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 and often come 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.
Dropping the Disguise: The Evolution of Punk Band Cút Lộn Towards More Radicality
In recent years, CÚT LỘN has cemented themselves as one of the most recognizable hardcore punk bands to emerge from the Vietnamese underground scene.
[Video] Hanoi Road Rage Leads To Epic Jump Kick
Driving can test the patience of even the most cool and collected individuals. For one Hanoi driver, the poor directional choices of a motorbiker led to an epic jump kick to the chest.
[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.
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...
[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.
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...
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...
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...
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...
[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.
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...
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.
[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...
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...
Saigoneer Sunday Rewind
Saigoneer's staff highlights their favorite articles from the past week.
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...
[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...
Saigoneer Sunday Rewind
Saigoneer's staff highlight their favorite articles from the past week.
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.
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.
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...
