As a child, Nani Kinimaka-Davis would sit on the grass outside ‘Iolani Palace with her siblings, ice cream running down her hands, and listen to her father, Joseph, speak of the old days of the Hawaiian monarchy and the service their forebears provided to King David Kalakaua.

On Saturday, more than 400 members of the Kinimaka family gathered at the palace for a massive family reunion that also doubled as a celebration of Hawaiian history and culture reclaimed.

"It’s a very heartfelt occasion for me, as it is for each and every one of us here, to see everyone and to know that we are all part of the same family, and that we all come from the same place and the same culture," said Kinimaka-Davis, who spent the past two years organizing the event.

Dozens of family members — from Florida, Texas, Utah, California, Mississippi and other states — flew in to attend the three-day reunion, which kicked off Friday with a reception at the Ala Moana Hotel and will conclude today with a picnic at Ala Moana Beach Park.

The fete at ‘Iolani Palace was especially poignant given the Kinimakas’ long association with the site — which Kinimaka-Davis said rests on a portion of the Kinimaka clan’s ancestral lands — and with Kalakaua himself.

According to genealogical research performed by family member Pattie Hitchcock, the Kinimaka family extends back 17 generations in Hawaii. Attendees at this weekend’s reunion have a common ancestor in David Leleo Kinimaka, hanai brother of Kalakaua and Liliuokalani, who served as commander of the King’s Guard at ‘Iolani Palace during Kalakaua’s reign.

Saturday’s event was the first of its kind at the palace, and Kinimaka family members said the site couldn’t have been more appropriate.

Inspired by what he had seen during an 1881 voyage around the world, Kalakaua commissioned the palace not merely as a vanity project, as his detractors have argued, but as a symbol of Hawaii’s sovereignty and independence at a time when forces inside and outside the kingdom were agitating for annexation by the United States.

"There has been a rebirth in Hawaiian language and culture and it’s great to know that our family will always be linked to David Kalakaua," said Arlette Mookini, 47, of Waimanalo. "So many more people speak Hawaiian now than they did 10 years ago. My daughter Kawaiola goes to Punana Leo (Hawaiian-language immersion school) and she teaches me what she learns. It’s like coming full circle."

The gathering included a royal court procession and a tour of the palace. It was the first time 8-year-old Kawaiola had ever set foot inside the palace.

"It was unbelievable to see her make that connection," Mookini said.

The event also included family members performing hula to a mele composed by David Leleo Kinimaka’s daughter, Mary Ha‘aheo Kinimaka, for Queen Liliuokalani.

Branches of the family were distinguished by colored T-shirts.

Syd and Kristy Kinimaka brought their daughters, Koral, 4, and Kiryn, 1.

"Growing up, I always had an idea of how our family was connected to the monarchy, but I never took it seriously until I got older," said Syd Kinimaka, 35. "It’s a little overwhelming to think about, but I feel honored to be here."