Paul Christiansen in Culture
The Harrowing History of Vietnam's Rubber Plantations
"Oh it’s easy to go to the rubber and hard to return, / Men leave their corpses, women depart as ghosts."
[Photos] Tinker Tailor Painter Bike: The Quiet Life of Saigon's Older Residents
In this series of film photos taken by Saigon resident and coffee genius Hoang Trung Hieu, citizens of varying stripes are captured in spontaneous action. Some are working at restaurants, others ...
This Set of Rare 20th-Century Đông Hồ Paintings Depicts a Society in Flux
The well-known woodcut folk paintings have always offered unique insights into the times during which they were produced.
[Video] Sidewalk Barbers: The Very Saigon Comfort of Getting a Haircut on the Street
Sidewalk barbershops are a symbol of old Saigon. In the face of globalization and its demands for westernization, the sight of a simple chair placed beneath an awning where one can get an affordable t...
[Illustrations] A Calendar Features Famous Phantoms in Vietnamese Folklore
Demon henchmen, a vampire and even a hero get their own month alongside the year's lunar animal in this colorful calendar.
[Photos] The 1970s Girl Gangs That Inspired Japanese Pop Culture and Fashion Rebels
With razor blades hidden under modified school uniforms, sukeban represented both terror and solidarity.
Khoi Pham in Culture
The Discomforting Poetry of Vietnamese Cursed Image
The page description of Vietnamese Cursed Image (VCI) has a single line: “how did you get here?” — a question I find myself asking often.
[Illustrations] A Calendar Created Specifically for Saigon's Wet and Dry Seasons
Saigon is in the midst of a full-on rainy season whose watery mood swings almost make us miss the heat of the dry season.
[Photos] After Bánh Mì, Altar Might Be Vietnam's Next Miss Universe National Costume
Remember the bánh mì dress? She’s dead, and this horrible design murdered her.
[Photos] How Vietnam's Muslims Celebrate Ramadan, Eid Al-Fitr in Chau Doc
Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the world, yet Vietnamese Muslims represent as little as 0.01% of the country’s population. Most are ethnic Cham, while a few are foreigners and a few converts...
[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).
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...
The Pink, Minimalist Aesthetic Enticing Hanoi's Millennials
At the intersection between Hang Bong and Phung Hung streets, there is a bakery whose lavender armchairs look as if they are made from giant ladyfingers. It’s called Baked by Julie and, since ope...
[Illustrations] A Graphic Design Project Inspired by Ancient Champa Seductresses
Apsaras are supernatural female beings who appear in many works of ancient arts in South Asian and Southeast Asian countries.
A 60-Year-Old Trash Chute Is Saigon's Latest Most Checked-In Place on Instagram
Editor's note: Happy April Fools' Day! This article was part of Saigoneer's 2019 April Fools' Day celebration. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, a...
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] 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.
Khoi Pham in Culture
A New Typeface That Was Built From Designs on Old Book Covers
Finding new values from old relics is a popular way some young creatives today are keeping old Vietnam aesthetics alive.
Chris Humphrey in Culture
Scaling the Dragon: An Urbexer's Guide to Long Bien Bridge
Urban exploration, urbex or UE, is a form of recreational urban trespass. Urbexers find a way into anything from derelict theme parks, sewers and asylums to factories, skyscrapers, missile silos and p...
International Photographer Captures Spirit of Đạo Mẫu in Vibrant Photo Book
Tewfic El-Sawy’s introduction to Đạo Mẫu, also known as the Mother Goddess religion, began with music.
