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Foreign Correspondent: Mother Mekong

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Shrine in temple
Foreign Correspondent: Mother Mekong

SUBJECTS:  Geography

YEARS:  7–8, 9–10


Discover the connections between people and ancient temples hidden along the mighty Mekong River.

Find out how long the temple Wat Phu (Vat Phou) has been a place of worship.

Consider the spiritual value of this river, which provides more than sustenance and money.


Things to think about

  1. 1.Australia's Uluru is a place of great beauty and power. That's not all, though; it has great cultural value and is of special importance to the local Anangu people. What makes places like Uluru such important sites to protect?
  2. 2.In what way does the Mekong's value go beyond food and money? The temple Wat Phu (Vat Phou) is a reminder of human history along the Mekong. It has been a place of worship for how many years? Why do you think the Mekong River is known as 'Mother'?
  3. 3.In considering building a dam across the Mekong, what key points and views should be considered? How (if you could at all) do you put a value on the spiritual connections people have to the river? How might this area be impacted by the building of a dam nearby?
  4. 4.Find out more about Laos. What is its major religion? Research the country's major tourist sites. If you haven't already been there, would you be interested in visiting Laos one day? Why or why not?



Date of broadcast: 5 Oct 2010


Copyright

Metadata © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia Ltd 2012 (except where otherwise indicated). Digital content © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). Video © Australian Broadcasting Corporation (except where otherwise indicated). All images copyright their respective owners. Text © Australian Broadcasting Corporation and Education Services Australia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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