Ly Mí Cường Takes the Sounds of Sáo H'Mông From Hà Giang to International Stages
Born in 2005, Ly Mí Cường has brought sáo Mèo to international music competitions twice in his life — and he managed to take home the first prize both times. Cường’s anchor is always H’Mông culture, the wellspring that has nurtured his soul ever since he first took up the flute of his people, sáo H’Mông.
Paul Christiansen in Loạt Soạt
'The Colors of April' Invites Numerous Generations of Vietnamese to Reflect on War
“If the rain could wash away everything, maybe we could all find peace. For the third generation after the war, what was left behind wasn’t anger or bitterness, but an enduring sorrow that echoed from the heart.”
Thi Nguyễn in Culture
In Vietnam, Joss Papers Link Life and Death, Modernity and Tradition
Joss papers and effigies consumed my experiences before I began to even question their meaning. On the anniversary of my grandfather’s death (giỗ), my grandmother routinely set up a large pot in our tiny front yard and burned a stack of replica paper money. It is quite a scene to watch — the fire turned the paper to smoke and ash, and within minutes it was as if the paper never existed.
Every Mùng Một, My Family Organizes Our Own Temple Run to Visit 10 Temples
According to Vietnamese traditions, the first, second, and third days of Tết are reserved for one’s paternal family, maternal family, and teacher’s family, respectively.
On Hội Xuân, the Harbinger of Tết for High School Students
When I was a high school student, Lunar New Year brought with it a lot of excitement. Not only did we get a week-long break, we also got plenty of fun school activities leading up to the holidays. For me, one of my most anticipated events during this period of time was the high school Tết concerts.
The Tết Board Games That Help Foster (and Destroy) Family Relations
There’s nothing quite as satisfying as beating all your siblings and cousins in a heated game of cờ cá ngựa.
Paul Christiansen in Culture
Bored of the Traditional Zodiac? A Case for the Shipworm as a New Con Giáp.
From games to sweet treats to flowers to traditional attire, the nostalgic elements of Tết often tug people to the past. Saig...
Between Victory and Sorrow: The Complex Realities Behind Văn Cao's 'Mùa Xuân Đầu Tiên'
Composer Trịnh Công Sơn once wrote: “In music, Văn Cao is as noble as a king. In the field of song composition, I am like a child dreaming that the sun is a paper kite to play with. Brother Văn's music is the music of soaring fairies. I wander among the human realm. He keeps flying and I keep sinking. Flying and sinking in our private destinies...”
Thai Rapper Eats Mango Sticky Rice During Coachella Set, Wins Our Hearts
Maybe Suboi can eat a plate of cơm tấm during her next performance.
Paul Christiansen in Loạt Soạt
Saigoneer Bookshelf: Ocean Vuong Asks Questions in 'Time Is a Mother'
Fame and poetry rarely go together.
Marvel at These Ceramic Boots Created by Legendary Bát Tràng Artisan Vũ Đức Thắng
"The Bát Tràng Ceramic Boots. An Inspiration from Italy" exhibition will feature 12 ceramic boots created by artisan Vũ Đức Thắng, who blended Italian fashion and Bát Tràng craft traditions.
Local Photographer Recreates Mai Trung Thứ Paintings in Fashion Shoot
In hopes of recreating the paintings of silk master Mai Trung Thứ, photographer Minh Sơn and his collaborators have done something extraordinary with this photo collection. The resulting works bear st...
Mythology, History, and Supernaturals Mingle in the World of 'Lĩnh Nam Chích Quái'
Lĩnh Nam Chích Quái was one of Vietnam’s first anthologies written in Hán characters in prose form. It’s a collection of 22 folk tales, mythologies, and legends surrounding the origin story of the Vie...
Japanese Mobile Game 'Fate Grand Order' Unveils Hai Bà Trưng as Playable Heroines
Time for all Vietnamese Masters to save their Saint Quartz.
Handbook Project Empowers Local Communities to Write Their Own Cultural Narratives
“No one could sing our song but ourselves.” — Inrasra, Chăm poet and anthropologist.
Photography Exhibition Spotlights the Beauty and Perils of Vietnam's Mangrove Forests
Transcending the boundaries of a conventional art exhibition, “Midnight in the Mangroves - Đêm Trong Rừng Ngập Mặn” tackles the beauty and important environmental role of mangrove forests via the lang...
Paul Christiansen in Film & TV
Review: In 'Đêm Tối Rực Rỡ!,' Watch a Fraught Family Disintegrate During a Funeral
If a family is like a broken leg, does healing it require a more painful break? Đêm Tối Rực Rỡ! (The Brilliant Darkness!) grapples with this question by thrusting characters into a situation that expo...
Netflix Announces Next 'Bridgerton' Season to Focus on Long-Lost Vietnamese Sister Hường Bridgerton
Steamy night rendezvous, sordid secrets, and stupendous wigs — historical smash hit Bridgerton returned last week with all the glitz and glam that made its first season one of the most-watched se...
Paul Christiansen in Loạt Soạt
Saigoneer Bookshelf: The Instruction Manual of Phillips H92X Offers Something for Everyone
Engaging plot or strong characters? Fantastic escapism or insightful depictions of the real world? A sweeping epic across generations and nations, or a deep examination of a brief moment in time? What...
Michael Tatarski in Film & TV
'Madame Pirate,' Short Film Based on History's Greatest Pirate, Screens at SXSW
Do you know who the world's greatest pirate is?
Party Like It's 1985: A New Mixtape Resurrects Vintage Vietnamese New Wave Bangers
Born of the vivacity and flashiness of the 1980s, a novel wave of music once became the symbol for a whole generation of Vietnamese, and then faded into obscurity at its peak. It took over two decades...
In Hòa Bình, a Social Enterprise Supports Vietnam's Last Remaining Paper Artisans
As aid to Vietnamese communities decreases, how do we continue to preserve cultural heritage? Zó Project, an organization based out of Hanoi, offers a compelling example of the role social enterprise ...
A Mythic Vietnam Through the Brushstrokes of Architecture and History
“A steady country is one with a wealth of history and a steady generation is one that can understand and respect the heritage that their forefathers left behind,” Vũ says of his exhibition “Kỳ Ẩn Việt...
In Điện Điên and Mutant Lounge Radio Shows, a Hidden Universe of Vietnam's Electronic Music
Many moons ago I had the pleasure of encountering Tobias Paramore’s lopsided grin in a dimly lit music event in Hanoi. Originally from Australia, Paramore has been creating electronic music since 2003...
Digital Artist Transports Us Back to Hanoi Tramway’s Halcyon Days
Many Hanoians have seen historical photos of the capital’s lost tramway network, which was inaugurated in 1901. What began as a state-of-the-art electric tramway eventually fell into disrepair in the ...
A New Romcom Netflix Original Will Start Filming in Vietnam Next Month
A Tourist's Guide to Love, set in Hanoi, Saigon, Đà Nẵng, Hội An and Hà Giang, will be the first major international flick to film in Vietnam since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Meet KURROCK, the First Vietnamese Rock Band in Japan
In KURROCK’s songs, one can appreciate a pronounced fusion of two seemingly detached music scenes that are 4,000 kilometers apart.
Adorable Metro Illustrations Take Viewers on a Joyride Through Saigon
As fans of Vietnam’s busiest city, graphic designers An Nguyễn and Học Nguyễn launched a mock communication campaign to create prospective visual branding for the upcoming Ho Chi Minh City Metro. The ...
