HERstory: Southeast Asia

Jan 24 2025 46 ep. 19 mins 94

HERstory: Southeast Asia Podcast artwork

Welcome to HERstory, the history of Southeast Asia, told from her perspective. We’ll discover historical figures, matriarchal societies, and contemporary female icons — and maybe learn about ourselves along the way. Season 1 focuses on the Southeast Asian age of commerce up to the colonial period.

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30.1 | Ang Henerala: Salud Algabre

Jan 24 2025 25 mins

In this two-part episode, we discuss Henerala Salud Algabre, a prominent member of Sakdal, a Filipino peasant organization founded in 1930 to oppose American colonialism and the ruling elites in the Philippines. She led an uprising in May 1935 in Cabuyao, Laguna to disrupt a plebiscite tied to the Tydings-McDuffie Act, which offered delayed independence. Always brave, sometimes con

29 | Labor at the Margins: Indian and Chinese Women Migrants in British Malaya

Dec 31 2024 21 mins

This episode is about the overlooked history of female immigrants in colonial Malaya, spanning from the late 19th to mid-20th century. These women, primarily from Indian and Chinese communities, played vital roles in tin mining, rubber plantations, urban domestic work, and more. Despite their contributions, their narratives have been sidelined, reduced to footnotes in male-dominate

28 | Katipuneras: Women of the Philippine Revolution

Dec 13 2024 21 mins

In this episode of HERstory Southeast Asia, we delve into the stories of the women of the Philippine Revolution. These "Katipuneras" (though we specify who among them were actually in the Katipunan and who were involved elsewhere) played critical roles in the fight for independence against Spanish colonization. The episode highlights their bravery, from leading troops and smuggling

27 | The Slave Trade of Women & Children in "French Indochina”

Oct 31 2024 21 mins

As early as the mid-1870s, Chinese pirates were trafficking Vietnamese women and children into China to be sold as slaves. However, with the arrival of the French in 1885, this trade significantly increased. Find out why in this episode. ICYMI: last September 30 we celebrated International Podcast Day and HERstory Southeast Asia was included in Tatler Asia’s Front & Female ed

26 | The Soenting Melajoe Women's Newspaper 1912-1921

Jul 21 2024 12 mins

This is part of two of us revisiting the Minangkabau matrilineal society. In the previous episode, we talked about Ruhana Kuddus, Indonesia’s First Female Journalist. In this episode, we’re going to talk about Soenting Melajoe, the pioneering indigenous women's newspaper published from 1912-1921 in the Minangkabau community in West Sumatra. Research and writing for this epi

25 | Ruhana Kuddus: Indonesia’s First Female Journalist

Jun 21 2024 15 mins

In the next couple of episodes, we’re revisiting the Minangkabau matrilineal society, specifically through Ruhana Kuddus, Indonesia’s First Female Journalist, and Soenting Melajoe, the pioneering indigenous women's newspaper published from 1912-1921 in the Minangkabau community in West Sumatra. Research and writing for this episode was in collaboration with Joanna Que, with

24 | The Burmese Women of the Khit Kala

Dec 08 2023 15 mins

In this episode, we’ll examine the Burmese Women of the Khit Kala, the women of the times, the “It girls” of colonial Burma. Beginning in the 1920s, they were seen in magazines, advertisements, and newspapers, a clear and controversial symbol of change that mirrors what other women went through in the Southeast Asian colonial period. Thank you to our patrons: Yati, Charlie, S

23.3 | Meet Me at the Manila Carnival: End of an Era (1927-1939)

Aug 05 2023 17 mins

Thank you to our patrons: Yati, Charlie, Shereen, Matt, Raymond, Christina, Jennifer, Xiaomeiby Milish, Beverly, Alyssa, and Lawrence. This is Part 3 of the series on Meet Me at the Manila Carnival. For 31 years, young women from across the country vied for the title of Miss Manila Carnival, then Miss Philippines, navigating racial prejudice and standards of beauty, and becoming an

23.2 | Meet Me at the Manila Carnival: Becoming Miss Philippines (1909-1926)

Jun 24 2023 17 mins

We’re continuing our deep dive into the Manila Carnival, a two-week festival held during the early American colonial period which culminated in the crowning of the queen and her court at an elaborate formal ball. For 31 years, young women from across the country vied for the title, navigating racial prejudice and standards of beauty, and becoming an integral part of the nation-bu

23.1 | Meet Me at the Manila Carnival: The Queen of the Orient (1908)

May 09 2023 18 mins

In the next few episodes, we’re taking a deep dive into the Manila Carnival, a two-week festival held during the early American colonial period which culminated in the crowning of the queen and her court at an elaborate formal ball. For 31 years, young women from across the country vied for the title, navigating racial prejudice and standards of beauty, and becoming an integral p