EULESS, Texas — The Friday night lights shine bright at Trinity High School. But instead of just cheerleaders and marching bands, something unexpected happens here: the football team performs a haka, the powerful Polynesian war dance that makes the crowd roar.
Welcome to Euless, the Texas town that’s become an unlikely slice of the South Pacific.
You won’t spot this suburb in any tourist guides. Most people only see it from airplane windows as they land at nearby DFW Airport. But on the ground, something special is happening: this Texas town has become home to the largest Tongan community in America outside of Hawaii.
It started small. In 1971, a couple named Halatono Netane and her husband moved to Euless. They couldn’t have known they’d start a movement. Now, in a city of 61,555 people, about 3,000 to 4,000 are Tongan.
The secret to this success? Location, location, location. DFW Airport sits right next door, offering both jobs and easy flights back to the islands. Those same planes that rattle windows also keep families connected across the Pacific.
The signs of Tongan life are everywhere. Within five miles, you’ll find nine Tongan churches. On Sundays, their parking lots fill with families dressed in their best. Inside, three-hour services blend island traditions with Texas-sized faith.
Walk down any street and your nose might catch the scent of barbecue mixing with lu pulu — that’s taro leaves wrapped around meat and coconut milk. Local diners serve chicken fried steak next to Polynesian specialties.
The future looks bright. DFW Airport is spending $9 billion on improvements, which means more jobs and opportunities. But ask locals what makes Euless special, and they’ll tell you it’s the people, not the airport.
Take a typical Saturday. In one backyard, kids practice traditional Tongan dances. Next door, neighbors fire up the grill for a Texas cookout. Later, they’ll all head to the football game together, where island culture and Friday night lights create something uniquely American.
At community events, you’ll see kids wearing Cowboys jerseys over traditional Tongan clothes. Parents chat in Tongan-accented Texas drawls. It’s not confusion — it’s confidence. These folks know exactly who they are: Texans and Tongans, proud to be both.
As Euless grows, it keeps its special character. In a country often divided about immigration and identity, this town offers a simple answer: embrace both. Here, under Texas skies and flight paths, people have figured out how to keep their roots while growing new ones.
So next time you fly into DFW, look down at the suburbs below. Somewhere down there, a piece of the Pacific thrives in Texas soil. Listen carefully and you might hear it: the clash of football pads followed by the powerful chant of a haka — the perfect sound of two worlds becoming one.
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