in Quãng 8

Ly Mí Cường Takes the Sounds of Sáo H'Mông From Hà Giang to International Stages

Born in 2005, Ly Mí Cường has taken 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.

in Culture

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.

in Culture

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. 

in Culture

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...

in Music & Arts

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...”

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in Music & Arts

[Video] Sài Gòn...Sài Gòn...!

In a departure from Vietnam road trips and timelapse videos, Sài Gòn...Sài Gòn...! shows the city from the perspective of a group of young locals.

in Music & Arts

5 Totally Reasonable Explanations For The Broken AAG Cable

While officials have blamed everything from sabotage to poor quality materials for its inconsistency, we’ve come up with five completely reasonable, alternative explanations for why the Asia-America G...

in Film & TV

[Video] Heartbreaking Film Shows The Hopes And Dreams Of The Mekong’s Boat Children

Last week, Mai Huyen Chi released “Down the Stream,” a short film that explores the lives of boat children in the Mekong Delta.

in Culture

84% Of Vietnamese Students Admit To Plagiarism

At a conference on academic integrity in Vietnam held on May 29, a university official announced the results of a survey that found 84% of students have plagiarized significant portions of their writi...

in Culture

Vietnam’s Cities Are Losing A Lot More Than Their Old Buildings: Experts

“A city is enriched by accumulation over generations. Accumulation incorporates destruction but keeps enough fabric to retain cultural identity, while obliteration erases everything includin...

in Film & TV

June Movies at Saigon’s Alternative Film Venues

This month’s films show us that it’s possible to make a great sequel from an 80s classic, that Twilight has accidentally done something good for cinema and that Hollywood producers can’t always constr...

in Culture

Check Out This Hardcore American War-Era Board Game

As the US scaled up their military presence in Vietnam during the mid-1960s, anti-American propaganda followed suit throughout communist nations in Asia. While much of this was manifested in well-know...

in Culture

[Video] Russian Daredevils (Illegally) Climb China’s Tallest Building

If you’re unfamiliar with On the Roofs (OTR), a group of Russian photographers who double as adrenaline junkies, you need only know one thing – they’re not afraid of heights.

in Music & Arts

Dragonfly: Setting the Standard for Theater in Saigon

Oscar Wilde, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Samuel Beckett, Rajiv Joseph and now Tennessee Williams - those are some of the figures whose literary works have been brought to Saigon by the only professional...

in Culture

9 Photos That Perfectly Capture Vietnamese Smartphone Addiction

While smart addiction has become rampant across the globe, the scourge seems to be particularly acute in Vietnam.

in Music & Arts

[Photos] Dong Nai Farmer Breeds Mussels That Produce Buddha And Jesus-Shaped Pearls

When we talk about humans harnessing nature, it is often on a macro scale, such as dams, solar arrays and reservoirs. One Vietnamese farmer has found a more subtle, but nonetheless impressive way of b...

in Music & Arts

London’s Little Barrie Returns to Saigon

Rock and R&B band, Little Barrie, will return for the second time in as many years this Wednesday at Cargo Bar. The three-piece band - Barrie Cadogan (Primal Scream), Vigil Howe and Lewis Wharton...

in Arts & Culture

Saigoneer Sunday Rewind

Saigoneer's staff highlights their favorite articles from the past week.

in Culture

Can You Solve This Math Puzzle For Vietnamese 8-Year-Olds?

While Vietnamese students performed very well when it came to math and science in the recent OECD education rankings, some of the local curriculum is next-level difficult, stumping even those with PHD...

in Culture

[Photos] The Majestic Sheep Of Ninh Thuan

Considered the Vietnamese province with the harshest, driest weather, Ninh Thuan has found its niche as a home for the country’s largest herds of sheep. Brought to Vietnam by the French over 100 years...

in Arts & Culture

Saigoneer Sunday Rewind

Saigoneer's staff highlight their favorite articles from the past week.

in Music & Arts

Sai Gon Art Map: Final Call For Submissions

There’s only one week left until we close submissions for the Sai Gon Art Map, a project from Saigoneer, Saigon Artbook, Dia Projects and The Alternative Art Area.

in Culture

Draft Amendment Would Restrict Vietnamese Names To 25 Characters

A new draft amendment submitted by the Ministry of Justice would limit Vietnamese names to 25 characters.

in Film & TV

2 Vietnamese Films to Be Screened at Cannes Film Festival

Two Vietnamese films, "Big Father, Small Father and Other Stories" and "Yellow Flowers on the Green Grass," will be screened at the 68th Cannes Film Festival that will take place from May 13 to May 24...

in Music & Arts

[Video] “Walk In Shanghai” Is Google Street View On High-Definition Steroids

What better way to experience a new city that to walk through its streets? This reverse timelapse video from media mastermind JT Singh lets potential visitors explore Shanghai more intimately than eve...