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 Today, the signature sounds of new wave music feel perhaps a bit old and outdated.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?
[Video] Travel Back in Time to Ancient Vietnam Through Animated Series 'Loa Thanh Ruc Lua'
Vietnam’s ancient history has once again proven to be a rich and valuable muse for local storytellers.
Michael Tatarski in Music & Arts
[Illustrations] Mariano di Guglielmo's Vivid Watercolors of Saigon Street Scenes
For Mariano di Guglielmo, an English teacher who has lived in Saigon for about four months, every street is a potential canvas.
[Illustrations] Artist Captures Old Edo's Remnants in Busy Tokyo
Shinji Tsuchimochi's ukiyo-e illustrations breathe nostalgia into Japan's cool and modern capital.
Central Vietnam Festival Bài Chòi Recognized as UNESCO Intangible Heritage
A night of celebrations, songs and games was held in Quy Nhon on May 5, as artists and official delegates acknowledged bài chòi's recognition as a UNESCO intangible heritage.
'Dao Cua Dan Ngu Cu' Actress Ngoc Thanh Tam on Her Craft and Feminism in Vietnamese Cinema
The young talent explores her transition to acting, its hectic yet colorful challenges, the films she took part in and anticipation towards the future of Vietnamese cinema.
Saigoneer Podcast: Street Food Roundup, #MeToo in Vietnam and Dr. Phuong Mai Nguyen
We're back from the holiday break with a new episode!
Paul Christiansen in Literature
Riverbanks Silky With Ancient Songs : A Discussion With Writer Nguyen Phan Que Mai
“You writers have blood on your hands,” a Vietnamese man once told Nguyen Phan Que Mai in reference to the ability of poetry, stories and songs to have inspired young men and women into wars that clai...
Paul Christiansen in Literature
Writer Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai Brings Vietnamese-English, North-South Closer
“You writers have blood on your hands,” a Vietnamese man once told Nguyen Phan Que Mai in reference to the ability of poetry, stories and songs to have inspired young men and women into wars that clai...
Paul Christiansen in Music & Arts
Deadmau5 Arrives in Saigon as the City’s Electronic Dance Music Scene Expands
Thousands of dancing fans gathered before an enormous digital cube covered in screens displaying memes, video game cutscenes, clips of endorphin-addled cartoon cats and random flashings of screensaver...
A Visit to Hanoi's Birdsong Clubs: Have You Heard the Call of the Oriental White-Eye?
Birdsong clubs, a tradition originating from China, are one of Hanoi’s hidden gems. If you’re willing to really look for them, it’s possible to find huge collections of birds kept in finely decorated ...
[Illustrations] Saigon's Quaint Chaos in Nguyen Hoang Huy's Black-and-White Sketches
Nguyen Hoang Huy's simple ink-and-paper sketches, which can be found on his Behance page, capture the rough charms of Saigon's cramped dwellings and riverways.
Researchers Discover 1,000-Year-Old Cham Architectural Remnants in Binh Dinh
Twenty years ago, the Cha Ray Temple ruins were identified as an excavation area along with 14 others in Binh Dinh.
[Video] The Drag Queens Firing Up Hanoi's Nightlife
For over two months, a tantalizing new event has been firing up Hanoi's nightlife: drag queens in burlesque outfits death dropping on stage.
Thi Nguyen in Arts & Culture
Feminist Art Project 'Lip Xinh' Is an Archive of Unabashed Intimacies
Located inside a modest space on the fourth floor of a cafe, the Lip Xinh exhibition made its statement the moment you set foot inside the space: the act of simply confronting your private parts ...
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 4: Mourning the Fallen
Saigon has lost some of its oldest citizens recently, and in this installment of our Saigon Postcard series, we pay our respects.
Q&A: Over a Hundred Street Artists Visit Hue for Annual Meeting of Styles Event
Since 2002, a collective known as Meeting of Styles has been organizing street art events around the world. According to its website, it is “an international network of graffiti artists and aficionado...
[Video] Short Film Captures the Diversity of Vietnamese From All Walks of Life
A Journey Through the People of Vietnam depicts the candid moments of a wide range of the everyday lives of Vietnamese across the country.
[Photos] The New, Illusory Trompe-l'œil Murals on Hanoi's Railway Arches
On one end of Long Bien Bridge, so far from the often-photographed main structure that it's considered by many to be a separate attraction in its own right, a massive art project fills the sealed arch...
[Illustrations] Check out These Charming Watercolor Paintings of Traditional Hanoian Cuisine
In a capital city that feels like it’s in constant flux, there’s always one thing you can rely on: the refined art of Hanoian cuisine.
[Video] Vietnamese Acrobat Duo 'Giang Brothers' Wow Britain With Breathtaking Balancing Act
Two Vietnamese acrobats recently became the talk of the nation in the UK after a stellar performance in the latest episode of the reality TV show Britain’s Got Talent.
