It might be a long way from Waikiki to Washington, D.C., but steel guitarist Alan Akaka says Hawaiian music will still be played from the heart by musicians making the journey to perform for the various events marking President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration.

Akaka, a sideman for the late Aunty Genoa Keawe, now finds himself master of ceremonies at one of the inaugural balls—Jan. 20 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel—and he'll also play with the legendary Keawe's Ohana Ensemble that evening.

“;I remember getting the first e-mail from (the host) Hawaii State Society pretty early on,”; Akaka said, “;back in August while Obama was still running. They wanted to hold a gala affair for him, so they had their fingers crossed that he would be our next president.”;

The ensemble—which also includes Keawe's sons Gary Aiko and Eric Keawe, her niece Momi Kahawiola'a and her granddaughter Pomaika'i Keawe Lyman—will play the music that Aunty Genoa regularly performed in her weekly shows at the Waikiki Beach Marriott Resort & Spa.

“;It's a wonderful honor to be asked to emcee, and to be there in the same city where a Hawaii-born president will be sworn into office,”; Akaka said.

“;And the rest of the talent I'll be introducing that evening—my gosh, it's a who's who of Hawaiian music. Eddie Kamae will be pretty much our kupuna for the entire evening. Raiatea's (Helm) career is skyrocketing. Walter Keale will be bringing back the music of his cousin (Moe), along with some new ideas. Kohala plays that soft, subtle, soulful Hawaiian music, and the Aloha Boys have kept Hawaiian music alive in D.C., perpetuating our sound and culture on that side of the world.”;

The Aloha Boys, in fact, will be pulling triple duty in D.C. The expatriate trio of Irv Queja, Glen Hirabayashi and Isaac Ho'opi'i will also be at the Aloha Inaugural Ball Sunday at the Washington Marriott Wardman Park, and during that same weekend at the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian's “;Out of Many: A Multicultural Festival.”;

The Waianae-born Ho'opi'i, speaking by phone from his mainland home, said he and the other Aloha Boys are federal government workers who initially got together to play as their children danced hula.

“;Since then we've tried to keep the island tradition alive at parties and weddings here and at functions for Sens. Akaka and Inouye and Rep. Abercrombie,”; he said. “;Doing these inaugural events is more than an honor. We're representing the 'lost locals' on the East Coast. ... We're one small piece of the total pie, but being that little piece makes such a big difference for us.”;

Obama's local roots are a blessing, he said. “;Once you're an island product, you'll always be part of Hawaii.”;

Another island tradition making it to our nation's capital is a luau (complete with moi and opihi, provided they meet Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration requirements for shipment).

The Inaugural Luau will be held at the Hotel Monaco on Jan. 20, with Les Tomita, owner and chef of Da Kitchen on Maui, providing the food, and Maunalua and John Cruz providing the music.

“;We're approaching this as taking what we do in Hawaii and sending it UPS style to Washington, D.C.,”; Bobby Moderow of Maunalua said. “;The only thing I'm not looking forward to is the cold.

“;I strongly believe there's a continuity between Hawaii and D.C. now, and the music will lend itself well to this. ... It's a good way to send the president-elect off to his job, hoping and praying for his administration to do well.”;

Cruz is also due to perform Thursday at the sold-out Hawaii for Obama Inaugural Gala on Sunday at the Hay-Adams Hotel. (All of the islands' mayors, as well as Hawaii-born actress Kelly Hu and television correspondent Lisa Ling, will be in attendance.)

Cruz performed at Obama rallies throughout the islands during his campaign, as well as at a number of events with Obama's half sister, Maya Soetoro-Ng.

To see the momentum build for Obama was “;an exciting process of hope and promise,”; Cruz said. “;To see a grass-roots campaign evolve and come to fruition is proof for all of us that anything is possible. It was fantastic to see all the naysayers silenced.

“;Barack Obama winning the presidency means the White House will now be the Brown House. For me, as a Hawaiian and as a musician, there is freedom in that symbolism.

“;There has been a shift historically that will give many different races and ethnicities a chance for true understanding and representation at the highest level of the U.S. government, for the first time ever.”;

Asked if he would to do anything special for the occasion, Cruz said, “;I'm buying a new pair of slippers, of course.”;