Why is this landlocked city known as Hawaii's "Ninth Island"?

On a Saturday evening in West Las Vegas, hula dancers sway to traditional music, food trucks smell of garlic shrimp, and visitors chat in the distinctive Hawaiian dialect. Here, a parking lot in the middle of the Mojave Desert is transformed into a vibrant tropical atmosphere.

This spectacle takes place at the Killah Kine Night Market, a monthly gathering of local Hawaiian-owned businesses and fans of their culture. Despite its commercial nature, its most important feature is the social ties between Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders who settled in Las Vegas.

This community is relatively large, as census data indicate that there are about 50,000 people in Clark County who are wholly or partially of Hawaiian or Pacific Island descent. This increased presence has prompted residents to dub Las Vegas “the Ninth Island,” a symbolic reference to the eight Hawaiian Islands.

Tiran Henrix, the market organizer, says that the gatherings give expatriates a sense of belonging, explaining that seeing people speaking the same language and sharing the same traditions makes them feel as if they have returned to their homeland. The roots of this relationship go back to 1975, when businessman Sam Boyd opened the California Hotel and Casino in downtown Las Vegas with an investment of ten million dollars.

Boyd was targeting beginning visitors to Southern California, but he faced losses due to their preference for hotels near the famous “Strip” street. Boyd traveled to the islands to promote his hotel, presenting travel agents with attractive offers that included accommodation, flights and food.

The price of some all-inclusive trips reached $9.70 per person. The prices were not the only reason for the success, as the hotel was keen to provide traditional Hawaiian food, and the employees wore T-shirts inspired by the culture of the islands, in addition to tropical decor.

Over the years, the hotel has become a familiar destination for generations of Hawaiian families. According to Boyd Gaming's annual report, visitors from Hawaii accounted for about 75% of occupied hotel nights at the California Hotel during 2025, compared to 45% and 37% at two other hotels affiliated with the company.

Flavors of home in the desert The immigrants brought with them their food traditions that became an essential part of life on the “Ninth Island”. There are trucks in Las Vegas offering dishes inspired by Hawaiian cuisine, most notably “Island Kryptonite,” which offers burgers with teriyaki sauce, poke with nachos, and beef ribs with rice and pasta salad.

Hapahaoles is known for its tacos, Fork U offers crispy chicken sandwiches, and Killah Kine Shrimp specializes in garlic shrimp, a popular dish on Oahu's north coast. Enrix explains that serving these foods gives Hawaiians an immediate connection to memories of homeland.

"Antidote" also serves traditional dishes such as garlic chicken, spicy poke, and "Loco Moco," which combines rice, meat, eggs and sauce. Chef Roy Elmar believes that the prosperity of this food scene reflects the community’s pride in its heritage, after obtaining many of these dishes required traveling to Hawaii.

Economic considerations are among the most prominent motivations for moving, especially the high costs of living, housing, fuel, and food in Hawaii. Las Vegas offers relatively broader job opportunities, as its metropolitan area includes about 1.2 million non-agricultural jobs, about twice the number of jobs in the entire state of Hawaii.

Nevada also has no income tax on individuals, while some Hawaii income tax rates are as high as 11%. Real estate broker Randy Hatada says that many families are unable to buy a home on their home islands, while Las Vegas gives them an opportunity to realize the dream of owning a home.

Preserving identity and traditions The life of the community is not limited to work and food; Cultural institutions play a pivotal role in strengthening social ties. Most notable is the Hawaiian Sons Civic Club of Las Vegas, a non-profit organization that supports Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in southern Nevada.

The club organizes monthly meetings, educational workshops and annual festivals, with the aim of preserving the language, arts and traditional values. Its president, Kalani Hugh, confirms that the community members form a large family, and that frequent meetings bring them closer to each other and to their original homeland.

Notable events include the Flavors of Aloha Festival in May, and the Village Festival in September, which attracted more than ten thousand visitors over eight hours, with the participation of more than 150 local vendors. There are also schools that teach hula dancing to children, teenagers and adults.

Among them is a school founded by Kawahini teacher Charles Olilava in 2022, with the aim of passing on traditions to new generations. Vegas Vista Academy also introduced the Hawaiian language into its school program in 2025, in support of preserving the indigenous language.

The city allows visitors to learn about this culture through music, festivals, restaurants and bars with a Polynesian theme. At the monthly “Island Ohana” event, ST1 performs island-inspired reggae music in an atmosphere that brings together residents and tourists.

Singer Bounce Cruz, who is from Guam, sums up the importance of these activities by saying that celebrating Hawaiian and Pacific Islands culture in Las Vegas is a way to keep it alive despite the distance from home. Thus, “The Ninth Island” became more than just a tourist title, it is a community that was able to rebuild its sense of belonging in the middle of the desert, preserving its heritage and identity across generations.