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 Today, the signature sounds of new wave music feel perhaps a bit old and outdated.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?
Kit Humphrey in Music & Arts
[Video] Ha Giang Rap Video is an Earnest Call for Mental Health Awareness
In 2012, Ian Paynton’s catchy rap track ‘Oi Gioi Oi’ went viral. Now he’s back with a cinematic video, shot in Ha Giang, that calls out for mindfulness in the age of digital addiction.
[Video] Adorable Animated Short Captures the Life of a Tet Flower Farmer
For some, the true joys of Tết disappear before the actual holiday arrives.
[Illustrations] Japanese Artist Reimagines Marvel Heroes as Ukiyo-e Artworks
By now, many Saigoneers may have already seen Avengers: Endgame, the ultimate puzzle piece of a 22-film narrative. Undoubtedly a global cultural phenomenon, Endgame and the Marvel Cinematic Universe h...
Saigoneer Podcast: Overseas Vietnamese Laborers & What If a Zombie Apocalypse Hit Saigon?
Happy short work week!
[Video] New Music Video 'Boy' Depicts Contemporary Hanoian Love, With a Twist
In the music video for indietronica artist Hien’s ‘Boy,’ a classical romantic narrative unfolds. Within a modern Hanoian setting, two lovers battle against themselves, their peers and society as a who...
[Video] Stop-Motion Animation Project Retells Vietnam's Starfruit Tale With a Hint of Horror
As a common saying goes: "tham thì thâm" (grasp all lose all).
Thai Indie Sensation Phum Viphurit to Perform at Music Festival in Saigon This May
Right on the heels of his new single release, Thai-New Zealander indie sensation Phum Viphurit will play his first-ever music festival in Vietnam this May.
Saigoneer Podcast: A Reckoning on Child Harassment; That Burger King Ad; & 'Startup Vietnam' Author Andrew Rowan
We're back from a two-week break!
German, Vietnamese Sound Artists to Hold Workshops, Perform in Hanoi
Starting this weekend and continuing through next week, Hanoians will have the opportunity to attend a combination of workshops and live performances from both German and Vietnamese sound artists.
Matca Opens New Photography Space With 'A Little Bit of This and That' Exhibition
Photography and visual arts magazine Matca expanded their horizons last week with the opening of a new exhibition space in Hanoi.
Kit Humphrey in Music & Arts
[Video] Introducing Rooftop Concerts, Saigoneer's New Live Music Series
It is with unrelenting pride and excitement that we can finally introduce Rooftop Concerts, our new live music video series inspired by the likes of Tiny Desk Concerts and La Blogotheque.
New Hoi An Music Residency Opens Call for Applicants
Following a pilot initiative at Hanoi’s Phu Sa Lab this January, British Council is now looking for up to 10 Vietnam-based contemporary musicians to take part in a new FAMLAB music residency program i...
Hanoi Designer Turns Áo Dài Into Elegant Modern Typeface
Has the AODAI typeface captured the elegant essence of its namesake?
Michael Tatarski in Music & Arts
[Photos] Krossing Over Arts Festival Wraps up a Striking Week of Performances
The third edition of the Krossing Over Arts Festival ended in Saigon on Thursday, capping a week of exciting workshops, artist talks and contemporary dance performances.
On Reconciling With One's Vietnamese Half as an American
My mother is Vietnamese and my father is American, yet I’ve always felt as though I was a tea bag submerged solely in American water. I was born and raised in Minnesota, I speak only English, and I kn...
Award-Winning Film 'The Third Wife' to Screen in Vietnam in May
Set in the 19th century, The Third Wife follows 14-year-old May who was selected to be the third wife of a wealthy landowner.
[Video] Rapper Datmaniac Features Cat Shelter in 'May Con Meo' Music Video
If Japan’s “cat island” or Taiwan’s “cat village” are public venues maintained by collective efforts, Saigon’s cat shelters are run by Samaritans who take care of local felines using their own limited...
Michael Tatarski in Music & Arts
Here's a Thiên Long Ballpoint Pen, Now Make Art With It
Nomer Adona has lived in Vietnam since 1994, a 25-year journey (so far) that has taken him from working as an architect with the Malaysian government to the halls of international schools.
Paul Christiansen in Literature
Serious Play: A Conversation With Award-Winning Poet Duy Doan
A lion cub’s tussling, teething and roughhousing represent not simply play for play’s sake, but instead, training for a life of stalking, pouncing and throat-gashing; and so it might be with the poems...
Affordable Art Fair 'Art For You' Returns to Hanoi Next Week
Art For You, the art fair organized by Manzi Art Space and Workroom Four aimed at art enthusiasts who can't afford to shop at high-end galleries, is returning to Hanoi next week.
