The Kamau’u family’s successes in hula and Hawaiian music have made them celebrity business owners, but their selection as the alii of the upcoming Aloha Festivals has elevated them to royalty — at least for a year.

Iolani and Natalie Noelani Ai Kamau’u and their children Chaz and Sha-Lei are the first ohana to serve as Oahu’s king, queen, prince and princess during the annual festivals, which take place mostly this month. The family, who are descendants of the original festival organizers, were selected because they embody the festivals’ theme. They don’t just live aloha, they "Mele Ailana," as this year’s festival is called, which translates to "celebrate island music," said Manu Boyd, who serves on the Aloha Festivals executive committee and is a renowned Hawaiian musician and cultural practitioner. Their selection represents a desire for the festivals to be an authentic Hawaiian music celebration and to spread real aloha, not the "commercial kind," Boyd said.

"We live in a Hawaii today where a majority of people weren’t born here. Just about every Hawaiian is descended from some alii. It’s part of our mana, part of our connectedness to our land," he said. "If you disconnect from what this family is representing, all that we have left is what’s behind the museum glass."

The Aloha Festivals, which began in 1946 when the Jaycees Old-Timers of Hawaii launched Aloha Week, has grown over six decades to become the nation’s largest statewide cultural festival, said Keli’ihoalani Wilson, director of Hawaiian cultural affairs for the Hawaii Tourism Authority, which is a major festival sponsor.

At its largest, the festivals encompassed 300 events across all islands and in Las Vegas, but has contracted in the last few years. The festivals’ focus now is on celebrating the culture of Hawaii through events that showcase island music, dance, cuisine and art.

The Kamau’us are the right ambassadors to head this year’s festivals as organizers refocus on its core mission and attempt to further develop its musical side, said Toni Lee, a festivals board member.

"They are a musical family with a story to be told and shared," Lee said. "As Hawaiians, it is our kuleana to share these stories."

When the Kamau’u ohana dons the royal attire and follow the traditional protocol of Hawaii’s alii, they will become a part of living history, Boyd said.

"It’s a surreal experience to be the king," said Iolani, who is a descendant of Iolani Luahine, one of the best-known hula dancers in Hawaii. He sings with his wife, Natalie, in her professional career and teaches the boys of Halau Hula Olana, the dance school started by his in-laws Howard and Olana Ai.

Iolani, who got his start at the festivals in the 1970s as a court drummer, said he feels a responsibility to share the traditions that Hawaii’s kupuna have imparted.

"Whatever we do, where ever we go, we must handle ourselves with dignity and grace," Iolani said. "We must focus our minds and our emotions."

Natalie, a winner of multiple Na Hoku Hanohano Awards, and who also was Miss Aloha Hula in 1990, said she felt overwhelmed to walk in the steps of Hawaii’s kings and queens and to share the experience with kamaaina and visitors.

"I don’t think that many visitors even know that we were ruled by kings and queens and that they did not stand aloof," she said. "We had such a loving culture and loving leaders. They were the ones that took care of the people to ensure that everyone was fed and had somewhere to live. There were no homeless or hungry in Hawaii."

While the couple, who own their own record label, Keko Records, will not perform during the festival out of respect for the alii they are portraying, they are an integral part of Hawaii’s music tradition, which captures the very essence of the islands and of its people, said Jay Talwar, festival co-chairman and senior vice president of marketing for the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau.

"The festivals are designed to help kamaaina celebrate the kamaaina lifestyle, but it’s also a way for visitors to instantly connect with the people of Hawaii," Talwar said.

Marketing research has shown that potential travelers are more likely to book a trip to Hawaii if they identify with the cultural, historical, artistic or musical aspects of the destination, he said.

"A beach is a beach is a beach. There are closer and cheaper beaches," Talwar said. "Visitors want unique, only-in-Hawaii experiences when they come here. If they can catch a glimpse of it at the festivals, its a positive thing."

Because the festivals are primarily a local celebration, the tourists are drawn to the chance to experience how the native Hawaiians once lived and to meet their modern-day counterparts, Wilson said.

"People call directly from the mainland and abroad to find out when the festival is occurring so they can book their tickets," she said, adding that because the festivals are held during the softer "shoulder period" — the season between peak and low visitor counts — they have the potential to significantly boost fall visitor numbers.

And while Waikiki has turned into a tourist mecca during the last hundred years, the old days weren’t that long ago, she said.

"Waikiki was the land of Hawaii’s kings and queens," Wilson said. "Kamehameha landed there, and it was special to the Kalakaua dynasty, too. They had plenty of food and kalo there and places to surf and relax."

In modern times, even with all its hotels and tourist development, Waikiki is still meaningful to native Hawaiians, she said.

"As a native Hawaiian, there’s an intrinsic connection to the land in Waikiki," Wilson said. "It was a very special place for native Hawaiians and it’s still special today."

The Oahu festivals give Hawaiians a chance to remember what Waikiki was like when it was a haven for alii before the tourists came, Boyd said.

"It’s our party and we invite others to come and share it with us," he said. "Aloha means love, but is also a greeting and expresses respect and connectedness. It has been sold as a commodity in the past. This needs to stop. Aloha cannot be owned; it is freely shared with the expectation that it will be cared for and treated well."