Thi Nguyễn in Music & Arts
The Facetious Gender Politics of Gỗ Lim, Hanoi's Feminist Post-Punk Quintet
In an example of cruel irony, October 20 is when we celebrate annual Vietnam Women's Day, and also the anniversary of the passing of Mai Nga (commonly known as Nga Nhí), the lead singer of Gỗ Lim — a Hanoi-based female post-punk band that, albeit short-lived, struck a blow for women’s representation in rock and metal music in Vietnam in 2011 and 2012.
Paul Christiansen in Travel
'Chuyện Của Pao' Turned a Historic H'Mông Home in Hà Giang Into a Tourist Attraction
The photos don’t do it justice. That’s what you’ll often hear from people who visit Hà Giang to cruise its famed highway loop.
How Vietnam's Muslims Celebrate Ramadan, Eid Al-Fitr in Mekong Delta's Châu Đốc
Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the world, yet Vietnamese Muslims represent as little as 0.1% of the country’s population. Most are ethnic Chăm, while a few are foreigners and a few converts. After traveling to Châu Đốc in An Giang Province, where the majority are located, I was mesmerized by the unique cultural mix this community represents.
Văn Tân in Culture
A Brief History of Ông Đồ, Vietnam’s Scholars Whose Calligraphy Is Highly Sought After
To say that Tết gathers together everything most beautiful in Vietnamese culture would not be an exaggeration. More than a threshold between the old year and the new, it is also a time when people feel they can return to, and relive, the traditional values that define them.
Paul Christiansen in Travel
From Dark to Dawn, an Early Morning at Hội An's Duy Hải Fish Market
At 3am, Hội An’s streets resemble dog-gnawed pork bones, licked clean of all scent and viscera. No light, no noise, no movement. But that’s the time you must venture out to witness the Duy Hải Fish Market in action.
Review: 'New Wave' Documentary Is a Surprisingly Personal Dissection of 1980s Nostalgia
Melodic synth-lines and steady electronic drums. Today, the signature sounds of new wave music feel perhaps a bit old and outdated. During its high point during the 1980s, however, new wave was hailed as music of the future.
On the Cusp of a Modern New Year, Reflections on a Simpler Tết Past
Every year, as the pages from my block calendar peel off, bringing me towards another Vietnamese New Year, my mind once again fills with nostalgia about an old Tết. Tết in my memory begins with my childhood in a small house nestled under a coconut grove on the outskirts of Bạc Liêu in the Mekong Delta. Those were days of hardship, yet my parents worked hard so that Tết could bloom magnificently for all of us.
A Damaged Masterpiece Reveals How Much We Take Our Cultural Heritage for Granted
A once-damaged national treasure remains on view as if nothing had happened, while other works are displayed with little context — what does this tell us about how art museums preserve Vietnam's cultural heritage and shape our art history narratives today?
Weaving a Realm: Documenting Vietnam's Royal Costumes From the 15th Century
In their latest crowdfunding project, Vietnam Centre is combining the fashion design and history in a comprehensive art book detailing the ancient Vietnamese costumes worn during the late Le dynasty.
World Press Photo Exhibition in Hanoi this Weekend for First Time in 15 Years
The event will run for 4 weeks, giving Hanoians the chance to peruse works by some of the world’s most celebrated press photographers.
[Photos] Vietnamese Teens Are Putting High School Textbook Covers on Their Shirts
What can you not put on a T-shirt?
[Photos] Local Designer Modernizes Vietnam's Traditional Wines With Classy Branding Project
If you love rice wine, you might enjoy this classy makeover of Vietnam’s most sought-after traditional alcohols.
Kit Humphrey in Postcards
Hanoi Postcard No. 2: Coming up Roses
Hanoi Postcards is our series of love notes to the city we call home. This second offering is of a flower seller cycling along with her florets. With sunlight shining through an audience of trees, her...
Saigoneer Podcast: Writing in a Second Language, Saigon's Japan Town and Artist Jacqueline Hoang Nguyen
It's Monday and even the absence of our editor-in-chief can't stop the release of another podcast.
[Video] Saigon Electronica Ep. 4: Establishing the Scene With Saigon's Underground Venues
The Observatory, a gritty and modest club located at the Saigon Port in District 4 was synonymous with underground electronic music in Saigon. The bare walls, smoky interior and unnaturally narrow bal...
New Digital Typeface L'Hanoienne Preserves Classic Hanoi Hand-Painted Fonts
Hanoi streets' handprinted signs haven't been replaced with neon like in other Asian metropolises, yet; but when they are, their traditional lettering will not be lost forever.
'Despacito' Star Luis Fonsi to Headline Music Festival in Da Nang This July
The international Latin hit will be performed live in Vietnam this July.
'Star Wars' Actress Kelly Marie Tran Quits Instagram After Months of Online Abuse
After enduring months of vile online racism and bigotry, the Vietnamese-American actress has shut down her Instagram account.
In Binh Duong, This Ficus-Motorbike Entanglement Is a Local 'Celebrity'
Who would have thought that neglect and general wear and tear could result in a wonderfully weird local attraction?
[Illustrations] Local Artist Turns Saigon Street Snapshots Into Wholesome Postcards
If you’ve been fond of our Saigon Postcard series, you’ll come to love these wholesome illustrations by a local comic artist.
Kit Humphrey in Culture
[Photos] In Tho Ha Village, Locals Work From Dawn to Create Rice Paper
A few hours after sunrise in the small village of Tho Ha, alleyways morph into picturesque tunnels of drying rice paper, while ladies toast crackers over fire in the streets.
Saigoneer Podcast: Fake News Euphemisms, Vegetable Fight and Stand-up Comedian Vu Minh Tu
We're celebrating our sweet 16 this week!
The Evolution of Vietnamese Beauty Through Old Ads
Vintage cosmetic advertising and magazine covers depicting perceptions of Vietnamese beauty tell not only Saigon's, but Vietnam's feminine spirit in years gone by. Whether plain or in full color, each...
[Illustrations] This Artist Creates Ukiyo-e Paintings of Basketball Stars
Edo-ball is what happens when one combines Japanese culture, professional basketball and ukiyo-e paintings.
[Video] Saigon Electronica Ep. 3: Delving Deeper Underground With Asian Rave Connection and Chillgressive Saigon
The freetekno movement originated in Europe in the 90s. It was a movement that promoted free techno parties organized within the community at locations that were not limited to urban settlements and t...
Quyech: Mischief Merchants on Trees, Artist Archetypes and Rules for Creativity
Thanks to a minor miscommunication, the three members of Quyech who participated in this interview (more on the fourth later) arrived at different times.
Q&A: Six Space Founder Le Giang on the Hard Work of Contemporary Vietnamese Art
Hanoi-based visual artist Le Giang is an educator and co-founder of Six Space, an artist-run venue dedicated to exhibitions, workshops, film screenings and talks. Her practice spans installations, scu...
In Bắc Giang, 'Mudball' Is a Centuries-Old Festive Sport
Held once every four years, the mud wrestling festival in Vân Village in Bắc Giang Province is one of the most dramatic and unique festivals in all of Vietnam.
