HERstory: Southeast Asia

In this episode, we’ll examine the Burmese Women of the Khit Kala, the women of the times, the “It girls” of colonial Burma. Beginning in the 1920s, they were seen in magazines, advertisements, and newspapers, a clear and controversial symbol of change that mirrors what other women went through in the Southeast Asian colonial period. Thank you to our patrons: Yati, Charlie, Shereen, Matt, Raymond, Christina, Jennifer, Xiaomei by Milish, Beverly, Lawrence, and Airene. Airene joined the Patreon just last month so welcome and I hope you’re enjoying the additional content especially the bonus episodes! We have: An interview with Haldi Patra on the Minangkabau matriarchal society; Ma Ying Taphan and the Krom Klone; Nyai Gede Pinateh, the Harbour Master of Gresik; Queen Suriyothai and the War Elephants; Paz Marquez Benitez and Dead Stars; The Rise and Fall of the Acehnese Queens, 1641 to 1699; The Portrait of Dara Rasami; and The Women of No. 14 Lebuh Leith If you want to join the Patreon, you can give as little as $1 to get a copy of the show notes with all the references, a shout out at the end of the next episode, and of course access to the bonus Cover Photo: Two girls in new fashions at the Shwe Dagon Pagoda, 1947. Henri Cartier-Bresson. Tracks: Goddess of War - Unicorn Heads 1940's Slow Dance - Doug Maxwell_Media Right Productions Soothsayer - John Patitucci

Thank you to our patrons: Yati, Charlie, Shereen, Matt, Raymond, Christina, Jennifer, Xiaomeiby Milish, Beverly, Alyssa, and Lawrence. This is Part 3 of the series on Meet Me at the Manila Carnival. For 31 years, young women from across the country vied for the title of Miss Manila Carnival, then Miss Philippines, navigating racial prejudice and standards of beauty, and becoming an integral part of the nation-building process. Now, we’ll talk about the End of an Era, 1927-1939, the final years of the pageant before the outbreak of the Second World War. If you want to join the Patreon, you can give as little as $1 to get a copy of the show notes with all the references, a shout out at the end of the next episode, and access to bonus episodes. We have:  An interview with Haldi Patra on the Minangkabau matriarchal society; Ma Ying Taphan and the Krom Klone; Nyai Gede Pinateh, the Harbour Master of Gresik; Queen Suriyothai and the War Elephants; Paz Marquez Benitez and Dead Stars; The Rise and Fall of the Acehnese Queens, 1641 to 1699;  The Portrait of Dara Rasami; and The Women of No. 14 Lebuh Leith Tracks (Theme Music) Goddess of War by Unicorn Heads Buhat - Rudy Concepción and Rosario Moreno - Tunay na Ina (1939) Invisible Beauty by Aakash Gandhi Miss Universe Theme Main Title

We’re continuing our deep dive into the Manila Carnival, a two-week festival held during the early American colonial period which culminated in the crowning of the queen and her court at an elaborate formal ball. For 31 years, young women from across the country vied for the title, navigating racial prejudice and standards of beauty, and becoming an integral part of the nation-building process. Last time, we talked about the origins of the Manila Carnival and how we found our first queen, in so many senses of the word, in Pura Garcia Villanueva Kalaw. Listen to that episode first if you haven’t. Now, in part 2 we’ll follow the Carnival as it comes into its own. This is Part Two: Becoming Miss Philippines, 1909 to 1926. If you want to join the PATREON, you can give as little as $1 to get a copy of the show notes with all the references, a shout out at the end of the next episode, and access to bonus episodes. We have: An interview with Haldi Patra on the Minangkabau matriarchal society; Ma Ying Taphan and the Krom Klone; Nyai Gede Pinateh, the Harbour Master of Gresik; Queen Suriyothai and the War Elephants; Paz Marquez Benitez and Dead Stars; The Rise and Fall of the Acehnese Queens, 1641 to 1699; The Portrait of Dara Rasami; and The Women of No. 14 Lebuh Leith Thank you to our patrons: Aqilah, Karen, Kheiro, Xiaomei BY Milish, Jennifer, Christina, Raul, Raymond, Matt, Shereen, Charli, and Yati. Next time, in the third installment of Meet Me at the Manila Carnival, we’ll talk about the End of an Era, 1927-1939, the final years of the pageant before the outbreak of the Second World War.

In the next few episodes, we’re taking a deep dive into the Manila Carnival, a two-week festival held during the early American colonial period which culminated in the crowning of the queen and her court at an elaborate formal ball. For 31 years, young women from across the country vied for the title, navigating racial prejudice and standards of beauty, and becoming an integral part of the nation-building process. This is Part One: The Queen of the Orient, 1908, which talks about the origins of the festival and the first queen, Pura Villanueva Kalaw. Join the Patreon for as little as $1 to get a copy of the show notes with all the references, a shout out at the end of the next episode, and access to bonus episodes: Nyai Gede Pinateh, the Harbour Master of Gresik; An interview with Haldi Patra on the Minangkabau matriarchal society; Ma Ying Taphan and the Krom Klone; Queen Suriyothai and the War Elephants; Paz Marquez Benitez and Dead Stars; The Rise and Fall of the Acehnese Queens, 1641 to 1699; and The Women of No. 14 Lebuh Leith. The song in this episode is Bodabil by Andre Lagoy. Bodabil is an indigenized form of vaudeville, introduced in the Philippines around the time of the Manila Carnival. Hope you enjoyed his song inspired by it. Check out Andre Lagoy’s music on Facebook and Spotify. Thank you to our patrons: Alyssa, Beverly, Karen, Kheiro, Xiaomei BY Milish, Jennifer, Christina, Raul, Raymond, Matt, Shereen, Charli, and Yati. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @herstoryseapod. There are so many more stories to tell and we’re just getting started. This podcast was hosted and edited by Agas Ramirez. Tracks: Theme Music: Goddess of War by Unicorn Heads Jesse's Carnival Waltz - The Great North Sound Society Dios te salve Maria - Christian David On Foot - Underbelly & Ty Mayer

In this episode, we’re going to talk about the many lives of Emiria Sunassa, a pioneer of Indonesian modern art, who was also a nurse, singer, pianist, and traveler, who claimed to be a princess of the Tidore sultanate. Emiria was one of only three female artists in Persatuan Ahli Gambar Indonesia (PERSAGI). The other two were Saptarita Latif and Tridjoto Abdullah. However, in contrast to the two other women artists, Emiria started painting individually. She was not linked to any nationalist movements before she became involved with art. PERSAGI's nationalistic vigour came from an unmistakably masculine perspective; most of the paintings represented common subject matter: self-portraitures, still-lifes and, most importantly, the portrayal of the Indonesian people during and after the revolutionary period - and yet they were limited to the island of Java. Emiria’s choice of subject matter offered a different perspective of the new nation. - Dr Wulan Dirgantoro in Feminisms and Contemporary Art in Indonesia If you want to join the Patreon, you can give as little as $1 to get a copy of the show notes with all the references, a shout out at the end of the next episode, and access to bonus episodes. We have: Nyai Gede Pinateh, the Harbour Master of Gresik; An interview with Haldi Patra on the Minangkabau matriarchal society; Ma Ying Taphan and the Krom Klone; Queen Suriyothai and the War Elephants; Paz Marquez Benitez and Dead Stars; The Rise and Fall of the Acehnese Queens, 1641 to 1699; and The Women of No. 14 Lebuh Leith Thank you to our patrons: Aqilah, Karen, Kheiro, Xiaomei BY Milish, Jennifer, Christina, Raul, Raymond, Matt, Shereen, Charli, and Yati. Aqilah joined the Patreon just last month so, welcome! Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @herstoryseapod.  There are so many more stories to tell and we’re just getting started. This podcast was hosted and edited by Agas Ramirez. Tracks: Theme Music: Goddess of War by Unicorn Heads Violet Spirit by Dan Henig Tanah Papua: A Paradise for Birds by Cornell Lab of Ornithology No.1 A Minor Waltz by Esther Abrami Papua New Guinea - Enga Traditional Music (197?) - Vinyl Reincarnation  Greater Bird-of-Paradise by Cornell Lab of Ornithology Dolphin-esque by Godmode

PATREON EXCLUSIVE | A couple of months ago, I took a very memorable trip to George Town, the  capital city of the Malaysian state of Penang. It was founded as an  entrepôt in 1786 and was the first British settlement in Southeast Asia.  Currently, it’s the second largest city in Malaysia and possibly number  one in my heart. So, digressing from our usual format, this bonus episode will take you through some parts of this trip, and by the end perhaps I can convince you to visit too. No. 14 Lebuh Leith is the address of the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, also known as the Blue Mansion, the most prominent Chinese garden-style architectural example in Malaysia and sometimes called the most photographed building in Penang. EXCERPT: Once they let us inside, they took us to the open courtyard, where two pillars and two trees stood, said to be the center of energy according to Feng Shui. The mansion in general is in the Chinese siheyuan architectural style but reflects the eclectic background of the trader Cheong Fatt Tze, with Gothic windows, stained glass, and Glasgow cast iron works by MacFarlane's for example. The mansion has 38 rooms, 7 staircases, 5 courtyards, and 220 windows. I would not want to be the person cleaning this house. Up the polished wooden staircase, on the second floor, is a series of rooms displaying the house’s history as well as artifacts left behind by the original occupants. One room, which of course sparked my interest, had a collection of women’s clothing, and some information about the women who lived on no. 14, Lebuh Leith.

In this episode, we’re going to talk about the Black and White Amahs — Chinese women from the southern provinces of China who emigrated to the Straits Settlements and the Malay States in the 1930s and established themselves as domestic servants par excellence. The beautiful song in this episode is Penang Hill by Malaysian singer songwriter RJ Kevin. HERstory Southeast Asia was a finalist at the Asia Podcast Festival Awards held in Singapore on December 4. Our category was best arts, society, and culture podcast and it was ultimately won by Miss Conduct: An Indian True Crime Podcast with Ragavi and Nisha. Please do check them out as they are doing excellent work in spotlighting women’s stories in their unique and often humorous way. Also check out Fidellithy Tan's The History of Colonisation for chronological introduction to the history of European imperialism and colonialism from a history student's perspective. The theme music is Goddess of War by Unicorn Heads. If you want more HERstory, go over to the Patreon and join Karen, Keiro, Xiaomei, Jennifer, Christina, Raul, Raymond, Matt, Ashley, Charlie, and Yati who have been supporting the show. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @herstoryseapod. That’s herstory S-E-A pod.

In this episode, we are going to meet Erb Bunnag, a woman whose photographs give us a rare and important glimpse into the early 20th-century Siamese royal court. Chao Chom (royal consort) Erb Bunnag is a rather unique historical figure. I’m happy to report that there ARE sources of information about her, although they’re mostly academic. "Erb's insightful photos of Bangkok women suggest the ease of an aristocrat long acknowledged in Siamese society and politics. At a time when European colonizers considered annexing Siam, Thais accepted and imitated the culture and tastes of the outside world, especially command of the English language, writing, dance-drama, and other avocations.” (Snodgrass, 2019: 30)  Also check out Fidellithy Tan's The History of Colonisation for chronological introduction to the history of European imperialism and colonialism from a history student's perspective. The theme music is Goddess of War by Unicorn Heads. This episode includes clips from The King and I's Shall We Dance, André Rieu Live in Bangkok, Float by Geographer, and Animaux Obscenes by Dan Bodan. As always, thank you to our Patrons – Kheiro, Xiaomeiby by Milish, Jennifer, Christina, Raul, Raymond, Chito, Matt, Ashley, Shereen, Charlie, Chanda, Yati, Kara, and Mando. If you want to join the Patreon, you can give as little as $1 to get a copy of the show notes with all the references, a shout out at the end of the next episode, and access to bonus episodes. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @herstoryseapod.

This is Part 2 of Acehnese Women at War. In Part 1 we talked about Cut Nyak Dhien and Cut Nyak Meutia, two heroines with very similar elite backgrounds, both widowed twice, and fought the Dutch to their very last breath. Their legacy is preserved in both national and popular culture, something that has not been afforded to the majority of female palace guards, guerillas, and combatants who gave their lives for their country. This month you will also be hearing from Teacher Mia who creates English language learning guides and coaching sessions over on Patreon. Credits: Bungong Jeumpa - Aceh Traditional Song  INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC ACEH | TRADITIONAL MUSIC INDONESIAN | BY MEUTUAH MUSIC  B - Somber Ballads by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license Cover Photo: Tari Saman di TMII

In this two-part episode, we’ll be talking about Acehnese Women at War. In part 1, we’ll discuss the “Named” women, Cut Nyak Dhien and Cut Nyak Meutia, whose lives are fairly well-documented. Cut Nyak Dhien and Cut Nyak Meutia were two noblewomen turned guerilla fighters who were widowed twice and defied the Dutch colonizers to the very end of their lives. In part 2, we’ll talk about the less known Acehnese women warriors: Pocut Meurah Intan, Pocut Baren, Cut Nyak Meuligoe, Teungku Fakinah, and Teungku Fatimah, as well as the “Anonymous” women, palace guards, guerillas, and combatants, whose names have long been lost to history. Like and share to support for free! $1 on Patreon and one-time donations through Ko-Fi. Theme Music: Goddess of War by Unicorn Heads Intro: Indonesian Cordana Youth Choir | Rampai Aceh  Ad: History of Colonization Podcast Second track: Cokelat - Bendera 

Episode 18 is about Osoet Pegua, an influential Thai businesswoman of Mon descent who acted as the business agent between the Ayutthaya Kingdom and the Netherlands in the mid-17th century. This episode was made possible by the generosity of Dr. Dhiravat na Pombejra, former Associate Professor at Chulalongkorn University, who shared his 2011 lecture on Osoet Pegua. This month's ad is the History of Colonisation podcast, hosted by Fidellithy. Like and share to support for free. $1 on Patreon and one-time donations through Ko-Fi. 😊 

This episode is not about a particular historical figure, but about an embattled group of women known as the nyai, housekeepers, companions, and concubines in the former Dutch East Indies, or present-day Indonesia. We’ll learn about them through several narratives, the most popular of which is Nyai Ontosoroh’s story from the 1980 novel, This Earth of Mankind. We’re going to start with a bit of background – how Indonesia was colonized and how the nyai came to be. Then we’ll end with the life stories of several nyai as immortalized in novels and newspapers of the time. Click here for the trailer of the 2019 Indonesian film, Bumi Manusia. The cover image is a hand-tinted photograph of a nyai by Jacobus Anthonie Meessen, c. 1867 As always thank you to our Patrons: Kheiro, Xiaomeiby by Milish, Jennifer, Christina, Raul, Raymond, Chito, Matt, Shereen, Charlie, Chanda, Yati, Kara, and Mando. This month's ad is Tuktuk Box. They are a specialty food retailer offering curated Southeast Asian boxes and products founded by two Southeast Asian American women who recognized the need to create a cross-cultural bridge to foster social change. They partner with vetted small business owners  and local farmers to share carefully crafted ingredients and recipes from their own community. If you're in the US, go check them out! Don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, @herstoryseapod! For a copy of the show notes, a shout out at the end of the next episode, access to the resource library, regional current events updates, the occasional bonus episode, and your own Spotify scannable magnet of the podcast, join us on Patreon.

We’re back from the long much-needed break and ready to continue our exploration into the hidden worlds of Southeast Asian women, with diverse topics and interviews centered on the colonial period before World War 2. This episode is about “Filipino Girlhood in American Colonial Manila, 1908-1939.” Girls’ studies or girlhood studies is a developing field of historical research in the Philippines, says Tala Wong of the Ateneo de Manila University. Her MA thesis on “Filipino Girlhood in American Colonial Manila” explores the emergence of the Filipino girl, and by doing so, aims to give her a voice long denied in Philippine history and historiography. Educational materials and print media from 1908-1939 reveal that girlhood was an ideological battlefield for adults—colonial and local, male and female. In this episode we find out what it is about girlhood that makes for such a vibrant discourse. Joining us too in this episode is Dark Theory, a Filipino-made podcast about mystery, intrigue, conspiracy, the sinister, the bizarre, the unsolved and twisted tales that push the boundaries of what we know to be real. Producing a podcast like this takes a lot of time and research. If you like what we do, consider joining our Patreon like Christina, Raul, Raymond, Chito, Matt, Shereen, Chanda, Yati, Kara, and Mando who have been supporting this podcast. Give as little as $1 to get a copy of the show notes with all the references, a shout out at the end of the next episode, and the occasional bonus episode. There’s one coming out in the next few weeks. And if you can’t join us on Patreon, just tell your friends about this podcast! That works too. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @herstoryseapod. That’s herstory S-E-A pod. PS: Stay until the very end for a blooper!

This is the last part of episode 15, where we sit down with Kai, a musicology major and comic book fan, for a casual chat about Trese, a Filipino komik series written by Budjette Tan and illustrated by Kajo Baldisimo. Alexandra Trese is a Babaylan-Mandirigma who deals with crimes of supernatural origin. Its first issue was published in 2005 and the animated adaptation for Netflix premiered on June 11, 2021. THANK YOU to the wonderful patrons Raul, Raymond, Matt, Chito, Shereen, Chanda, Yati, Kara, and Mando. And please check out the article, "Filipinos find podcasts to be in tune with their culture," written by Raul Dancel for The Straits Times where this podcast is mentioned. Follow Kai on Twitter: @KaijuQgle and Twitch: kaijuqgle Don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, @herstoryseapod! For a copy of the show notes, a shout out at the end of the next  episode, access to the resource library, regional current events  updates, the occasional bonus episode, and your own Spotify scannable  magnet of the podcast, join us on Patreon.

This is episode 15, part 2, where we sit down with independent researcher, Makadiwata, to get their thoughts on the babaylan's role in uprisings during the colonial period as well as the divide between the indigenous or traditional babaylan and the modern babaylan in the Philippines and abroad. Follow Makadiwata on Twitter if you want to send them more questions after listening to the episode! Below is a list of other babaylan-led uprisings during the colonial period for those who want to do further research: Tapar rebellion, Iloilo 17th century Lagutao, Nueva Vizcaya 18th century Ponciano Elofre “Dios Buhawi”, Negros Oriental 19th century Gregorio Lampinio “Gregorio Dios”, Antique 19th century Papa Isio, Negros Occidental 19th century Papa Faustino, Negros Occidental 20th century Papa Pablo, Negros Occidental 20th century Once again, thank you to the patrons Raymond, Matt, Chito, Ashley, Shereen, Chanda, Yati, Kara,  and Mando, as well as Fidellithy of the History of Colonisation podcast, the women of Tuktuk Box, and so many other friends and followers of the show. Don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, @herstoryseapod! For a copy of the show notes, a shout out at the end of the next  episode, access to the resource library, regional current events  updates, the occasional bonus episode, and your own Spotify scannable  magnet of the podcast, join us on Patreon.

The last episode of Season 1 is about a group of people, usually women, called the Babaylan -- shamans endowed with powers to cure the sick, predict right times of planting and harvest, and invoke the souls of ancestors to guide the deceased to the afterlife. There are many people I'd like to acknowledge. First, the patrons Raymond, Matt, Chito, Ashley, Shereen, Chanda, Yati, Kara,  and Mando, as well as Fidellithy of the History of Colonisation podcast, the women of Tuktuk Box, and so many other friends and followers of the show. Second, Talahib People’s Music, who graciously allowed the use of their song, Babaylan, composed by the late singer/songwriter Tony Palis. The song is available on Musika Publiko TV’s YouTube channel if you want to listen to it again after this episode. Third, David, Doctoral student of Sociocultural Anthropology at the Arizona State University, for sharing his resources and providing feedback, including the gaps in the information, which we hope to address in subsequent interviews. Fourth, composers Sancho & Morin, for letting the public use their composition, Indigenous Filipino Music | "Firelighting Ceremony." You'll hear it in several places throughout. And fifth, you, reading this -- thank you for being here for the ups and downs, mistakes, corrections, and I hope, audible improvement. As we always say, there are so many more stories to tell and we’re just getting started. I will be taking a break from regular episodes until I'm ready to launch Season 2, the Colonial Period. If you want to check out the webinars I mention in this episode, head over to NHCP's Museum of Philippine Social History on Facebook. Don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, @herstoryseapod! For a copy of the show notes, a shout out at the end of the next episode, access to the resource library, regional current events updates, the occasional bonus episode, and your own Spotify scannable magnet of the podcast, join us on Patreon.

A heroine nine-feet tall, with yard-long breasts, and a voice like a temple bell riding an elephant into battle? There is a lot going on in episode 14, Ba Trieu and the Uprising of 248 AD. Ba or Lady Trieu was a 3rd century Vietnamese warrior who managed, for a time, to resist the Chinese state of Eastern Wu during its occupation of Vietnam. We also present a correction about the "cetbang," or the breech-loading canons mentioned in episode 13, Dyah Gitarja and the Majapahit Empire. Still joining us this month are the History of Colonisation podcast -- @hoc_pod is hosted by Nanyang Technological University student, Fidellithy -- and @tuktukbox, a specialty food retailer offering curated Southeast Asian boxes and products to US and Canada subscribers. Don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, @herstoryseapod! For a copy of the show notes, a shout out at the end of the next episode, access to the resource library, regional current events updates, the occasional bonus episode, and your own Spotify scannable magnet of the podcast, join us on Patreon at https://bit.ly/herstoryseapatreon. As always, many thanks to the patrons Shereen, Chanda, Yati, Kara, and Mando, and to Michael who gave the idea for this episode.

This episode is about Dyah Gitarja, a Javanese queen regnant and the third Majapahit monarch, reigning from 1328 to 1350. I went over the top on clips on this one, but it's a long story! We have two ads this month: First is the History of Colonisation podcast! @hoc_pod is hosted by Nanyang Technological University student, Fidellithy. Second is @tuktukbox, a specialty food retailer offering curated Southeast Asian boxes and products to US and Canada subscribers. Don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, @herstoryseapod! For a copy of the show notes, a shout out at the end of the next episode, access to the resource library, regional current events updates, the occasional bonus episode, and your own Spotify scannable magnet of the podcast, join us on Patreon at https://bit.ly/herstoryseapatreon. As always, many thanks to Shereen, Chanda, Yati, Kara, and Mando for supporting the podcast.

In this episode, we’re taking a deep dive into the Cham, a matriarchal and matrilineal society descended from the refugees of the Kingdom of Champa, whose members now mostly reside in Vietnam and Cambodia. Later in this episode we’ll meet Ang Mei, one of only three female Cambodian rulers, who was queen during a pivotal moment in Cham history. We have two ads this month: First, meet @tuktukbox, a specialty food retailer offering curated Southeast Asian boxes and products to US and Canada subscribers. Second is the History of Colonisation podcast! @hoc_pod is hosted by Nanyang Technological University student, Fidellithy. Don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, @herstoryseapod! For a copy of the show notes, a shout out at the end of the next episode, access to the resource library, regional current events updates, the occasional bonus episode, and your own Spotify scannable magnet of the podcast, join us on Patreon at https://bit.ly/herstoryseapatreon. Welcome to the Patreon, Ashley! And as always, many thanks to Shereen, Chanda, Laura, Yati, Kara, and Mando.

In this episode, we’ll meet Cik Siti Wan Kembang, who according to some sources was the ruler of the state of Kelantan from 1610 to 1677. Like the previous episode on Prinsesa Urduja of Tawalisi, fact meets fiction for Cik Siti Wan Kembang and her daughter Puteri Saadong. This month's ad is the History of Colonisation podcast! @hoc_pod is hosted by Nanyang Technological University student, Fidellithy. Please also check out Tuk Tuk Box's newsletter, "January: Royal(Teas) ft. HERstorySEA Podcast." Don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, @herstoryseapod! For a copy of the show notes, a shout out at the end of the next episode, access to the resource library, regional current events updates, and the occasional bonus episode, join us on Patreon at https://bit.ly/herstoryseapatreon. Welcome to the Patreon, Shereen and Chanda! And as always, many thanks to Laura, Yati, Kara, and Mando.