And why wouldn’t the Western Regional Native Hawaiian Convention meet in Las Vegas? Many of Hawaii’s indigenous people have been “priced out of paradise” and have set down roots permanently there. It’s called the state’s “Ninth Island” for a reason.

The event hosted by the Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement convenes June 19-22 at Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino. Its agenda topics range from native culture to Hawaiian homesteading. Underscoring the Vegas venue, one talk is titled “Hawai‘i Is Our Mainland, Regardless of Where You Live.”