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Born and raised in Saigon, Thi writes and translates in between Vietnamese and English.
59 stories
Music & Arts
In an example of cruel irony, October 20 is when we celebrate annual Vietnam Women's Day, and also the anniversary of the passing of Mai Nga (commonly known as Nga Nhí), the lead singer of Gỗ Lim — a Hanoi-based female post-punk band that, albeit short-lived, struck a blow for women’s representation in rock and metal music in Vietnam in 2011 and 2012.
Vietnam
In our previous article on Vietnam’s southern citadels , we covered a mix of ancient structures and those constructed just before the dawn of French colonization of Indochina. In particular, we focused on Gia Định Citadel, a hulking structure that once stood in what would become Saigon’s city center. Undertaking a similar exercise for Vietnam’s central and northern regions is less practical, given the sheer quantity and variety of citadels in those regions. So, for the second part of our citadel series, we instead will focus on a unifying feature across such fortifications — Vauban architecture.
Vietnam
Although the forces of modernization encourage constant progress and leaving behind the pre-modern past, the trails of yesterday never fail to leave our presence.
Literature
“You told me not to look at you, it’s silly / Yet I want to gnaw you the way I gnaw bread ... the pack of ravenous dogs looked at me with night sea eyes / I wish they could gnaw me piece by piece.”
Culture
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.
Food Culture
To me, there's nothing that screams Tết as much as sticky rice cake. However one wants to spice up the usual celebration by replacing some dishes with something new each year, sticky rice cakes remain a must-have in Vietnamese households. Try searching for an image of the Lunar New Year and there’s a high chance that you’ll spot the cakes amongst the first ten results.
Tech
This is part 2 of our two-part series on the history of Vietnamese-centric typing technologies. Part 1 can be accessed here .
Tech
My first exposure to the computer traces back to my primary school years when computer classes were conducted once a week. In order to study computers, students had to migrate from their usual classrooms to a multimedia lab — an air-conditioned room filled with computers. Computer classes were generally more popular among us than most subjects thanks to that satisfying cool breeze and the delight of operating something one wasn't privileged with at home .
Food Culture
Whether it is fish placed neatly inside rectangular tins or uniform meat slabs stored in cylindrical cans with colorful packages, eating canned food is a strange experience. Unlike sitting in street food stalls or eating at home — where one can witness the food being made — the homogenizing, sanitized, mass-produced packages one mindlessly grabs from a supermarket counter obscure the labor that goes into the meal, as well as its origins.
Loạt Soạt
Published in 1938, Dumb Luck , or Số Đỏ , remains one of Vietnam's most popular and controversial novels. Vũ Trọng Phụng was fined by the French colonial administration in Hanoi in 1932 for his stark portrayals of sexuality. Dumb Luck , along with most of his works, were banned in 1954 until the late 1980s. Today, Vietnamese who attended public high school are no stranger to Vũ Trọng Phụng as an excerpt from the book, titled “The Happiness of a Family in Mourning,” is included in the official literature curriculum.
Snack Attack
Step inside the kitchen of any household in Saigon and chances are that you will find one or two ready-made curry powder packets in a cupboard waiting for the family's next weekend treat of cà ri gà (chicken curry).
Food Culture
Realizing the word that one is using refers to an entirely different object in another region is a situation many can relate to. The last time this happened to me, it almost cost me a bowl of Hanoi’s bánh đa trộn.
Snack Attack
You know a dish is special when it can spark conversation with a stranger on a bus. Halfway through the scrumptious bánh củ cải (radish cake) from our last-minute trip to the market, I shared the other half with my mom. "You're full?" asked a lady in the bunk next to us, which was then followed by a long discussion. I came home with several handy tips on how to recreate and elevate the already flavorful treat.
Snack Attack
Although both durian and mangosteen are native to Southeast Asia, their reputation — especially from a western point of view — leads two very contrasting fates: the latter is considered a luscious delicacy while the former usually finds itself at the center of many insult-throwing contests.
Vietnam
To help citizens better distinguish between Vietnam dong bills for the living and the dead, the State Bank of Vietnam has put forth a draft law detailing specifications replicas must follow.
Saigon
Nearly 50% samples of fruits and vegetables gathered from Saigon wholesale markets were found to contain pesticide residues, while significant amounts of seafood tested positive for dangerous metals and banned antibiotics.
Film & TV
Do communities inherit the sorrows of war? Is trauma re-experienced by the sons and daughters of those who suffered? How does life prevail amidst the normalization of loss? Pham Thu Hang’s debut film, The Future Cries Beneath Our Soil , answers these questions with philosophical clarity.
Saigon Hẻm Gems
While bánh tằm is more often regarded as a popular street food dish in the Mekong Delta, my entrance to the world of this dish was family gatherings in Saigon.
Roundups
Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook . Each morning, we select some of the most important stories from Saigon, the rest of Vietnam and beyond, and digest them into short, accessible links so you can easily keep up with current affairs.
Music & Arts
Cuc Im Lang , the latest exhibition from renowned fashion designer Nguyen Cong Tri, presented ten collections spanning his 20-year career through the lens of ten contemporary artists across different mediums and practices.
Saigon Hẻm Gems
A friend once told me that Saigon is a place that makes you feel like you can travel anywhere.
Saigon Hẻm Gems
Several months ago, the Saigoneer team went to 89 Nguyen Du for a Hẻm Gem on Ngo 89’s Hanoian snacks . Little did I know, we’d be going to the same location for an entirely different eatery later on.
Culture
The recent rise of music videos and pop culture products that feature androgynous idols and same-sex love has invited mixed responses and debates in the media, which open a window into Vietnam’s historical relationship with gender and sexuality.
Roundups
Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook . Each morning, we select some of the most important stories from Saigon, the rest of Vietnam and beyond, and digest them into short, accessible links so you can easily keep up with current affairs.
