Vietnamese Buddhists Celebrate Vu Lan in Louisiana

September 2, 1999

Source: The Times-Picayune

On September 2, 1999, The Times Picayune reported that 150 people gathered at the Bo De Buddhist Temple in Algiers, Louisiana on Sunday, August 29th to celebrate Vu Lan, the Buddhist day of appreciation for parents and grandparents. Youth group members took part in administering the ceremony and preparing the celebratory feast. The youth group, which includes between 50 and 100 young adults, meets weekly to study the Buddhist faith and Vietnamese language and culture. Dien Nghiem, assistant scoutmaster with Bo De's youth group, stated: "This is a way that we practice our faith and also nurture our roots...We're not only Buddhists, we're part of the Vietnamese congregation as well."