Vietnamese authorities released and promptly exiled blogger and democracy activist Đặng Xuân Diệu, who was held for six years on charges of subversion.
Loa’s 2016 Year In Review
Not Fleeing War, But Persecution: One Man’s Tale of Escape from Today’s Việt Nam
“Vietnamese refugees"...the term brings to mind, boats drifting at sea and helicopters lifting people out of a war-torn country. But it’s now more than 40 years later, and Vietnamese people still seek refuge in other countries. No longer fleeing war, these modern refugees are fleeing violence and oppression. In this week’s episode, Kathy Triệu gives us A Look Inside the story of Thủy Nguyễn--one of Việt Nam’s modern refugees--and his journey from Hà Nội to Houston.
Little Dolls From Prison Carry a Big Message
Vietnamese Mother Goddesses Religion Receives UNESCO Recognition
Việt Nam's worship of the Mother Goddesses has received UNESCO recognition as an “intangible cultural heritage of humanity” at the 11th Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage held in Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia.
Five News Stories to Know for November
Holding On to Chữ Nôm, Việt Nam’s Lost Script
Five News Stories to Know for October
Mistakes Were Made
Ghost in the Sea: A Tale of Escape
Many believe that countries torn by conflict are inhabited by the spirits of those whose lives were lost. In the case of Việt Nam, the war spread beyond land and into the sea, as hundreds of thousands of people fled the country by boat after the war. For our next story, we hear an eerie tale of loss during an attempt to vượt biên -- escape the country by boat. Chris Lê has more.
Pilgrimage to Huế: Of Spirits, Rituals, and Trances
From Field to Cup: Việt Nam Rides Coffee's Third Wave
Việt Nam as a country is very well known for what is called commodity coffee: beans exported in large batches to other countries for use in instant coffee brands and lower quality brews. In the last two years or so, a very small group of people are trying to change that image and usher in the reign of higher quality beans in Việt Nam. Loa’s Chí-Linh Đinh and Brian Lâm got together over a cup of Joe and talk about the third wave coffee movement happening in Việt Nam today.
Joshua Wong
A Fortune Teller Tells Her Secrets
From assessing the compatibility of a couple using the zodiac calendar, to the way furniture is arranged in your living room, to visiting fortune tellers to determine the most suitable date for a wedding, Vietnamese people attach great importance to a practice that other people regard with skepticism.
What is it that makes receiving advice from a fortune teller a widely accepted custom in Vietnamese culture? Chris Lê explores this idea in this week’s A Look Inside.
A Postcard from Slovakia’s Vietnamese Community
Three Things You Need to Know About the South China Sea Verdict
The Dark Past of Fulbright University Việt Nam’s New Chairman
During his visit to Việt Nam a few weeks ago, US President Barack Obama announced the opening of Fulbright University in Sài Gòn as part of the U.S. and Việt Nam’s continued partnership in education. The country’s first non-profit and independent university is set to usher in its first class this fall. But it’s already off to a rocky start with the appointment of Robert Kerrey as chairman of the school’s board. The former Việt Nam veteran’s controversial war record has ignited a heated debate. On this week’s A Look Inside, Loa’s Jenny Lý delves into the conflicting views surrounding Kerrey’s appointment and what it could represent for Việt Nam’s future.
Bring on the Funk: Dipping Fish Sauce
In Vietnamese cuisine, plenty of dishes are superstars in their own right. Phở aside, there’s the fresh and colorful vermicelli noodle salad, light and airy gỏi cuốn or summer rolls, and the fried Vietnamese crepe – bánh xèo. But all these dishes are incomplete without Việt Nam’s number one sidekick: nước mắm chấm. The sauce is splashed all over, ladled on, dipped in–you can even slurp it! Loa’s Kathy Triều brings us up close and personal with the essential nước chấm.
Battles of Bắc Ninh - Folk Music Edition
Imagine a rap battle, between two competing, freestyling artists. But instead of rappers, you've got Vietnamese villagers. And instead of rhyming lyrics, you’ve got folk music infused with poetry and lullabies. Now set it all in 13th-century northern Việt Nam. That’s what you get with quan họ, traditional call and response folk music. Loa’s Jenny Lý gives us a sample of this singing style.
Sài Gòn's Lost Rock 'n' Roll
Rock n’ roll came alive in Việt Nam in the midst of war. Vietnamese musicians took inspiration from the beats and guitar riffs of Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin and made it their own. The music that was created during this time is arguably some of the best rock music available, a unique sound that could only have existed in the contexts of which it was born. Loa's Stella Trần walks us through a collection of this groundbreaking music.