Episodes — Loa

Episode 23 - Oral Histories; Four Stupidities

Schools, libraries, research institutions are filled with records that inform our understanding of history. But what if no record exists of your experience? That’s the case for many Vietnamese displaced by war, refugees who escaped the country under a cloak of darkness or victims of pirate attacks at sea. The lack of records, photos and physical can rob us of a true understanding of war and its aftermath, but now initiatives across the globe are seeking to collect oral histories of refugees for a fuller picture of the Vietnamese experience than what can be found in the history books. That's our "A Look Inside" segment this week.

And: Albert Einstein supposedly suggested that human stupidity is limitless, but a Vietnamese proverb focuses on only four stupidities. You’ll definitely want to avoid them. We lay it out for you in our "Vietnamism" segment.

Episode 22 - Land Rights; Mid-Autumn Festival

In the Socialist Republic of Việt Nam, the land used by farmers is considered the “people’s property” and can be reclaimed by the government at any given time. Farmers who have had their livelihood taken away are uniting in protest, and their message is only getting louder. Loa's Giang Nguyễn takes "A Look Inside" this growing force.

Follow the lights of the lanterns or the sweet aroma of mooncakes and you’ll find yourself at Tết Trung Thu, Việt Nam’s mid-autumn festival. Our newest contributor Emmerick Đoàn takes us on a moonlit stroll to find out the significance of the lanterns and the mooncakes that we enjoy every fall.

Episode 21 - Việt Economy; Language Origins

The impact of China’s economic slowdown is being felt around the world. With close ties to the Asian giant, is Việt Nam’s economy also in trouble? Stella Trần has the Five Things to Know about Việt Nam’s economy.

Tiffany Lý answers this riddle in our Vietnamism segment: China played A crucial role in the formation of many Asian languages, but Việt Nam chose to B different. C if you can guess which alphabet Việt Nam ended up with while other countries adopted Chinese characters!

Episode 20 - Việt Tân; A Resistance Love Letter

Việt Tân, the Việt Nam Reform Party, marks 33 years this week of a people power struggle for freedom and democracy. From its perilous beginnings to today’s multi-pronged approaches to empower the Vietnamese people, Chris Lê has the story of the activists on the ground, in our A Look Inside segment.

In the early years of the Party's establishment, far away in a jungle near the Thai-Laotian border, a song was written from a small resistance base, by the light of the moon. "Trăng Chiến Khu" speaks to the sacrifices made by those who have committed themselves to their country. Nam-An Đinh brings us the story in Loa's Solitary Envoi segment.