The Sound of Revolution: How Socialist Realism Shaped Vietnam's Musical Identity
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- Published on 22 November 2024
- Written by Vũ Hoàng Long. Top image by Mai Khanh.
In the depths of my childhood memories lies a peculiar ritual: my grandfather feeding me baby powder while Vietnamese revolutionary songs, or “nhạc đỏ” (red music), played in the background. Without these melodic accompaniments, I would refuse to eat.
Cold War History With a Side of Nem Rán in Prague's Little Hanoi
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- Published on 22 November 2024
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
Across English-speaking countries such as the US and Australia, the Vietnamese diaspora established close-knit “Little Saigon” towns whenever they settled down, founding large markets, starting financial services, and introducing southern fares like gỏi cuốn and bánh mì to the local population. Elsewhere in Europe, however, the Vietnamese community is often known as “Little Hanoi,” due to the regional makeup of the first wave of immigrants. Some, like Prague’s Little Hanoi, have flourished to the point of being a “city within a city,” boasting its own self-sufficient administrative services, schools, and housing.
How the Ghosts of iPhones Past Haunt Vietnam's Low-Income Communities
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- Published on 22 November 2024
- Written by Nhi Nguyễn. Illustration by Hannah Hoàng.
The current e-waste crisis in Vietnam is one example of global environmental apartheid.
From Cheap Flicks to Local Identity: A Brief History of Vietnamese Horror Films
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- Published on 21 November 2024
- Written by Khang Nguyễn. Top graphic by Dương Trương.
Horror films have been a part of Vietnamese cinema for a long time, since the heyday of the country’s film industry. But the genre's journey has been challenging. For one, its track record includes many films with low-budget production made in a rush for quick profit. Additionally, certain scary elements in horror films often face issues with age restrictions or require last-minute edits to secure approval for theatrical release. As a result, the horror genre in general has a mixed reputation among Vietnamese audience members.
To Appreciate Tao Đàn More, Study the Park's Past, Present, and Future
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- Published on 20 November 2024
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Photos by Mervin Lee.
Shallow shrub and fern roots tussle to send shoots, tendrils and stalks up and outwards, sprawling across uneven ground and grasping at patches of light. A musky, funky, fetid soil stink emanates from crooks, crevices, and holes ungoverned by grubs, spiders, snails, beetles, and flies. Flowers bloom in vibrant bursts of color amongst vines, the collapsing pulp of decomposing logs and uncompromising boulders; birds trill, cicadas whine, and the air offers its inexhaustible exhale of droplet-rich molecules. We live in the tropics. Often, we forget this. Tao Đàn Park allows us to remember.
The City That Never Sits Still: Traffic in 1994 Saigon via Photos by Ed Kashi
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- Published on 19 November 2024
- Written by Saigoneer.
In Saigon on Wheels, American photojournalist Ed Kashi managed to capture the pulse of a simpler Saigon.
Resilience, Resistance Reflected in Propaganda Art Exhibition ‘Crafting a Message’
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- Published on 18 November 2024
- Written by An Trần. Photos by Dogma Collection.
How did daily life on the battlefield look from the perspective of first-generation Vietnamese photojournalists? Why did colorful stamps and propaganda posters play such a significant role in the war and nation-building? Other than their original roles in communication, these historical artifacts tell us a bigger story: of long, turbulent, and resilient histories, and the birth of a nation.
With Unchecked Destruction, Saigon's Heritage Shophouse Architecture Is in Danger
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- Published on 15 November 2024
- Written by Tim Doling.
The colonial shophouse, one of Saigon’s most iconic forms of architecture, is in imminent danger of extinction.
Ngõ Nooks: Slurping Thick Noodles and Seafood at Bánh Canh Ghẹ Út Còi
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- Published on 14 November 2024
- Written by Linh Nguyễn. Photos by Chris Humphrey.
A whiff of the ocean hits you before you even step foot onto the street. In this curious corner between Quang Trung and Nhà Chung, a new form of restaurant exemplifies the vitality and variety of Hanoi’s street food.
An Argument for Why Võng Should Be a Staple Amenity in Every Home
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- Published on 12 November 2024
- Written by Paul Christiansen.
Everyone should have a võng in their home.
Keeping Cool in Thủ Đức With This Humble Abode’s Well-Ventilated Design
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- Published on 12 November 2024
- Written by Saigoneer.
Thick multi-layer brick walls, shaded areas, water features, and natural ventilation allow this private home to stay cool amidst the city's stifling heat.
5 Albums to Put on While Driving Home at 12am Pretending You're in an MV
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- Published on 11 November 2024
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Top image by Ngọc Tạ.
It’s 12:03am in Saigon. You've just finished a movie at the last screening of the day. The asphalt in the parking lot is coated in a layer of golden light from the streetlight. You walk gingerly to your vehicle. A surprisingly cool breeze meets your skin, and you nearly shiver. It’s time to head home. What music do you put on?
Examining the Role of Shame in Building a National Identity via Vietnam's Thinkers
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- Published on 11 November 2024
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Top image by Dương Trương.
“Shame, rather than pride, can be the basis for national identity… individuals may be motivated to move their country in a desirable direction when national shame outweighs pride.”
Art, Flowers Bloom at Huế’s Hidden Museum, Lebadang Memory Space
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- Published on 06 November 2024
- Written by Paul Christiansen. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
People often think that art is distant and difficult to appreciate, but a garden is different; everyone knows how to admire a flower.
Hẻm Gems: Reliving the Joy of Jollof Rice at Saigon's Only Nigerian Eatery
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- Published on 05 November 2024
- Written by Khôi Phạm. Photos by Cao Nhân.
Food is history. For some, it may just be sustenance, fuel for life, something to wash down quickly with sips of water to keep the body going. But the reality is that many food types have directly influenced and changed the course of human history, like sugarcane, palm oil, and spices. On a national scale, many Vietnamese dishes that we adore today, like hủ tiếu Nam Vang or cà ri gà, are surviving proofs of the country’s storied past.
In Nam Định, a Village Goes All out in Festivities to Honor Their Holy Ancestor
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- Published on 04 November 2024
- Written by Xuân Phương. Photos by Xuân Phương.
Comprising a range of ceremonies and traditional activities reflective of Vietnam’s rice-growing culture, Keo Hành Thiện Pagoda’s annual festival is a momentous occasion for locals to pay respect to their community’s Đức Thánh Tổ (Holy Ancestor) — Zen master Dương Không Lộ — as well as his religious importance and good deeds.
Synths, Dreams, and French Culture: Inside Vietnamese Duo Coïncidence's 1st EP
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- Published on 01 November 2024
- Written by Khang Nguyễn. Top graphic by Dương Trương and Ngọc Tạ.
“When we finally finished the project, I was just like ‘Yay, we’re done!’ Then I went to sleep to go to work tomorrow. I guess life just goes by like that,” recalled Thông, a member of Coïncidence, regarding when he wrapped up production for the band’s debut EP “Không Ngủ Quên.”
Via Curry Packets, Curry Powder Made Its Way From India Into Vietnamese Homes
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- Published on 01 November 2024
- Written by Thi Nguyễn. Illustration by Hannah Hoàng.
Step inside the kitchen of any household in Saigon and chances are that you will find one or two ready-made curry powder packets in a cupboard waiting for the family's next weekend treat of cà ri gà (chicken curry).
Saigon's Next Top 5 Congested Streets Are Announced. Here Are the Winners.
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- Published on 31 October 2024
- Written by Saigoneer. Photo by Kevin Lee.
Local streets are buckling under the pressure of Saigon's ever-increasing population density, here are the city's most frequently jammed roads, according to the municipal Department of Transportation.
Saigon's VOH Radio Building, a Marvel of Architect Lê Văn Lắm's Modernist Intuition
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- Published on 30 October 2024
- Written by Phạm Phú Vinh. Photos by Alberto Prieto.
In the middle of the 20th century, Vietnam grew to become one of the world’s prominent centers of modernist architecture. Saigon at the time was an economic and cultural heart of the region, with many official government structures constructed and designed in the style of modernist architecture. They were created with aesthetics and form in mind, laying the groundwork to usher in a new period of growth for Vietnamese creative independence.
