Mekong Cultural History
Anthropologists identified cultural artifacts and rituals that appear to cross borders and ethnic groups. One example is Buddhism. Other belief systems co-exist, and there are significant differences in the appearance of temples and the practice of the philosophy. Yet Buddhism is evident throughout the Mekong basin. Another example – some scholars point to bronze drums as indication of early regional cultural connection.
Scholars believe the four major language groups in the region were originally very different. They now share structural similarities. In other words – over time people adapted between languages how sentences are put together and how information is organized. Some of those similarities tell us how cultures think about things and how they view the world.
There is significant unregulated cross-border and long distance river-based trading throughout the region.
There is economic migration – mixing of populations across borders and ethnic groups. Low-income people seek food and paid work. Higher income people move to take advantage of cheap (for them) land or labor. Improving infrastructure – roads, trains, planes, phone and internet – are making this easier.
And there is history of acknowledging the need for regional cooperation. In 1957 Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and the former Southern Authorities of Vietnam formed what was called the Mekong Committee. This eventually led to regional study and the formation of the Mekong River Commission. The MRC includes the original four countries of the lower Mekong. China and Myanmar (Burma) are included in dialogue and as part of the Greater Mekong Subregion and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) Mekong Basin Development Cooperation. (See links below.)
The history, political and economic relationships are complicated. The underlying acknowledgement is that the Mekong and tributaries have connection through culture and common interests. Of the 60 million people estimated to live in the basin at least 48 million depend on it for food and income.