Native Hawaiian Convention to be held in Las Vegas in June

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Las Vegas will see a higher-than-normal wave of Native Hawaiians in June 2023 for an annual convention being held outside of the islands for the first time.

For the last 22 years, the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement has held the convention in Hawaii but said with the growing number of Native Hawaiians in the continental U.S., the convention must follow.

“More than half of our population now call the continent home, Las Vegas is the third largest concentration of Native Hawaiians so we thought it was only fitting to have it there,” said Kuhio Lewis, CEO of the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement. The convention will bring Native Hawaiian practitioners, educators, entrepreneurs, healthcare and housing providers, elders, artisans, entertainers, and the youth together in Las Vegas.

“It’s no secret our community embraces Las Vegas, the number of our Hawaiian ohana, our families that call Las Vegas home is very clear to us. Many of us love to vacation there in Las Vegas, everybody comes to Hawaii to vacation but we go to Las Vegas, so we’re excited about that,” said Lewis.

The convention will feature:

• Workshops and presentations on Native Hawaiian cultural practices;
• Panels and breakouts with national and Hawaiʻi experts discussing policy issues impacting Native Hawaiians across the nation;
• Evening Hawaiian entertainment: evening performances of hula (dance) and mele (song) designed specifically for this Vegas convention;
• Information on programs, grants, and services available to support the Native Hawaiian community, organizations and businesses.

“Often times our community comes in from across the nation to attend the convention but given the generations now that have been away, we want to make sure that this upcoming generation has a means to connect, has a means to be a part of the culture, of the spirit of aloha and also have the same opportunities afforded here in Hawaii available to them out on the continent,” Lewis said.

The early registration fee for CNHA members is $250, and the fee for the general public is $300. This price is valid through April 15. Reduced $89-per-night hotel rooms are also available for convention attendees. For more information about the convention and to register, visit here.

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