Great Vietnam Resurrects Nguyễn-Era Fashion, One Traditional Costume at a Time
In the last four to five years, ancient Vietnamese costumes have gained more visibility, becoming a welcome sight among young locals thanks to the efforts to reproduce and promote historic fashion from a number of designers, brands, and interest groups that appreciate the country’s history and traditions.
In the Mekong Delta, Đồ Bộ Is Everything, Everywhere, All at Once
Despite its humble beginning as something worn just for convenience’s sake, đồ bộ has entered every minute of life in the Mekong Delta as a staple fashion choice that’s both flexible and colorful. Đồ bộ means “set outfit” in Vietnamese, a type of female casualwear made of soft, thin fabrics that often comes in a top and long bottom combo. They’re sometimes referred to as “Vietnamese pajamas,” but these comfortable sets can be worn at any time of the day and even outside, not just reserved for sleep like pajamas.
Nguyễn Đổng Chi's Classic Retelling of Vietnam's Fairy Tales, Now in English
Folklorist and anthropologist Nguyễn Đổng Chi dedicated decades to weaving a significant portion of Vietnam’s folklore tapestry. He collected, researched, and rewrote over 200 Vietnamese folktales from all corners of the country. His work, initially scattered across five volumes published individually and consecutively over 25 years, appeared as a complete anthology in 1982. Guided by a comprehensive treatise of Vietnamese folktale, Chi’s Kho tàng truyện cổ tích Việt Nam (Treasury of Vietnamese Folk Tales) might be daunting for readers drawn to Vietnamese folklore but disenchanted by rigorous academic discourse.
Kit Humphrey in Travel
In Thổ Hà Village, Rice Paper Spills Onto the Streets and Wraps Around Daily Life
A few hours after sunrise in the small village of Thổ Hà, Bắc Giang Province, alleyways morph into picturesque tunnels of drying rice paper, while ladies toast crackers over fire in the streets.
Carol Kim Brings to Life Rare Performance of 'Tại Vắng Anh' Thanks to Saigon Jazz Revival
The rich, bluesy ‘Tại vắng anh,’ written by Tuấn Khanh, was performed by Carol Kim this past November at Saigon Jazz Revival's inaugural concert in New Orleans.
Cliché or Parody? Orientalist Readings of Nam Le’s ‘36 Ways of Writing a Vietnamese Poem’
One may be surprised to learn that Viet Thanh Nguyen’s Pulitzer-winning novel The Sympathizer was rejected by 13 out of 14 publishers before its eventual publication. He describes in an interview why he believes his novel was rejected by all but one publisher he submitted to: “I knew in writing the novel that I was deliberately not doing what I was supposed to do as an Asian American writer, which is [...that] you have to end on a note of Americanization. You have to end on an embrace of the American dream, explicitly or implicitly. And the novel does not do that.” He comments elsewhere along similar lines, “I refuse[d] to subscribe to dominant American narratives and mythologies that allow someone like me a very narrow space to speak.”
Pete Walls in Travel
Watching the Sunset From Lai Châu's Fansipan, the Roof of Indochina
Conquering Mount Fansipan’s 3,147 meters was once a feat reserved for those willing to take on the potential multi-day hike from Sapa to the summit and back.
Vietnam Arrests 7 Suspects Behind Streaming Site HiAnime on Piracy Charges
As part of the current crackdown on intellectual property infringement, Vietnam’s Ministry of Public Security recently took down a major network of websites providing illegal anime streaming.
Saigoneer Podcast: Listener Mailbag
Happy April Fools' Day!
Michael Tatarski in Music & Arts
The Return of Krossing Over Arts Festival: Deeper, Bolder, Wider
Now in its third edition, the Krossing Over Arts Festival begins later this week and is expanding both in scope, with more events planned, and reach, as Hanoi is now on the schedule as well.
'The Song of Kiều' Is the Newest Addition to Penguin Classics Series
Originally written in Nôm script and lục bát (sixth-eighth) verses, Nguyen Du's epic poem Truyện Kiều has always been a quintessential reading for many Vietnamese across generations.
[Video] 2016 Documentary 'Xẩm Đỏ' Is an Ode to Vietnam's Last Xẩm Singer
Ha Thi Cau was born in 1928 and has been singing xẩm, a type of Vietnamese folk art often performed by blind artists and accompanied by đàn nhị or đàn bầu, since she was eight years old.
'Hai Phuong' Becomes Highest-Grossing Vietnamese Movie of All Time
Hai Phuong landed US distribution rights from Well Go USA Entertainment, and has been played in 28 cities in America and Canada since March 1.
Slow Craft: How a Photo Artist Built a Home for Analog Photography in Saigon
The digital age is in full swing, and photography its loyal servant. The last century has seen the art form seamlessly transform several times, allowing itself to be reframed and repurposed time ...
Spike Lee Starts Filming Next Movie 'Da 5 Bloods' in Vietnam, Thailand
Da 5 Bloods follows four African-American Vietnam veterans as they return to Vietnam to find their squad leader's remains and pursue the possibility of a buried treasure.
Khoi Pham in Culture
Bưu Hoa Stamp Project Is an Online Chronicle of Vietnam's Philatelic History
Among the best ways to learn of a country’s culture and history is looking at its stamp design through the ages. These paper tokens follow their owners’ letters to all corners of the world, serving as...
[Illustrations] Kaleidoscopic Renditions of Hanoi's Famous Landmarks and Streets
With its striking contrast between historic buildings and contemporary design, Hanoi is home to an impressive medley of architectural styles and is arguably one of the most charismatic and charming ci...
Saigoneer Podcast: Our Favorite Vietnamese Poems; Perceptions of Foreign Cuisine
A new week means a new Saigoneer Podcast episode!
Michael Tatarski in Music & Arts
Affordable Art Fair 'Art For You' Returns to Saigon Next Week
Art For You, the art fair organized by Hanoi-based Manzi Art Space and Workroom Four aimed at art enthusiasts who can't afford to shop at high-end galleries, is coming to Saigon next week.
Award-Winning Photo of Hmong Woman Raises Questions Over Photography Ethics
On Match 12, Hamdan International Photography Award (HIPA) 2019 announced that a photo of a Hmong woman carrying her two children, taken by Malaysian participant Edwin Ong Wee Kee in Vietnam, won its ...
[Video] A Quan Họ Classic Meets a String Quintet in a Psychedelic Video
'Muoi Nho' is a famous song written in the Vietnamese quan họ folk performance art.
Grammy Award-Winning Conductor to Lead Hanoi Concert This Friday
This week, a unique concert comes to Hanoi.
Saigoneer Podcast: The 5 National Senses of Vietnam, Local Street Cred
The newest Saigoneer Podcast episode is available now!
Iconic Comedian Tom Green to Perform in Saigon
Tom Green’s antics are legendary.
[Illustrations] An Idyllic Southeast Asian Childhood Through a Thai Artist's Illustrations
Thanks to the region’s similarities in biodiversity, climate and society, a childhood in rural Thailand isn’t that far off from that in the countryside of Vietnam.
Vietnamese Short Wins Best Director at 48 Hour Film Festival, to Be Screened at Cannes
The movie unfolds the story of a little girl kidnapped by two criminals, which is later discovered to be a personal conspiracy.
Saigoneer Podcast: Vietnamese in Reality TV Shows and Domestic Tourism Boom
We're back with a brand-new show!
Paul Christiansen in Postcards
Saigon Postcard No. 14: The City's Original Insurgents
Before bombs and boobie traps, guerilla offenses and ambushes, Vietnam had another means of driving invaders out.
