Worshiping the Mother Goddesses of the three realms-heaven, water, and mountains (or forests)-has been a cultural activity since the sixteenth century, significantly influencing the lives of Vietnamese people. In worshiping Mother Goddess Lieu Hanh (the "Mother of the World") and other spirits of legendary heroes, followers practice spirit possession rituals and traditional festivals.\n\nThese cultural expressions combine traditional costumes, music, and dance to help maintain the community's cultural heritage. Through interviews with spirit mediums, this video shows how belief in the Mother Goddesses have united and healed the community.

There are many forms of weaving and many items which can be woven on Kosrae. These include the weave mat (kiaka otwot), fan (pal), basket (fotoh), thatch on the ridge of the roof of a house using coconut fronds (sraho), fahsuh (weaving thatch roof using Nypa palm used only), among others. Kosraean warp-striping weaving may be considered unique among weaving cultures due to its complexity. \n\nThe Kosraean word for weaving depends on the item being woven. There exists a variety of woven items which served as currency, reinforced family ties and other relationships, as well as honor. In some cases, a chant may be shared to ensure a girl’s future in weaving. In the past and on contemporary Kosrae, weaving can be found in the preparation of food baskets for funerals, fishing baskets worn on waist of women fishing in the lagoons, loom-weaving for belts (tol), thatch roofing, hats, and cordage for example. \n\nThere can be at least three known types of baskets important in food preparation: fusanie, in the form of a star and used in storing fafa, (2) usanie kapiel or fusanie sa nu which is a larger form of the previous one and woven from young coconut leaves, and (3) kuumpäl which is a kind of basket with handles made of coconut fronds and named after the woven plate. Weaving served not only a function but can be considered a marker of the past. One particular kind of cord can be called nosunap, named after the god Nosunap (also spelled Nasrunsiap or Nazuenziap). \n\nKosrae used to be one of the largest consumers of sinnet cord, suggesting significant movement. This is consistent with oral histories collected in the recent past which connected Kosraeans all the way to Satawal and Puluwat. Among the most common materials for weaving, banal fiber, hibiscus, and pandanaus stand out as the materials of choice. The preparation for each material depends on the item to be woven. While banana fibers may be most common, the hibiscus fiber is easier to dye. Dyes for strands of weaving materials may come from terminal leaves, certain types of mud, and mangrove calyx (black), turmeric (yellow), banana suckers (blue), or marinade citrijolia (red). Of these colors, red was the most prized. The preparation of weaving materials can be lengthy, depending on the plant. The hibiscus fiber needs soaking in sea water for several days while the banana fibers need to dry in the sun and then each fiber is separated into thinner strands. Elders on contemporary Kosrae continue to practice weaving for it serves many uses.\n\nCarving : Carving in Kosraean culture is carried out by the mukul (men). They carve many items, including tok yot (stone fafa pounder), tok sak (wooden pounder for taro and banana for a dish called ainpat), tah (an axe for cutting breadfruit), fuhfak (for wooden handle of an axe used for firewood), oak (canoes), tuhp in fafa (wooden tray shaped like a boat used for presenting fafa), and mwe ahryahr (wooden spoons of many types including long or short or flat ones). The laklak (outrigger of a canoe) is another item which needs to be carved. Carving of toys and wooden sculptures. Oars that are carved along with the canoes.\nBuilding Local House : There are many kinds of houses which can be built using Kosraean methods, including in um (a cooking house), imun oak (canoe house), and iwen monglac (local resting house). Building a local house has always been a community effort, even today; although, of the heavier work is done by the mukul (men) and the weaving for the thatch on the roof is carried out by the muhtacn (women). The mukul will go into the forest to obtain materials from the forest and sometimes from mangroves, depending the type of wood needed for a particular type of house. There are five main sizes of wood needed to build a house and ten parts of the house requiring these five sizes of wood. The sru (posts) are the largest size and heavy. Moving them may be accompanied with a work chant which serves as motivation in lifting, moving, or pulling of the heavy objects. The next size includes kaclacp, lala, and ohl. The kaclacp and lala supports the ohl, which sets the height of the house. The next size wood is used for pokwuhsr (trusses). The next size smaller is used for sahkpahsr (rafters) and folo (beams). The smallest size are for the kwesrihk which is only for thatch roofing (it is where the thatch can be attached) and sukunum which is placed to support the thatch from the bottom. Cutting down the trees is according to the Kosraean moon calendar as is moving the logs from one part of the island to another to use the logs. Paksak (literally, floating of objects) refers to the right time to move the log from one place to another using rivers or channels. This is dependent on the tide. This practice existed because transportation was not available during that time so they usually cut down these big logs and used the chant to get the log to the shoreline and then move the log in the process of paksak to its new location.

Phu Dong Village in Vietnam holds a traditional festival to celebrate Saint Giong from the seventh to the ninth days of the fourth lunar month every year. One of the most important figures in the festival is Hieu, the Flag Commander. It is the Flag Commander's responsibility to select young men of good character from decent families in the village to serve the saint. Those selected are honored by the local residents after taking part in the festival.\n\nThis video shows the social and religious aspects of the lives of local people who worship their local god, as well as the spiritual life of the local community reflected in the festival.

The Moriones Festival is a Lenten tradition observed in the island province of Marinduque during Holy Week every year. After Spanish missionaries brought Roman Catholicism to the Philippines in the sixteenth century, Christian culture spread across the archipelago and its beliefs, rituals, and practices were incorporated into the lives of diverse ethnic groups. During the festival period, people in masks and costumes portraying Roman soldiers of biblical times, referred to as "Moriones", can be found roaming the streets. Participants in the Moriones Festival beg for God's mercy and pray for the wellbeing and prosperity of their families.

Igal is a type of traditional dance with fast but smooth moves. It is a heritage shared among the Sama people in the Southern Philippines and communities of the western part of Mindanao Island. Its history dates back to the maritime tradition of Southeast Asia. Igal is called pangalay by the Tausug people and pamansak by the Yakan, both of which simply mean "dance".\n\nThe traditional dance comprises improvised moves and expressions through which the dancers merge with nature and step closer to God. This video showcases sublime lgal performances by two dancers from different time periods and islands in the same province.

In the historical books and folk beliefs of the Việt, there have been many stories and legends of Thánh Gióng - the Saint of the ancient Việt who was considered as one of the four immortal gods by the Vietnamese nationwide. The monarchic dynasties of the Great Việt in Vietnam bequeathed him as a Heavenly King. Legend has it that he was born as the result of a magical union between a girl from Gióng village and the giant footprint of the rain god in the Việt’s myths. At the age of three, he grew miraculously into a giant after hearing the King’s appeal to find gifted people to save the country and its people. After defeating the foreign invaders, the hero went to Sóc mountain and flew into the heaven.

Odissi, a dance which developed in the East Indian state of Orissa is rooted in the dances performed by temple dancers (devadasi). It is usually performed by a solo female dancer, who acts out all the roles in legends from ancient epics. In the modern day, it may be performed together by 2 or more dancers. The Odissi dance depicts stories about the 8 incarnations of the Hindu god Vishnu, expressing deep love and strong faith in him.\n\nThe detailed expressiveness of Odissi is comparable to that of Bharatanatyam, a traditional dance from the South Indian region. Its movements are restrained in scale, and a half-sitting posture with the legs bent at the knees is maintained during the dance. Unlike Khattak which involves the stretching of the arms, the arms remain curved in Odissi and there are over 50 different traditional hand gestures. The head, chest and torso are used to accentuate femininity, and the curves of the dance are emotive and sensual. The movements of the eyes and facial expressions are highly important. It is one of the oldest dances in India together with Bharatanatyam.\n\nCharacteristics:\n∙One of the 8 major traditional dances recognized by the Indian government\n∙Originates from a religious dance performed by Devadasi female dancers in Hindu temples\n\nPerformed by Papia Desai\nDirected by Papia Desai\nChoreographed by Papia Desai

The traditional village troupe performs the puppet shows in countryside at the traditional village festival and for tourists. The puppeteers manipulate the puppets by hand with string. The puppet shows with music and story tell about the farmer’s life and countryside activities. The film demonstrates the connection between the puppetry and the worship of the communal god that the show is an important performance at the traditional village festival.

The Tai communities live in Son La, Lai Chau, Yen Bai and Dien Bien provinces in the Northwest of Viet Nam. Kin Pang Then is one of Then's important rituals of the Tai people. This is the occasion where the Then master and his followers perform a thanksgiving ritual for the Then god. The ritual includes songs and music that symbolically express the journey of the Then Master to travel to the other world to look for the lost souls of the disciples/clients and to call the souls coming back to their bodies. The film is about the destined ritual Master and his ritual performance with Xoe dance for healing, good luck and well being for the local people. The film demonstrates the spiritual life and religious Then practice of the Tai in Northwestern religion in Viet Nam.

The Tai communities live in Son La, Lai Chau, Yen Bai and Dien Bien provinces in the Northwest of Viet Nam. Kin Pang Then is one of Then's important rituals of the Tai people. This is the occasion where the Then master and his followers perform a thanksgiving ritual for the Then god. The ritual includes songs and music that symbolically express the journey of the Then Master to travel to the other world to look for the lost souls of the disciples/clients and to call the souls coming back to their bodies. The film is about the destined ritual Master and his ritual performance with Xoe dance for healing, good luck and well being for the local people. The film demonstrates the spiritual life and religious Then practice of the Tai in Northwestern religion in Viet Nam.

This is a portion of the traditional Bhutanese masked dance of Cham, rearranged for a solo performer. It is a combination of the ‘Drum Dance’ which represents the victory of good over evil, and the ‘Hero’s Dance’ which contains a message to the god of peace and anger. In Bhutan, Buddhism is more than a religion, being a philosophy that guides its way of life and culture. In this culture of Buddhism, Cham is regarded one of the most unique elements of the Bhutanese Buddist heritage. ‘Cham’ which refers to a type of masked dance performed at rituals, is performed at the annual festivals of temples in the region. The people of Bhutan regard the act of viewing Cham as a spiritual experience, of release from worldly attachments.\n\nCham dancers wear traditional costumes made of silk in the 6 colors of red, white, yellow, green, blue and black. Each color stands for different aspects of nature, red for fire, energy and strength, white for water and peace, yellow for the ground, growth and elevation, green for air and finiteness, blue for the universe and infinity, and black for anger. The masks worn while dancing are carved from wood, depicting saints, wise men, guardian deities and legendary figures. The music is played using cymbals, drums, large and small copper horns, conches and bells.\n\nCharacteristics:\n∙An excerpt from a Cham (Bhutanese masked ritual dance) adapted for the stage\n\nPerformed by Tsering Dorji\nDirected by Tsering Dorji

Xuan Pha Village has retained its tradition of ancient and mystic folk performances to the present day. The origin of the village festival is a legend in which the king of Vietnam repressed a rebellion with the help of the local god of Xuan Pha Village. \n\nDuring the festival period, people from neighboring countries would comes to present various offerings as a tribute to the king, and villagers welcomed them with mast dances. This video demonstrates the efforts of the people of Xuan Pha Village to maintain and transmit this traditional performance to the next generation.