To be royalty

To be part of the Aloha Festivals royal court, one must not only look the part, but also have the right bearing and attitude.

You must be dignified, gracious and humble.

"It’s about role-playing and pageantry," said Toni Lee, Aloha Festivals parade chairwoman. "You’re telling the story through all of your being, in your eyes and your posture. When you’re portraying this role, you’re not talking. Through expression you exude everything through the actual being."

The court’s main figures are a king, a queen, a prince and a princess, a kalaimoku (king’s adviser), a spiritual adviser, a conch shell bearer and kahili bearers.

In all, 16 individuals will be in the court this year, dressed to play their parts by Nu‘ulani Atkins, court chairman.

The king, queen, prince and princess will receive symbols of their reign at an investiture Thursday afternoon at the Hilton Hawaiian Village and preside over the opening ceremony later that evening at the Royal Hawaiian Center, officially kicking off the 2011 Aloha Festivals.

They will make 10 appearances during September.

Since the festivals began in 1946, a selection committee has interviewed and selected members of the royal court. To apply, one must be of Native Hawaiian descent. The committee looks for individuals who have the right attitude and really look the part, according to Lee.

"It’s a royal family, so they need to look complementary to each other," Lee said. "You have to find the right combination."

She said playing a role in the royal court is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and the participants’ names go down in Aloha Festivals history.

"It’s an opportunity to experience the culture and … portray your ancestors in pageantry," she said. "We’re trying to keep that historical story alive so it’s not lost. It’s important to carry the culture on — so important."

THE MOST challenging part is that once in costume, members of the royal court must perform their roles without speaking. They may gesture but are not supposed to speak because the kalaimoku speaks for them.

There are also a number of protocols to follow based on the festival committee’s understanding of traditional royal courts. Ladies are not to wear nail polish, and men must shave all facial hair. And, of course, no shaka signs to friends in the audience.

Each member of the royal court has a specific place in the procession as well as on stage.

"No matter how tired or hot you are, you can’t fidget or scratch," said Lee. "You must portray the dignity and grace that comes with being an alii."

Last year, in a first, the king, queen, prince and princess all belonged to the same family. They were played by award-winning singer Natalie Ai Kamau‘u, husband Iolani, son Chaz and daughter Sha-Lei.

This year the king and queen are husband and wife David and Emily Auwae of Makaha.

The princess is Joanna Keala­naniokalokomaika‘imeka‘uhane­ku‘oko‘a Patterson, also of Makaha. Patterson, a recent Kamehameha Schools graduate, holds a black belt in karate and plans to study health sciences at Hawaii Pacific University.

Her father, Kahu Kaleo Patterson, will bless the court at the investiture.

"I thought it was something new I should try," said Patterson, who learned of the opportunity through a Kamehameha Schools bulletin. "I was very involved with my culture, and it’s about promoting the culture."

The prince, Kaipo Kaleokuke­aloaloha Dudoit of Ewa Beach, is a Kamehameha Schools senior and violinist. His father is the musical arranger and guitarist for Ho‘o­kena, and his mother is a hula dancer.

Dudoit says he always wanted to play the Aloha Festivals prince. "There’s going to be a lot of responsibility to make sure I’m doing the role correctly," he said.

MANY TIMES, members of the festival’s royal court have come from several generations of the same family. Sons of former kings have been picked for the role of prince or kahili bearer, and descendants of the kalaimoku have become part of the royal family.

With the Hanohano family of Kaimuki, one brother played the king while his brothers were also in the court. With the Kahapea family, also of Kaimuki, the father played a king and so did his son, and his sister, brothers, nieces and nephew were also in the court. Three members of the Kahapea family are in the court this year.

Charles Kapua has been involved with the royal court since 1973, playing several roles, including king in 1977. Now that he’s retired, he’s able to dedicate time to future generations of the royal court as royal court coordinator.

"It just helps me get deeper into my culture and helps me to understand more about what our culture is all about," said Kapua, "and I want to help perpetuate that."

Recruiting for the kalaimoku is key because he’s the chief communicator, and the person must have plenty of knowledge about the roles of the royal family.

This year’s kalaimoku, Gerard Mahi, recently moved back to the islands from Washington state. He said the royal court helps promote Hawaiian culture on a world stage.

"I enjoy doing it," he said. "At some point you’re going to feel as if your ancestors are right there with you. If not for their efforts, we wouldn’t be here. It’s important to promote their memory and achievements."