Alice Namakelua, grand aunt of Keao, known as "Tūtū Alice" to the family. Born in 1892 (one year before the coup overthrowing the Hawaiian Kingdom government) in Kīhālani, Hawai‘i Island, she became well-known for her expertise in slack-key guitar, a uniquely Hawaiian art, and for her expertise in Hawaiian language and culture. Tūtū Alice became fluent in English having learned it in grade school. One of her noted accomplishments as a youngster is her performance of slack-key guitar for Queen Liliuokalani.
Elizabeth "Kapeka" Kakalia Kaaialii, mother of Tūtū Kealoha, known as "Kupuna" to the family. Born in 1892 in Ka‘ū, Hawai‘i Island, Kapeka was a native speaker of Hawaiian who spoke very little English through her adult years. Kapeka gave Keao his Hawaiian name and passed away when he was in grade school. Read more about Kapeka on the Kaaialii ‘Ohana page.