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 Today, the signature sounds of new wave music feel perhaps a bit old and outdated.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?
Empty Forest: Dissecting the Fraught Relationship Between Man and Animal
In April 2010, a ranger in Dong Nai Province’s Cat Tien National Park found a rhino skeleton with its horn chopped off. Illegal poachers had killed the last Javan rhinoceros on mainland Southeast Asia...
Kit Humphrey in Music & Arts
An Unexpected Makeover of Hanoi's Old Quarter
In the spring of 2017, Scott Matt became a celebrity in Vietnam overnight. Known as ông Tây râu xồm (the Bearded Westerner), he appeared in news outlets and on various TV channels, all because he...
The Debut Saigoneer Podcast Episode Is Available Now!
The debut episode of the Saigoneer Podcast is now online!
Khoi Pham in Arts & Culture
Preserving Hanoi's Hang Trong Paintings Through Digitization
You’ve probably spotted them before: a black catfish leaping out of the water, people dressed in ancient festive costumes or, most famously, a pack of five tigers staring at you with piercing eyes. Th...
Vietnamese-American Director Stephane Gauger Passes Away at 48 in Saigon
One of Vietnam’s most prominent film directors, Stephane Gauger, recently passed away.
How Vietnamese Stand-up Comics Juggle Culture, Identity and Language on Stage
As a fan of stand-up comedy, I was curious when I found out that there was a burgeoning scene here in Saigon.
[Video] A Day in the Life of Vietnam's New Storytellers With Tilo-Kay
Saigon’s creative industry has flourished in recent years, giving rise to a range of new job positions that were few and far between in past decades.
[Photos] Is Saigon's Latest Teen Attraction, Zone 87, the Descendant of 3A Station?
Apart from shopping malls and the odd food court, there are not many dedicated spaces in Saigon for the city’s younger residents to hang out.
[Photos] The Hottest Beauty Trend in 1920s Vietnam Was Ridiculously Long Nails
In 2018 Vietnam, excessively long nails are usually considered a sign of evilness, thanks to the influence of foreign horror flicks. However, not many know that decades ago, this body feature was wide...
Thi Nguyen in Literature
On Reading Thi Bui's Illustrated Memoir 'The Best We Could Do' in Saigon
One of my favorite pastimes during summer holidays was reading through the textbooks for my next school year. History textbooks were the most interesting and fun to read: they were like the Harry Pott...
[Video] Teh Dar Brings Central Highlands' Rhythm and Sound to Saigon
From the same team that brought us A O Show and Lang Toi, Teh Dar will take audiences on a trip to the mountain ranges of the Central Highlands.
[Photos] Tatsuto Hibata: Finding Beauty in the World's Dense Urbanscapes
The oeuvre of Japanese photographer Tatsuto Shibata includes an eclectic mix of subjects: streets tangled in neon signage, claustrophobic alleyways thrumming with commerce, sweeping city panoramas and...
Thi Nguyen in Music & Arts
Collective Remembrance Project Delves Into Artists' Personal Connection to Saigon
In his comprehensive work The Past is a Foreign Country, American historian and geographer David Lowenthal contends that, even in spite of historical accounts, recollections and relics that contribute...
Watch Ngo Thanh Van Kick Ass in This Latest Netflix Action-Fantasy Flick
2017 has been a good year for actresses of Vietnamese descent on the international stage.
The Saigoneer Podcast Is Here!
Just in time for Christmas, Saigoneer is excited to announce the launch of the Saigoneer Podcast!
Hiep Thi Le, Star of 1993 War Drama 'Heaven & Earth', Passes Away at 46
Vietnamese-American actress Hiep Thi Le, the breakout star of Oliver Stone’s 1993 war drama Heaven & Earth, recently passed away.
Saigon Couple Adds a Pre-Doi Moi Style Twist to Wedding Photos
Ask any Vietnamese person to describe a typical wedding album from memory and the answer is likely to be the same each time. The bride wears a floor-length gown or a full áo dài khăn đóng getup, the g...
A Vietnamese-American Actress' Journey From Refugee Camp to Golden Globe Nomination
Hong Chau, a Vietnamese-American actress, recently made the leap from relative obscurity to being a Golden Globe nominee.
Acclaimed Novel 'Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass' Was Released in Japanese Last Month
One of Vietnam’s most beloved novels, Toi Thay Hoa Vang Tren Co Xanh (Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass), was released in Japanese not long ago.
[Photos] Saigon's Quirky Signs Display the City's Character
It’s impossible to talk about the charm of Saigon without mentioning the diverse range of its colorful signage.
