Một, hai, ba, vô!
(One, two, three, cheers!)
Celebrating the Vietnamese community of the Westbank at Archbishop Shaw
by Mr. Alex Cormier
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Ask anyone who is not a native Louisianan to identify the major cultural and ethnic groups of our state and you’ll get familiar answers such as Cajun and Creole. However, an undoubtedly large part of our state’s heritage is its sizable Vietnamese population.
Those of us who grew up in South Louisiana never thought twice about this: it seemed only natural that at school, Church, and the grocery store, along with black and white kids, were those of Asian descent. It wasn’t until many of us grew older that we recognized that a Vietnamese population of this size was really quite unique in our country. How did we get to this point where, in a relatively short period of time, this singular group of immigrants became so integral to our communities?
Fr. Dominick Tran, SDB, Vice Provincial of the Province of Saint Phillip the Apostles of the Salesians of Don Bosco, recounts his story growing up in Vietnam.
Shaw students enjoy homemade Vietnamese foods and treats.
Like many great migrations of people, the story is not without struggle, hardship, and sacrifice. Elizabeth M. Williams, author of the book New Orleans: A Food Biography, writes that after the Communist takeover of North Vietnam in 1954, a large number families moved to South Vietnam. With the Fall of Saigon in 1975, those families had no place left to go. With the assistance of Catholic Charities, many families took the opportunity to move to New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Acadiana.
Louisiana had much to offer those families: a sizable fishing industry and a strong Roman Catholic heritage that was not unfamiliar to many Vietnamese (Williams, 78). It is perhaps the latter that has led to Archbishop Shaw being the Westbank home to so many young men of Vietnamese descent over the past four decades.
One need only look at our institution to see that the influence of this people and their spirituality is unmistakeable: we are resilient witnesses for the Lord.
It was this spirit of hope, resiliency, and joy that led to the first-ever Vietnamese Culture Night on December 7. Vietnamese students and their families came together for a night of fellowship, spirituality, and, without mention, great food.
Father Steve Ryan, SDB, the current Head of School of Archbishop Shaw, recognized the need to celebrate the Vietnamese community on the Westbank.
"There's two reasons why we had this event", reflects Fr. Steve: "First, we want to increase enrollment at Archbishop Shaw and let the Vietnamese community know that this is a great place for their boys".
"Second, we want to cultivate a sense of pride in our students of Vietnamese descent. They should be proud of their heritage and celebrate it".
Students set to work organizing and calling together families (some of which had never met one another) and alumni for this special celebration. Their efforts even caught the eye of Fr. Dominick Tran, SDB, the Vice Provincial of the Province of Saint Phillip the Apostle of the Salesians of Don Bosco.
Fr. Tran made a special visit to Archbishop Shaw to celebrate with Shaw families and reminisce on his early life in Vietnam.
The Lion Dance troupe from Saint Agnes Parish in Jefferson, Louisiana enlivened the festivities with an impressive display of discipline, skill, and passion. One of the senior members of this troupe is Mr. Kevin Le (Class of '20).
Photos courtesy Ms. Nicole Giambelluca
Pictured (from left to right): Sr. Celine, Sr. Rosa Hoang, Fr. Dominic Tran, SDB, and Sr. Ana Bui.
In addition to the great joy he takes in recounting the story of his youth, Father Tran also remembers fondly his attraction to the Salesian spirituality and the example and guidance of Saint John Bosco.
"There's two things [the Salesians] try to provide young people: how to be good citizens and how to be good children of God".
"You can look to the example of... Saint Dominic Savio, one of Don Bosco's own boys, and...Blessed Laura Vicuña. It has been proven that Saint John Bosco helps young people become holy and become saints".
For Father Tran and the members of the Westbank Vietnamese community, the true celebration is not only the music, or dance, or even great food: it is a recognition of God's divine providence. It is a commemoration of the sacrificial love of those who have gone before us to offer us the opportunity to become good Christians and good children of God.
Sáng danh Ðức Chúa Cha và Ðức Chúa Con và Ðức Chúa Thánh Thần. Như đã có trước vô cùng và bây giờ và hằng có, và đời đời chẳng cùng.
Amen.
Shaw is blessed to have exemplary members of our community who have stepped up to make our first Vietnamese Cultural Night such a special event.
Kennedy Tran, Class of '22
Kennedy Tran, Class of '22
"I decided to step up and help in coordinating this event because I want to be more involved in Shaw outside of my academic life."
Kennedy found the perfect outlet for that desire, combining both his love of Shaw with his love of his Vietnamese culture and heritage.
"I am looking forward to hosting the Vietnamese community to celebrate our culture."
A big part of that culture, for Kennedy, is his Catholic identity:
"My parents have shaped my faith life by introducing me to Catholicism at an early age. I make sure to practice the values they teach me daily".
Tien Dao, Class of '24
Tien Dao, Class of '24
My family is from Vietnam and we lived there for a long time before we moved to the United States.
I decided to step up and serve as a leader in coordinating this event because I think this is a very good opportunity to let other people know more about who I am, what is so special about being an international Vietnamese student, and my experience when studying at Archbishop Shaw High School.
The thing that I am most looking forward to is bringing people together and helping people better understand Vietnamese students studying at Archbishop Shaw High School. I want people to understand more about the country of Vietnam and the important role our faith has played in our lives.
Mr. Alex Cormier is the Theology I educator at Archbishop Shaw. He attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA receiving a Bachelor of Arts in English and a certification in Philosophy from Saint Joseph Seminary College in Covington, LA.
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