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By BILL PEACE; Times Leader Staff Writer
 Monday, January 30, 1995 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 3A 





WILKES-BARRE -- More than 400 people ushered in the Vietnamese New Year at
the third annual Tet Festival in the basement of St. Aloysius Church on Barney
Street on Sunday afternoon. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Vietnamese residents traveled from Bloomsburg, Allentown and Philadelphia
to attend the festival, said Tai Viet, chairman of this year's festival. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "We try to bring everyone together so people can visit one another and pass
along customs to younger generations," said Viet, who came to Northeastern
Pennsylvania in 1975. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In the Chinese and Vietnamese cultures, this is the Year of the Pig. The
Vietnamese follow the Chinese zodiac. A banner hanging from the basement stage
read: "Mung Xuan At Hoi," meaning Happy New Year in the Year of the Pig. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Vietnamese New Year starts the last day of January. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 What type of year will the pig govern? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "The pig is usually relaxed, easygoing," Viet smiled as he described one of
the 12 animals of the Chinese zodiac. The pig follows the Year of the Rooster
in 1994. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "He's a bit lazy because he never has to worry about going out and getting
food, someone is always there feeding them." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Like the animal, the year will be laid back and quiet, Viet said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The festival started with the traditional worshipping of the Ancestor's
Altar, followed by the Dragon Dance which ushers in the New Year. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Some of the women wore traditional long dresses, a popular dress usually
worn at church and school and during special celebrations. Tables of
Vietnamese delicacies included rice cakes, roast chicken, roast pig, and
spring rolls, among other foods. Children were given $1 bills in bright red
envelopes and candy, usually given by a household member each New Year. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 It's this culture that's so important to remember, said Son Nguyen, a
festival organizer. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "This is fun for all Vietnamese because we're so far away from our country.
It's especially important to today's children who weren't brought up in our
schools, speaking our language and learning our culture," said Nguyen, who
came to this area 12 years ago. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Nguyen then sponsored his mother and a few siblings to bring them to the
United States. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 TIMES LEADER/LEWIS GEYER &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A dragon dance helped usher in the Year of the Pig at a Vietnamese New
Year's celebration in Wilkes-Barre on Sunday. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Year Of The Pig Symbolic Swine Rings In Vietnamese New Year