A LAotian-American female monk with shaved head makes an offering of rice during worship as the Laotian American community celebrates the Buddhist new year by gathering at a property in suburban East Hartford Connecticut on April 28, 2007. Several shrines are set up on the property. The celebrants leave offerings of food, flowers and money, pray, dance, and feast for a day. Immigrants from Laos, including the Hmong people, are refugees from the Vietnam War era, when they helped United States in the war.

asian buddhist community ethnic festival immigrant immigration refugees hmong laos laotian ethnicity religion shrine suburban ancestors flowers tradition colorful tradition yellow serious contemplative ceremony gathering adult woman medium group of people bald shaved monk offering food community color image vertical real people outdoors