prickly pear: engelmannii) and the beaver tail cactus (O. basilaris), commonly occur in the southwestern United States.

prickly pear: Two of the best-known species, Engelmann prickly pear (O. engelmannii) and the beaver tail cactus (O. basilaris), commonly occur in the southwestern United States.

Opuntia: …pear, including the commonly cultivated Indian fig (O. ficus-indica) of Mexico, are grown for their edible fruits and paddles and are invasive species in South Africa, Australia, and elsewhere outside their native range.

Opuntia: In the Northern Hemisphere, the brittle prickly pear (O. fragilis) is one of the most northern-ranging cacti. Several species of prickly pear, including the commonly cultivated Indian fig (O. ficus-indica) of Mexico, are grown for their edible fruits and paddles and are invasive species in South Africa, Australia,

Opuntia: …pear, including the commonly cultivated Indian fig (O. ficus-indica) of Mexico, are grown for their edible fruits and paddles and are invasive species in South Africa, Australia, and elsewhere outside their native range.

Morocco: Plant and animal life: …jujube tree, esparto grass, and Barbary fig (introduced from the Americas by way of Spain in the 16th century) cover vast areas. There is little natural vegetation in the desert areas east of the mountains, although the date palm, introduced to Morocco at a very early period, is extensively cultivated…

Opus, in ancient Greece, the chief city of the Locri Opuntii. Its site may have been at modern Atalándi or at Kiparíssi. Homer in his Iliad mentioned Opus, and Pindar devoted his ninth Olympian ode mainly to its glory and traditions. By the 5th century bc, Opus gave its name to some of the eastern

opus alexandrinum, in mosaic, type of decorative pavement work widely used in Byzantium in the 9th century. It utilized tiny, geometrically shaped pieces of coloured stone and glass paste that were arranged in intricate geometric patterns dotted with large disks of semiprecious stones. The

opus anglicanum, (Latin: “English work”), embroidery done in England between about 1100 and about 1350 and of a standard unsurpassed anywhere. The technical skill that was shown by English workers in handling gold—i.e., silver gilt thread—was unequaled. Gold was used in large expanses as background

filet lace, (from French filet, “network”), knotted netting, either square or diamond mesh, that has been stretched on a frame and embroidered, usually with cloth or darning stitch. Of ancient origin, it was called opus araneum in the 14th century, lacis in the 16th, and in the 19th filet guipure

construction: Masonry construction: …form a true concrete, called opus caementicium. This concrete was still used with brick forms in walls, but soon it began to be placed into wooden forms, which were removed after the concrete had hardened.

Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji: Sorabji’s most famous composition is Opus Clavicembalisticum (1930). It consists of one movement lasting nearly 5 hours and is the longest nonrepetitive piano composition ever published. He wrote several symphonies, including the “Jami” Symphony (1942–51), which was nearly 1,000 pages long. From 1940 to 1976 Sorabji prohibited the performance or…

Joseph Justus Scaliger: Scaliger’s greatest work is the Opus de emendatione tempore (1583; “Study on the Improvement of Time”), a study of previous calendars. In it he compared the computations of time made by the various civilizations of antiquity, corrected their errors, and for the first time placed chronology on a solidly scientific…

Opus Dei, Roman Catholic lay and clerical organization whose members seek personal Christian perfection and strive to implement Christian ideals and values in their occupations and in society as a whole. Its name, which means “Work of God” in Latin, stems from the organization’s emphasis on

Western architecture: Construction: (2) Opus incertum was the most common facing for ordinary concrete walls of the 2nd and 1st centuries bce. The face of the concrete was studded with 3- to 4-inch (8- to 10-cm) irregularly shaped pieces of stone, usually tuff. (3) Opus reticulatum came into vogue…

opus interassile, metalwork technique developed in Rome and widely used during the 3rd century ad, especially appropriate for making arabesques and other nonrepresentational ornamental designs. Probably of Syrian origin, the technique consists of piercing holes in the metal to create an openwork

Roger Bacon: Career as a friar: …short time had dispatched the Opus majus (“Great Work”), the Opus minus (“Lesser Work”), and the Opus tertium (“Third Work”). He had to do this secretly and notwithstanding any command of his superiors to the contrary; and even when the irregularity of his conduct attracted their attention and the terrible…

Western architecture: Construction: …brick and stone facing, called opus mixtum, was popular under the later empire and especially under Diocletian (284–305 ce).

Jacob Handl: …most notable work is the Opus musicum (1590), a collection of motets for the entire year. His wide-ranging, eclectic style blends archaism and modernity. He rarely used cantus firmus, preferring the then new Venetian polychoral manner, yet he was equally conversant with earlier imitative techniques. Some of his chromatic transitions…

Scholasticism: Early Scholastic period: …John Duns Scotus in his Opus Oxoniense, which, in spite of being a work of extremely personal cast, was outwardly framed as a commentary on the “Master of Sentences.”

Georg Joachim Rheticus: …his pupil Valentin Otto as Opus Palatinum de triangulis (1596; “The Palatine Work on Triangles”). The treatise contains tables of values for the trigonometric functions (of an arc or angle) computed in intervals of 10 seconds of arc and calculated to 10 decimal places.

cross-stitch embroidery, type of embroidery carried out on canvas or an evenly woven fabric in which the strands of the weave can be counted. Canvas work was executed at least as early as the Middle Ages, when it was known as opus pulvinarium, or cushion work. As its name implies, cross-stitch is a

Western architecture: Construction: …type of masonry was called opus quadratum.

reticulated work, type of facing used on ancient Roman concrete or mortared rubblework walls. It appeared during the late Roman Republic and became widespread by the reign of Augustus. It succeeded the earliest type of facing, an irregular patchwork called opus incertum. Reticulated work looks like

opus sectile, type of mosaic work in which figural patterns are composed of pieces of stone or, sometimes, shell or mother-of-pearl cut in shapes to fit the component parts of the design, thereby differing in approach from the more common type of mosaic in which each shape in the design is composed

opus signinum, in mosaic, type of simple, unpatterned or roughly patterned pavement commonly used in Roman times. It was composed of river gravel, small pieces of stone, or terra-cotta fragments cemented in lime or clay. Opus signinum was the prevalent form of pavement in Roman houses from the 1st

opus tessellatum, mosaic technique that involves the use of tesserae (small cubes of stone, marble, glass, ceramic, or other hard material) of uniform size applied to a ground to form pictures and ornamental designs. Opus tessellatum was the most commonly used technique in the production of

reticulated work: …type of brick wall-facing called opus testaceum, which became the most common method in the imperial era.

Jakob Ayrer: …plays are preserved in his Opus Theatricum (1618; “Works of the Theatre”), of which Comedia von der schönen Sidea (c. 1600; “Comedy of the Beautiful Sidea”) is often cited for the affinities it bears to William Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

drawn thread work, in fabric, a method of producing a design by drawing threads out of the body of a piece of material, usually linen, and working stitches on the mesh thus created. In Italy it preceded the development, in the 16th century, of needle lace, and it continued to be practiced

opus vermiculatum, type of mosaic work frequently used in Hellenistic and Roman times, in which part or all of a figural mosaic is made up of small, closely set tesserae (cubes of stone, ceramic, glass, or other hard material) that permit fine gradations of colour and an exact following of figure

Scholasticism: Roots of Scholasticism: …rather extraordinary way: though his Opuscula sacra (Sacred Works) dealt almost exclusively with theological subjects, there was not a single Bible quotation in them: logic and analysis was all.

St. Maximus the Confessor: His Opuscula theologica et polemica (“Short Theological and Polemical Treatises”), Ambigua (“Ambiguities” in the works of St. Gregory of Nazianzus), and Scholia (on Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite),express Maximus’s teaching on the transcendental, impredicable nature of the divinity, his intrinsic Trinitarian existence, and his definitive communication in Christ.…

Csongrád: …to traditional history, the village Ópusztaszer was the site of the first council of the seven conquering Magyar tribes that formed the Árpád dynasty in the late 9th century. The 136-acre (55-hectare) Ópusztaszer National Heritage Park commemorates the site. Other cultural attractions in the county include the Franciscan monastery and…

Albert Bruce Sabin: …best known for developing the oral polio vaccine . He was also known for his research in the fields of human viral diseases, toxoplasmosis, and cancer.

Maarten Tromp: Antonio de Oquendo and several other experienced captains, the fleet consisted of 45 warships and 30 merchantmen hired as troopships. When Tromp spotted the armada off Beachy Head on Sept. 15, 1639, he had only 13 vessels at his command; his other detachments were cruising…

Oquirrh Mountains, mountain range that extends about 30 miles (50 km) southward from the southern end of the Great Salt Lake, Utah, U.S., overlooking the Tooele and Salt Lake valleys. The mountains take their name from a Goshute Indian word meaning “wooded mountain.” The tallest point is Lewiston

Oquirrh Mountains, mountain range that extends about 30 miles (50 km) southward from the southern end of the Great Salt Lake, Utah, U.S., overlooking the Tooele and Salt Lake valleys. The mountains take their name from a Goshute Indian word meaning “wooded mountain.” The tallest point is Lewiston

Ḥasdai ben Abraham Crescas: …Maimonides, is contained in his Or Adonai (“The Light of the Lord”), completed in 1410. In the work, a commentary on various aspects of the Torah, he rejected traditional proofs for the existence of God, insisting that certainty in this matter rests only on the authority of the Bible in…

Donatello: Early career: …niches on the exterior of Orsanmichele, the church of Florentine guilds (St. George has been replaced by a copy; the original is now in the Museo Nazionale del Bargello). Here, for the first time since Classical antiquity and in striking contrast to medieval art, the human body is rendered as…

Isaac ben Moses Of Vienna: …law (Halakha) whose vast compilation, Or Zaruʿa (“Light Is Sown”), was widely quoted in later Halakhic works. Or Zaruʿa is also valued by historians for its descriptions of Jewish life in medieval France, Germany, and Italy.

Oryol, city and administrative centre of Oryol oblast (region), western Russia. It is located on the headwaters of the Oka River at its confluence with the Orlik River. Founded in 1564 as a fortress of the Muscovite State against Tatar attacks, it was the scene of heavy fighting during World War

Khoekhoe languages: …the extinct South African languages !Ora and Gri (click here for an audio clip of !Ora) and the dialects that were spoken along the southern Cape coast; the second type is Nama, also known as Nama/Damara and Khoekhoegowap, with about 120,000 speakers mostly in Namibia (click here for an audio…

human eye: The uvea: …at the region called the ora serrata and ending, in front, as the root of the iris. The surface is thrown into folds, called ciliary processes, the whole being covered by the ciliary epithelium, which is a double layer of cells; the layer next to the vitreous body (see below),…

Juan Pablo Forner: …defense of Castilian literature; and Oración apologética por la España y su mérito literario (1786; “Arguments on Behalf of Spain and Her Literary Merits”), in which he refuted the idea that Spanish literature was of no value when compared with the literature of the rest of Europe. His poetry was…

Ernesto Cardenal: …Monroe, y otros poemas (1965; Prayer for Marilyn Monroe, and Other Poems), the earlier prophetic tone is linked to contemporary events: the death of the film actress Marilyn Monroe serves as an example of what Cardenal sees as the dehumanizing corruption of the capitalist system. Clichés, slogans, newspaper clippings, and…

Batgirl: 23 (January 1989), she became Oracle, a behind-the-scenes crusader whose development of a vast computer information network, along with her photographic memory and her uncanny hacking abilities, enabled her to ferret out information to help other heroes. In addition to aiding the Suicide Squad, Batman, and others, Oracle ultimately joined…

Oracle, global corporation and brand that develops and markets software applications for business. The company is best known for its Oracle database software, a relational database management system, and for computer systems and software, such as Solaris and Java, which it acquired when it

oracle, (Latin oraculum from orare, “to pray,” or “to speak”), divine communication delivered in response to a petitioner’s request; also, the seat of prophecy itself. Oracles were a branch of divination but differed from the casual pronouncements of augurs by being associated with a definite

chronology: Chinese: The so-called oracle-bone inscriptions of the last nine Shang kings (1324–1122 bc) record the number of months up to the 12th, with periodical additions of a 13th month, and regular religious services on the summer and winter solstice days, all of which indicates the adjustment of the…

jiaguwen, pictographic script found on oracle bones, it was widely used in divination in the Shang dynasty (c. 18th–12th century bc). Turtle carapaces and ox scapulae with inscriptions scratched into them were discovered about 1900 in the area of Xiaotun, a village in Henan province. In subsequent

Oracle, global corporation and brand that develops and markets software applications for business. The company is best known for its Oracle database software, a relational database management system, and for computer systems and software, such as Solaris and Java, which it acquired when it

Chinese writing: History: …tortoiseshell that were used for oracular divination, date from the Shang (or Yin) dynasty (18th–12th century bc), but, by then it was already a highly developed system, essentially similar to its present form. By 1400 bc the script included some 2,500 to 3,000 characters, most of which can be read…

Oradea, city, capital of Bihor judeƫ (county), northwestern Romania. It lies about 8 miles (13 km) east of the Hungarian border, along the Crişul Repede River where it leaves the western foothills of the Western Carpathians and flows onto the Hungarian Plain. One of the first feudal states in the

Oradour-sur-Glane, village, Haute-Vienne département, Nouvelle-Aquitaine région, south-central France. It is located 14 miles (23 km) northwest of Limoges. Oradour-sur-Glane was the site of a particularly brutal atrocity during World War II. The entire village was destroyed and its inhabitants

Öræfajökull, ice-covered volcanic massif, southeastern Iceland. It lies at the southern end of the giant ice field of Vatnajökull (Vatna Glacier). Its highest peak, Hvannadals Peak, reaches an elevation of 6,952 feet (2,119 metres) above sea level and is also the highest peak in

Alfred Richard Orage was an influential English editor and social thinker. Orage became an elementary school teacher at Leeds, Yorkshire, in 1893, lectured on theosophy, and in 1900 helped found the avant-garde Leeds Arts Club. He moved to London in 1906 and became joint editor in 1907 of The New

Alfred Richard Orage was an influential English editor and social thinker. Orage became an elementary school teacher at Leeds, Yorkshire, in 1893, lectured on theosophy, and in 1900 helped found the avant-garde Leeds Arts Club. He moved to London in 1906 and became joint editor in 1907 of The New

Nikol Pashinyan: Early life, education, and journalistic career: …president, Pashinyan founded the newspaper Oragir, an opposition paper that came under fire in 1999 after it published a set of articles alleging corruption among Kocharyan’s broader circle. Several of the affected persons and entities, including Sargsyan, successfully sued Pashinyan for defamation. After Pashinyan refused to issue a retraction or…

Jacob ben Asher: His four divisions are: (1) Oraḥ ḥayyim (“Path of Life”), dealing with laws governing prayer and ritual; (2) Yore deʿa (“Teacher of Knowledge”), setting forth the laws concerning things that are permitted or forbidden, such as dietary laws; (3) Even ha-ʿezer (“Stone of Help”), containing the laws governing family relations,…

Jalaun: Orai, the administrative headquarters, is 65 miles (105 km) southwest of Kanpur, with which it is linked by road and rail. Orai is a trade centre for agricultural produce. The town of Jalaun, for which the district is named, is 12 miles (19 km) northwest…

Oraibi, Hopi pueblo (village), Navajo county, northeastern Arizona, U.S. The pueblo is situated on the narrow, rocky Third Mesa of the Hopi Indian Reservation. It is the unofficial capital of the reservation and is thought to be the oldest continuously occupied settlement in the United States (from

Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet: Lenten sermons and funeral orations.: These first “Oraisons funèbres” (“Funeral Orations”) include panegyrics on Henrietta Maria of France, queen of England (1669), and on her daughter Henrietta Anne of England, Louis XIV’s sister-in-law (1670). Masterpieces of French classical prose, these orations display dignity, balance, and slow thematic development; they contain emotionally charged…

Oral, city, western Kazakhstan, along the Ural (Zhayyq) River. Founded in 1613 or 1622 by Cossacks fleeing a tsarist punitive campaign, it was known as Yaitsky Gorodok until 1775, when its name was changed following the Pugachov Rebellion. The town was a centre of both the Stenka Razin (1667) and

food allergy: Oral allergy syndrome (also known as pollen-food allergy) is a result of cross-sensitivity to pollen proteins and certain proteins in fruits, vegetables, and nuts. It often affects individuals with allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and manifests as itchy, swollen lips and tongue. Atopic dermatitis, or eczema,…

oral and maxillofacial surgery, dental specialty that deals with the diagnosis and surgical treatment of the diseases, injuries, and defects of the human mouth, jaw, and associated structures. The most common oral surgery procedure is tooth extraction. Other dental problems that require the skill

Chrysaora: Four long tentacles, commonly called mouth, or oral, arms, hang from the centre of the underside, where the mouth of the jellyfish is located. In most cases, 24 other, thinner extensile tentacles hang from the rim of the bell. Uniformly ciliated larvae, or planula, are brooded within the adult. The…

oral cancer, disease characterized by the growth of cancerous cells in the mouth, including the lips. Oral cancer is often associated with cancers of the cavity located behind the tonsils and the back of the throat (oropharyngeal cancer). Most cases originate from the flattened cells that make up

thrush, fungus infection characterized by raised white patches on the tongue. When gently scraped off, these patches reveal inflamed tissue that tends to bleed easily. Beginning on the tongue, the creamy white spots can spread to the gums, palate, tonsils, throat, and elsewhere. The causative

mouth, in human anatomy, orifice through which food and air enter the body. The mouth opens to the outside at the lips and empties into the throat at the rear; its boundaries are defined by the lips, cheeks, hard and soft palates, and glottis. It is divided into two sections: the vestibule, the

food allergy: …confirm a food allergy, an oral challenge may be undertaken (with medical supervision). In this test the suspected food is eaten in increasing amounts over a period of time until a reaction occurs. An oral challenge may not be possible for those who experience anaphylactic reactions.

oral contraceptive, any of a class of synthetic steroid hormones that suppress the release of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) from the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland in the female body. FSH and LH normally stimulate the release of estrogen from the ovaries,

Lee Smith: …rural Southerners in the novel Oral History (1983), which presents a century of fictional family history.

Judah ha-Nasi: …the centuries a body of Oral Law had developed. In order to preserve this tradition, Judah spent some 50 years in Bet Sheʿarim sifting the Oral Law, which he then compiled into six orders dealing with laws related to agriculture, festivals, marriage, civil law, the temple service, and ritual purity.…

oral literature, the standard forms (or genres) of literature found in societies without writing. The term oral literature is also used to describe the tradition in written civilizations in which certain genres are transmitted by word of mouth or are confined to the so-called folk (i.e., those who

dentistry: Other disciplines: Oral medicine, or stomatology, treats the variety of diseases that affect both the skin and the oral mucous membranes. Some of these diseases, such as pemphigus vulgaris, can develop their first manifestations in the mouth and can be life-threatening. Oral cancer also has a high mortality rate, partly…

dentistry: Oral microbiology: Oral microbiology, which is concerned with the effects of the more than 600 different species of oral bacteria on the teeth, gums, mouth, and other parts of the body that connect to the mouth through the digestive system and the circulation, is an…

dentistry: Oral and maxillofacial pathology: Oral pathology is the study of the causes, processes, and effects of oral disease, together with the resultant alterations of oral structure and functions. The oral pathologist provides diagnoses on which treatment by other specialists will depend.

pharynx: …to the second region, the oral pharynx, by means of a passage called an isthmus. The oral pharynx begins at the back of the mouth cavity and continues down the throat to the epiglottis, a flap of tissue that covers the air passage to the lungs and that channels food…

Vietnamese literature: …languages 1,000 years ago, the oral poetry tradition probably has its origins in the agrarian prayers common to the prehistory of the Mon-Khmer language family. The oral poetry, still sung today in the countryside, remains a strong influence in contemporary poetry and fiction writing. Its word stock, prosodic patterns, and…

Albert Bruce Sabin: …best known for developing the oral polio vaccine . He was also known for his research in the fields of human viral diseases, toxoplasmosis, and cancer.

Albert Bruce Sabin: …best known for developing the oral polio vaccine . He was also known for his research in the fields of human viral diseases, toxoplasmosis, and cancer.

evidence: Oral proceedings: Under both systems of presenting and obtaining evidence, oral proceedings are generally accepted. The written proceedings favoured during the Middle Ages have been abolished, although the parties prepare their lawsuits through briefs, and parts of the preliminary proceedings can be handled in writing.…

oral rehydration therapy (ORT), treatment consisting of a salt-and-sugar-based solution taken orally to treat dehydration from diarrhea. The salts can be prepackaged and typically include a combination of sodium, glucose, potassium, and citrate to be mixed with clean water. Oral rehydration therapy

Oral Roberts University, private, coeducational institution of higher learning in Tulsa, Oklahoma, U.S. An interdenominational Protestant university, it emphasizes fundamentalist Christian values in its programs. A range of undergraduate programs leading to a bachelor’s degree is offered through

oral stage, in Freudian psychoanalytic theory, initial psychosexual stage during which the developing infant’s main concerns are with oral gratification. The oral phase in the normal infant has a direct bearing on the infant’s activities during the first 18 months of life. For the newborn, the

evidence: Witnesses: The oral testimony of witnesses competes in a sense with documentary evidence to the extent that one may exclude or supplement the other. Under Anglo-American law, almost anyone can be a witness, including the parties and experts; even insane persons, children, and convicted felons may testify.…

folk literature, the lore (traditional knowledge and beliefs) of cultures having no written language. It is transmitted by word of mouth and consists, as does written literature, of both prose and verse narratives, poems and songs, myths, dramas, rituals, proverbs, riddles, and the like. Nearly all

oral tradition, the first and still most widespread mode of human communication. Far more than “just talking,” oral tradition refers to a dynamic and highly diverse oral-aural medium for evolving, storing, and transmitting knowledge, art, and ideas. It is typically contrasted with literacy, with

education: The Aztecs: …cultural preservation relied heavily upon oral transmission and rote memorization of important events, calendrical information, and religious knowledge. Priests and noble elders, who were called conservators, were in charge of education. Since one of the important responsibilities of the conservator was to censor new poems and songs, he took the…

inheritance: Formalities of wills: A nuncupative (orally declared) will is exceptionally admitted in some jurisdictions in emergency situations, such as those of the soldier on active war duty, the sailor on board ship, or a person finding himself in immediate danger of death.

symmetry: Symmetry in animals: …axis is hence termed the oral-aboral, or anteroposterior, axis. Except in animals having an odd number of parts arranged in circular fashion (as in the five-armed sea stars), any plane passing through this axis will divide the animal into symmetrical halves. Animals having three, five, seven, etc., parts in a…

oral tradition, the first and still most widespread mode of human communication. Far more than “just talking,” oral tradition refers to a dynamic and highly diverse oral-aural medium for evolving, storing, and transmitting knowledge, art, and ideas. It is typically contrasted with literacy, with

Robert Montgomery Bird: …study of Spanish-American history in Oralloossa (1832), a romantic tragedy of Peru at the time of the Spanish conquest. Eighteenth-century Colombia was the scene of The Broker of Bogota (1834), a domestic drama considered his best by many critics.

Oran, city, northwestern Algeria. It lies along an open bay on the Mediterranean Sea coast, about midway between Tangier, Morocco, and Algiers, at the point where Algeria is closest to Spain. With the adjacent city of Mers el-Kebir, a fishing centre at the western end of the bay, Oran is the

Celtic literature: Developments of the 18th century: …Praise of Ben Dorain) and Oran Coire a Cheathaich (“Song of the Misty Corrie”). His most famous love song is addressed to his wife, Màiri.

Celtic literature: Developments of the 18th century: …later praised George III in Oran do’n Rìgh (“Song to the King”), but he had been a forester on the Perthshire–Argyllshire borders in early manhood, and this is the setting of his greatest poems, Moladh Beinn Dóbhrainn (The Praise of Ben Dorain) and Oran Coire a Cheathaich (“Song of the…

Oran: The contemporary city: …the old town is the Great Mosque, built in 1796 with money obtained by ransoming Spanish captives. To the east lies the Château Neuf, former residence of the beys of Oran and later a French army headquarters. Near the Casbah, which surrounds the old Spanish castle, are the mosque of…

Malaysia: Peninsular Malaysia: …region, these include the various Orang Asli (“Original People”) aboriginal peoples, the Malays, the Chinese, and the South Asians. In addition, there are small numbers of Europeans, Americans, Eurasians, Arabs, and Thai. The Orang Asli constitute the smallest group and can be classified ethnically into the Jakun, who speak a…

Javanese, largest ethnic group in Indonesia, concentrated on the island of Java and numbering about 85 million in the early 21st century. The Javanese language belongs to the Austronesian (Malayo-Polynesian) family. Islam is the predominant religion, though Hindu traditions of an earlier era are