INFORMATION ON MASTER’S THESIS

1. Full name: Zelenkova Maria 2. Sex: Female 3. Date of birth: 22.06.1988 4. Place of birth: Vladivostok, Russia 5. Admission decision number: 1535/QĐ-XHNV-KH&SDH Dated 16.10.2009 6. Changes in academic process: None 7. Official thesis title: House-building customs of nationalities belonging to Malayo-Polynesian ethnic group in Central Highlands 8. Major: Asia studies. 9. Code: 60 31 50 10. Supervisors: Prof., Dr. Mai Ngoc Chu (Full name, academic title and degree) 11. Summary of the findings of the thesis: (Summarize them with stress on the new findings, if any) Nowadays in Vietnam there are more than 800 000 people speaking Malayo-Polynesian languages, they are divided into 5 nationalities: Jrai, Cham, Ede, Churu, Raglai. Though they are 5 different nationalities, but their material life has a lot of similar habits. However, there is a moment that must be noticed – Ede’s, Jrai’s, Raglai’s and Churu’s customs have a lot of points that are not corresponded to Cham’s customs, in spite of their belonging to one language group. This is clearly reflected in house structures of these 5 nationalities. Ede’s, Raglai’s, Jrai’s and Churu’s traditional house is a pile-house. Strongly keeping matriarchal peculiarities, every time when a daughter is marring or when a young family joins to live with parents, the pile-house is added a new chamber. Than more children a family has, than the house is longer. Ede’s house is usually the longest, and Jrai’s house is the highest. Churu’s house is the smallest one in comparison with other nationalities’ houses inside this ethnic group. Cham’s house almost doesn’t keep any similar features with the houses of other nationalities belonging to Malayo-Polynesian ethnic group. Cham’s house is a group of buildings inside a big yard. The connection between the houses in this architectural ensemble shows the relation process of forming the Big matriarchal family into the small ones with short houses. Among 5 nationalities, only Jrai people have the Rong-house. Ede, Churu and Raglai communal houses are pile-houses. And Cham communal house is a group of towers. Though there are a lot of differences, but the culture of Malayo-Polynesian nationalities in Vietnam also has many similar points. For example, all 5 nationalities attach a huge importance to rites and ceremonies pertaining to house-building process: choosing the land and wood, determination the right direction and suitable time for building beginning. In interpretation of all 5 nationalities, house is realized as an object with a spirit, because it is made from wood, and wood, when it is a tree in a forest, is a dwelling place for many spirits (called Yang). Even more, house is a place, where community and family culture is created, matured, maintained and shared. Just house is place where all important events happen: birth, wedding, funeral. Malayo-Polynesian nationalities in Vietnam have no migration customs, that is the reason why village role and the role of house, as home, is so important for their community. Everything starts from a village, and the village starts from a house. 12. Practical applicability, if any: This research work can be useful in teaching and also contributes to maintenance Vietnamese cultural variety. This subject assigns cultural house-building peculiarities of nationalities belonging to Malayo-Polynesian ethnic group in Central Highlands, and through this, helps to clear up the value and ethnic features of Malayo-Polynesian nationalities in South East Asia. 13. Further research directions, if any: Research house-building customs of each nationality belonging to Malayo-Polynesian ethnic group in Vietnam. 14. Thesis-related publications: None