What to expect for the 2024 Native Hawaiian Convention

KONA, Hawaii (KHON2) -- The annual Native Hawaiian Convention is underway on Hawaii Island to celebrate cultural stories and communities.

Members of the Council of Native Hawaiian Advancement held the convention at the Hilton Waikoloa Village in Kona.

CEO of CNHA Kuhio Lewis joined Kamaka ili to discuss the topics and events that would be taking place over the next three days.

"This is an amazing gathering. This is our first time on Hawaii Island. So you can expect a lot of rich history and cultural sharing. We're going to learn about Hawaii Island. There's a little bit of everything from education to health to traditional practices to culture and arts. There's really just something for everybody to embrace. But it's going to be based on the foundation in the aina in which this convention is being had, and that's Hawaii Island," Lewis explained.

According to Lewis, the 2024 convention is the largest with more than 2,000 registrants.

"The other thing is watching our community active in the community, at the legislature, or whether it's doing policy work or even working, you know, elevating themselves through workforce development. So the things that you see happening in the community, I would hope that a lot of it is stimulated through convention conversations," he added.

This year, the convention aims to connect with the new generation to provide new, fresh and exciting ways to make Hawaiian culture and history relevant today.

"That's why conventions are always different. They're moving around because I think that's what our community wants."

The last convention was held in Las Vegas six months ago, with the latest one on Hawaii Island. Tune in for Wake Up 2Day for the next three days for more coverage on KHON2.