From the Far East to New Orleans East

Vietnamese refugees holding a copy of the boat that carried them to freedom

For many Vietnamese immigrants in the mid-70s, New Orleans tropical climate felt like home.

Tet Festival at Mary, Queen of Vietnam Church in New Orleans East

Escaping the incoming Communist regime at the end of the Vietnam War, many Vietnamese fled to America in the mid-1970s, and quite a large number settled in Louisiana. Recent figures put the Louisiana Vietnamese population at 25,000, with the majority living throughout the New Orleans area.

Why New Orleans of all places? For one, the sub-tropical climate and proximity to water appealed to the refugees who felt most comfortable moving to an environment that reminded them of home. Also, many of those fleeing were Catholic, and both New Orleans and national Catholic charities were spearheading efforts to help newcomers find jobs and housing in the city. Word got out among Vietnamese refugees that family and friends were settling in New Orleans, making it an even more enticing destination.

The Vietnamese settled in the newer, suburban parts of the city, particularly in New Orleans East but also in parts of Algiers, Avondale, and other places on the West Bank. Rents were cheap and the housing run-down, but the presence of the industrious Vietnamese community has since revitalized these areas.

Upon arriving, the immigrants took whatever work they could find, in factories, in the service industry, or by doing odd jobs. As they became more established, many opened small businesses like restaurants, grocery stores, beauty and nail salons, and gift shops. Others moved to places like Grand Isle and Empire in Plaquemines Parish to take up the fishing and shrimping trades they knew at home.

The children of the first Vietnamese immigrants have grown up in New Orleans, filling the enrollments at local schools and universities and integrating themselves into the greater city. But all generations of the Vietnamese community remain bonded by language, shared experiences, and the close family ties valued by their culture. Unlike other young adults who often move away when they reach adulthood, the young Vietnamese-Americans of New Orleans frequently prefer to stay close to home in order to be near their parents and extended families.

The cohesiveness and resilience of New Orleans’ Vietnamese was proven after Hurricane Katrina decimated much of New Orleans East, including the large Vietnamese neighborhood called Versailles. The Vietnamese were among the first to return to begin rebuilding their neighborhoods, giving momentum to rebuilding efforts in the East and the rest of the city. Many Vietnamese feel the experience has brought the community even closer together.

Falling in January or February, the biggest Vietnamese celebration is the lunar new year holiday called Tet, similar to the Chinese New Year. At the Mary Queen of Vietnam Church on Dwyer Blvd., a three-day fair open to the public features food, carnival games, dragon dances, concerts, and other performances.

Points of Interest

Dong Phuong Oriental Bakery
14207 Chef Menteur Hwy.
New Orleans, LA 70129
Monday (8:00am-4:00pm)
Tuesday-Friday (8:00am-6:00pm)
254-0214

Vietnam was once part of French Indochina, and certain French foods entered into the Vietnamese culinary lexicon. This locally famous bakery features French and Vietnamese pastries and desserts as well as delicious, crusty bread often supplied to other area restaurants.

Hong Kong Food Market
hongkongmarket@bellsouth.net
925 Behrman Hwy.
Gretna, LA 70056
8:00am-9:00pm
394-7075

This gargantuan Asian grocery store on the West Bank offers aisles and aisles of exotic vegetables, live fish, and specialty items. Unless your family’s from the Far East, you probably won’t know what most of these items are. A great place to explore.

Chef Menteur and Alcee Fortier Boulevards
New Orleans East
If you’re curious about the Vietnamese in New Orleans, take a drive to Versailles… not the French palace but the Vietnamese neighborhood. The commercial area at Chef Menteur and Alcee Fortier Boulevards in New Orleans features many shops, restaurants, and businesses to poke around in. Go down Chef Menteur to Michoud Blvd. as well.

Vietnamese Restaurants

Pho Tau Bay
113 Westbank Expy
Gretna, LA 70053
368-9846

Nine Roses
1100 Stephens St.
Gretna, LA 70053
10:30am-9:30pm
366-7665