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This paper is a feminist investigation into the beliefs and practices surrounding menstruation among traditional artisanal diamond mining women in the Muslim Banjar ethnic community in rural parts of South Kalimantan, Indonesia. Based on feminist ethnographic field methods, it investigates how these women interpret the religious and cultural restrictions in their everyday lives as miners, and how their beliefs influence their attitudes toward diamond mining. While the women have different economic and social backgrounds, and have experienced and experience menstruation differently, they are all involved in diamond mining. This article shows that, contrary to popular belief, menstrual blood is considered lucky in this traditional diamond mining community, and it considers the wider implications for a deeper understanding of gender in mining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pamatbat is a prayer used amongst Catholics in the Philippines to petition or give thanks to God, Mary or the saints through the assistance of a parapamatbat, or prayer leader. Utilizing an oral-history method, this paper delves into three aspects of this intangible culture. First, the practice of pamatbat and the existence of parapamatbat come under the auspices of the Catholic faith, and are still extant. The acquisition of the knowledge required to be a parapamatbat relies on the oral transfer of skills, and this report documents this practice. Second, the prayer leaders engaged in this activity normally do not charge fees for their services, though prudence dictates that those availing of their service repay them either in cash or in kind. In a way, there is an economic consideration in this practice, which becomes a form of livelihood. Third, some values – faith in God and helpfulness – are nourished through this religion. Praying is a form of religiosity and the bigger challenge is the conversion of religious actions into moral life. The continuous presence of pamatbat enhances these values and the Filipino culture as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates how young voters make political choices in the absence of adequate information about the candidates they will vote for. Under conditions of low information, voters often use whatever cues they see in the ballot paper to help them make decisions in a short time. This mental process is known as heuristics. Using online experimental methods with two-by-two factorial design, this study examines two forms of heuristics that young voters can use in their political decisions, namely, candidates' appearance and their academic degrees. The results show that only the candidates' academic attainment has a significant effect on the voting preferences of young voters. This academic degree primarily affects voters' intention to vote. However, neither academic titles nor beautiful faces have any effect on voters' willingness to recommend the candidates to others, engage in their campaigns, or contribute to their campaign finances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a methodological overview and preliminary synthesis of multi-site ethnographic data on botanical practices related to indigenous textiles in Southern Mindanao. Focusing on information derived from fieldwork among Bagobo and T'boli specialists in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, we describe indigenous textile practices related to plant use, drawing on field and herbarium specimens with comparative information from other textile-producing groups in the region. The use of abaca (Musa textilis) thread alongside principal dye plants (Morinda citrifolia L. and Diospyros nitida) create the characteristic textile patterns that have long been associated with Mindanao material culture. We also describe the use of contemporary sources that extend plant-based repertoires and discuss the role of indigenous specialists and collaborators in multi-site research. In presenting both method and data patterning, this paper seeks to delineate how traditional botanical knowledge facilitates a range of contemporary aesthetic goals among Mindanao's indigenous communities. In addition, this article adds to our understanding of how material culture, or the making of culturally meaningful things by historically marginalized peoples, continues to shape knowledge systems and organize individual and collective action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]