy
tips on designing and managing a teacher training workshop for educators.
Sponsored by the UNDP Special Unit for South-South Cooperation, this
guidebook seeks to back up the building blocks of MDGs achievement
toward a Culture of Peace.
By Dewi Octaliza BARNAS (dewi.barnas@unescoapceiu.org)
St or yt ellin g DVD Tellin g Ta les f r om Sou t h ea s t
As ia a n d Kor ea
T
he storytelling DVD Telling Tales from
Sout heast Asi a and Korea present s
26 l ocal fol ktal es and 2 new stori es from
Southeast Asia and Korea. As a continuation of
collaboration between APCEIU and SEAMEO
to develop multimedia materials for multicultural
education, APCEIU turned the book Telling
Tales from Southeast Asia and Korea: Teachers
Guide (2011) into a more user friendly format
by producing an audio-visual storytelling DVD.
The package also contains a manual for teachers to refer to when telling the
stories in classroom settings.
By Chan WOO (cwoo@unescoapceiu.org)
Dis s emin a t ion of EI U Bes t Pr a ct ices Ser ies
Nu mber s 22 t o 26
E
IU Best Practices series numbers
22 to 26 have been published and
disseminated to National Commissions
for UNESCO, UNESCO Head Offices,
UNESCO Regional Offices, and other
educational institutions throughout the
Asia-Pacic region and beyond.
The details of all series are as follows:
Series No. 22: Teaching Indigenous Knowledge towards Environmental
Conservation: A Case Study of Camp Ebiil in Palau (Palau)
Series No. 23: Peace Education for School Leadership: A Case Study of
PEACeXCELS in the Philippines (Philippines)
Series No. 24: Innovative Practice of Inter-disciplinary Implementation of
EIU based on World Heritages (China)
Series No. 25: School-based In-service Programme (Bhutan)
Series No. 26: Promotion of EIU through Multilingual Education (Nepal)
All series are also available for download on APCEIU website.
By Supatra PONPIBOON (supatra@unescoapceiu.org)
Comic Book Hello! Globa l Cit iz en s
A
new educat i onal comi c book on
mul t i cul t ural i sm and i nt er nat i onal
understanding for primary and secondary
students has been added to the APCEIUs
publications. Hello! Global Citizens aims
t o hel p st udent s bet t er underst and t he
importance of international understanding.
With participation of 13 artists, the comic book
boasts as the first of its kind in bringing forth
the values of UNESCO in Korea. The book also
hopes to establish pride and identity within the multicultural families living in
Korea and instill a sense of togetherness as global citizens to the general
public.
By Jeehyeon KIM (jeehyeon@unescoapceiu.org)
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52 SangSaeng 2012 Spring
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