Source: Virgin Islands Daily News
http://www.virginislandsdailynews.com/index.pl/article_home?id=17604264
ST. THOMAS - Costumed children leaped through a Dragon Dance - while a local dog unexpectedly joined in - as the Chinese New Year was welcomed on Sunday at the Caribbean's only Buddhist temple.
More than 60 practicing Buddhists and supporters observed the holiday at the Nirvana Temple of Love and Compassion, a striking, nearly finished pagoda structure high above Mandahl Bay.
The occasion marked the first time the temple, which has been under construction for two years and is expected to be completed this year, hosted a Chinese New Year celebration.
Those gathered ushered out the Year of the Dog and brought in the Year of the Pig in Chinese culture, which follows the lunar calendar. Buddhist monks mark the first day of the year according to that calendar. In China, traditional new year activities include going to the Buddhist temple, meditating and praying for wishes for the new year.
"It's like karma," temple founder May Trieu said of a golden Labrador's surprise participation in the Dragon Dance. "It was perfect - we couldn't find a mask for the dog."
In the Chinese tradition, each year represents one of 12 different animals - the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog or pig.