LAS VEGAS, NV—(31 January 2012)—Emotions and cultural pride
ran high at Saturday’s grand opening and unveiling of the Hawaiian Heritage
Collection at the Green Valley Library in Henderson.
Nearly 300 people took part in the day-long festivities,
which included a traditional Hawaiian procession leading inside to the
library’s collection of over $30,000 of cultural materials for the community of
the Ninth Island. The Henderson Library District is housing the Hawaiian
Heritage Collection in its four branches, including Green Valley.
Colette Machado, chair of Office of Hawaiian Affairs, who
flew to Las Vegas for the event, commended her fellow Hawaiians for their
current economic and political influence on the 9th Island, while at
the same time appealing for their support of the sovereignty movement “back
home.”
“Hawaii will always be your home, but I’m so proud to see
that you have blossomed here in the state of Nevada, so much so that they have
dedicated this collection to our people,” said Machado. “The Hawaiian Heritage
Collection helps strengthen our connection to the large community of Hawaiians
in Nevada. This is important as we work to unify the Hawaiian community in the
pursuit of self-determination.”
Henderson Mayor Andy Gafen, who confessed to a surprised but
good humored crowd that he has actually never been to the Hawaiian Islands,
said he was very moved by the opening procession. “I can feel how spiritual it
was to be a part of that procession, and the City of Henderson is honored and
grateful to be the first city in the continental U.S. to have the Hawaiian
Heritage Collection come to our city.”
From the 2010 Census count, Henderson, Nevada holds the
largest population of Native Hawaiians and former residents of Hawaii in the continental U.S.
