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Customs of child delivery of the Muong ethnic minority group, in Kim Boi district, Hoa Binh province

The article describes customs of taboos during pregnancy and child delivery of the Muong women. Among those taboos, many are related to the customs of eating and drinking. The aim of such taboos is to protect the health of the mother and the newborn. At present, some taboos no longer exist thanks to the system of State healthcare services.

Food processed from rice and related customs of the Japanese in Shizuoka

Shizuoka is a province located near the center of Japan and bordering the Pacific Ocean. Food processed from rice grains of the people in the province include plain rice, steamed sticky rice, porridge and assorted cakes. The article also tells about customs relating to these foods in rituals and daily life.

Forms of new transmission of some ethnic group and the feudal regime in Vietnam

The article tells about traditional forms of transmitting news of some ethnic groups such as the use of symbols to show ownership and taboos, the use of sounds produced by instruments such as drums, gongs, wooden bells, etc., and others. It also describes forms of news transmission of the feudal regime such as the building of news transmitting stations and regulations with provisions on rewards and punishments associated with news transmission.

Integration of and changes to Viet-Cham culture through religious beliefs around Cham Towers

When living in the old land of the Cham people in Central Vienam, the Viet people had lived harmoniously with the Cham Tower-a religious architectural work of that ethnic group. Their behavior developed along different lines, such as the building of places of worship around Cham towers but separate from them; the building of pagodas next to the towers with roads leading to the towers so that after visiting the pagodas people can go to visit the towers; the use of the tower's objects of worship as objects of worship in the pagodas and the use of the old towers of the Cham as places of worship; ect.

Local knowledge-a theoretical approach

The article points to the similarities and differences between the concepts: local knowledge, indigenous knowledge and traditional knowledge. According to the author, local knowledge is understood as some knowledge including indigenous knowledge and traditional knowledge which has accumulated, selected and handed down from one generation to another by residents who live in a specific area and have been affected by modern technology and science. The article also analyzes the relationship between local knowledge and local people and the context in which local knowledge came into existence. It briefly reviews this knowledge classification.

Presents-a form of community aid given at weddings

This article results from a survey of 21 households who had weddings between 2000 and 2003 in Bui village, Trinh Xa commune, Binh Luc district, Ha Nam province. Through the survey, the author asserts that presents have changed in accordance with socio-economic conditions, psychology and local preferences. Guests who come to wedding ceremonies and give presents are mainly relatives. The total sum of the presents in cash is often a little bit more than the cost of the wedding itself. It is noted that this is a type of aid given by the community and the wedding provindes an opportunity to set up a social netweork and maintain the exchanges of aid between the people.

Studies of fishing communities in Vietnam

The article tells about some typical groups of Vietnamese fisherfolk who live aboard their fishing boats, such as the Sin and Dan in the Bac Bo (Tonkin) Gulf, the Bo Lo in the North Central territorial waters, and the ha in the South Central territorial waters. The author analyzes their characteristics and lifestyles through their livelihoods, their residential patterns, their social structures, religions and beliefs. At present, there are some challenges to these communities in terms of the increasing exnhaustion of aquatic resources, difficulty in settlement, and poor services.

Studies of wickerwork materials of the Khmu ethnic minority group

The article is based on the result of research in Dinh Son I village, Huu Kiem commune, Ky Son district, Nghe An province. In this village, the craft of wickerwork is very developed among the Khmu people. Some of them have given up agricultural production to specialize in wickerwork. Recently, this craft in Dinh Son I village has received great attention from the local government as a solution to hunger eradication and poverty reduction. The article introduces ways to exploit, process and preserve some materials for the traditional wickerwork of the Khmu people.

The issue of preservation of Cham cultural heritage

The Cham tower architectural system has 225 relics, distributed from Thua Thien-Hue to binh Thuan province and in some Central Highlands provinces. The biggest obstacle to the preservation of the Cham towers is the failure to decode the secrets of their construction technology, construction materials and additives. According to the author, to preserve these cultural heritages, it is necessary first to correctly assess their real situation, then to adopt a policy to invest in researching, restoring, and conserving them so as to emphasize the values of the Cham cultural heritage.

The worship of Goddesses-local traditional beliefs of Vietnam

The Vietnamese have a tradition of worshiping the Goddess, resulting from the spiritual life of wet rice farmers. The most typical Goddesses worshipped by Vietnamese are Au Co, My Nuong, Man Nuong and Lieu Hanh. The article focuses on analyzing the worship of Lady Lieu. This practice is a fierce reaction to Confucian ideology which respects men and patriarchy and looks down upon the role of women and mothers. It is also in response to the infiltration of Catholicism into Vietnam.