Saigoneer in Culture
[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 ...
Saigoneer in Culture
[Photos] Rare 20th-Century Dong Ho Paintings Depict a Society in Flux
The well-known woodcut folk paintings have always offered unique insights into the times during which they were produced.
Anh Nguyen in Culture
[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...
Saigoneer in Culture
[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.
Saigoneer in Culture
[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.
Saigoneer in Culture
[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.
Saigoneer in Culture
[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.
Stacy Dahl in Culture
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...
Saigoneer in Culture
[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.
Saigoneer in Culture
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
Buu Hoa: 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...
Saigoneer in Culture
[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.
Saigoneer in Culture
[Illustrations] The Tet 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.
Saigoneer in Culture
Burning Paper Bikinis for Deceased Ancestors Is Vietnam's Hottest New Vogue
Some new variations of joss paper in Vietnam are getting too risqué for comfort.
An Dang in Culture
Once Invisible, Saigon's Underground Scene Emerges Into Light
In just a few short decades, underground hip-hop and youth culture has gained a massive following, not only within Saigon and Vietnam, but all around the globe.
Saigoneer in Culture
[Photos] Saigon Couple Becomes 'Inmates for Life' in Prison-Themed Wedding Photos
Marriage is sometimes compared to being handcuffed for a lifetime and one Saigon couple has taken the metaphor literal in their wedding photos.
Saigoneer in Culture
[Video] At FEEL It Festival, a Full Display of Saigon's Vibrant Street Culture
On December 15, Saigon's underground street scene was on full display on a rooftop in District 7, with freestyle skating, vibrant graffitti and local musicians.
Saigoneer in Culture
[Illustrations] Four Festive Cards for a Very Saigoneer Christmas
While there is no chance of Saigon experiencing a white Christmas, we'd still like to take this opportunity to spread a bit of holiday cheer.
