About Southeast Asia

Southeast Asia is the southeastern subregion of Asia, consisting of the regions that are geographically south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent and north-west of Australia…Southeast Asia is geographically divided into two subregions, namely Mainland Southeast Asia (or the Indochinese Peninsula) and Maritime Southeast Asia (or the similarly defined Malay Archipelago) (Javanese: Nusantara). Mainland Southeast Asia includes: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar (Burma), Peninsular Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam. Maritime Southeast Asia includes: Brunei, East Malaysia, East Timor, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore. (Source: Wikipedia)

OACC’s 2021 South and Southeast Asian New Year program represents just a small selection of cultural celebrations from these regions. We hope our program inspires you to learn more about the diverse traditions and heritage of South and Southeast Asia.

Did you enjoy our Southeast Asian New Year content?

Content for April 13th

Philip Nguyen of NorCal UVSA reads Mommy Eats Fried Grasshoppers,

a story of generational and cultural differences between mother/daughter.

Stay after to enjoy a conversation about Lao traditions during Lao New Year with the author, Vilayvanh Bender. Be prepared to eat some FRIED GRASSHOPPERS!

Mommy Eats Fried Grasshoppers is written for children ages 4-8. The conversation is open to all!

Vilayvanh Bender is available for school & author visits. Click here to reach out and learn more about Vilayvanh Bender.

Learn more about NorCal UVSA. 

Enjoy Additional Content Provided by Mommy Eats Fried Grasshoppers:

Learn how to make laap with Christy Innouvong of Tuk Tuk Box!

Download the Laap Recipe by Christy Innouvong.

Learn more about Tuk Tuk Box.

Content for April 14th

All the way from Bangkok, Thailand, join Sanprapha Vudhivorn (Mimi), a Thai children’s book author and illustrator as she shares a little about Songkran and reads her picture book, Tan and the Blooming Hearts. 

A first Runner-up Award of the Glass Award in the category of Picture Books, Tan and the Blooming Hearts is a story that promotes morality. At a village in a deep forest, every cat has one flower each, but every flower has withered. Charcoal’s flowers were the same until one day a stranger came to the village and helps the flowers bloom beautifully…what’s the secret?

Tan and the Blooming Hearts is written for children ages 4-8. The conversation is open to all!
For more of Sanprapha’s work, please visit:
For “Tan and the Blooming Hearts” book order, please visit:  https://www.facebook.com/nanmeebooksfan

Continue to enjoy more Thai culture and story adventures with Tiemdow “Dow” Phumiruk in a story reading of Mela and the Elephant.

A 2019 Colorado Book Award Finalist Recognized in The 50 Best Multicultural Picture Books of 2018, Mela sets out to explore the river outside her village but quickly ends up in trouble when her little boat is swept downstream and into the dense jungle. She encounters a crocodile, a leopard, and some monkeys, offering each a prize return for helping her find her way home but the animals snatch up their rewards without helping Mela back to her village. Just when she’s about to give up, an elephant shows Mela that kindness is its own reward. This new fable is told with authentic Thai customs and includes an author’s note with more Thai traditions and language.

Stay after for a “Craft and Conversation” session with author/illustrator Tiemdow “Dow” Phumiruk and Shuli de la Fuente-Lau of Asian Lit For Kids. Download this craft cut-out template and materials list file to join in the fun and craft-along!

Mela and the Elephant is written for children ages 5-8. The conversation is open to all! Crafting may require adult supervision.

Learn more about Dow Phumiruk

Learn more about Asian Lit For Kids

Enjoy additional content:

Return to OACC’s South & Southeast Asian New Year page