"I decide what I'm going to wear based on the comb," Kekuewa said with a laugh. "But my daughter, she'll never wear them."

For 14 years Kekuewa and her daughter, Paulette Kahalepuna, have been operating Na Lima Mili Hulu No'eau, a feather-lei supply shop on Kapahulu Avenue, where they conduct lei-making lessons six days a week. Kekuewa, however, has been teaching the craft for more than 30 years.

For their contribution to perpetuating the Hawaiian culture, Kekuewa and Kahalepuna earned the prestigious 'O'o Award from the Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce.

The small store is a one-stop shop for feather lei-making. Large blue bins filled with dyed goose feathers line one side of the store. Toward the back are more bins of feathers, these from mallard ducks, roosters, hens and peacocks. On the back wall are finished lei hulu — traditional neck and head lei strung in the wili poepoe style, as well as contemporary hatband styles sewn as humu papa — done by students and sold on consignment.

It's obvious how important heritage and family are to Kekuewa. Shelves and walls are lined with framed photographs of those who have influenced her — from her parents, to her late husband, to her mentor, Leilani O. Fernandez.

In a back corner is a display case of a feather cape that Kekuewa made herself. It took her 13 years and thousands of dyed goose feathers. Black for the Native Hawaiian's dark past, red for the bloodshed, green for the lush valleys of the Islands and gold for their golden future.

For perpetuating the art of feather lei, Kekuewa and Kahalepuna will be honored by the Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce.

Kekuewa and Kahalepuna credit their longevity to one thing: their unwavering belief in perpetuating a part of their Native Hawaiian heritage.

"This is part of our cultural identity," said Kahalepuna, 59, helping a Japanese visitor with her yellow feather lei. "Regardless of who comes in here to learn, we'll teach them."

Local businesses owners who incorporate their Native Hawaiian culture and heritage into their enterprise are finding they are filling a niche for both residents and visitors alike.

And now with the support of the Hawai'i Tourism Authority, which considers honoring and perpetuating the Hawaiian culture and language among its priorities, businesses that continue these traditions are seeing increased interest among visitors to the Islands.

"The global market now for the visitor industry is incredibly competitive," said Peter Apo, director of the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association. "The only thing that distinguishes Hawai'i from the rest of the market, especially tropical destinations, is the Hawaiian culture and people. If you want a Hawaiian experience, it has to involve Hawaiians. You can do all the landscaping in the world, but if the Hawaiians aren't there, there is no sense of place."

"We're all about bridging the gap and making certain that people respect the host culture," said Cha Thompson, who runs Tihati Productions with her husband, Jack. "Commerce is good if it's something that's enhancing our lifestyle without forsaking the old."

The family-owned Princess Ka'iulani Fashions in Kalihi has catered to the local market for decades with its traditional mu'umu'u, holoku and holomu.

In recent years the company added resort wear and casual aloha wear lines to adapt to contemporary tastes. But it didn't replace the traditional style of mu'umu'u for cheaper Hawaiian-style attire to increase profits.

"Bigger doesn't necessarily make you a better company," said Jill Anderson, vice president of the company started by her parents more than 40 years ago. "We just found our niche."

In addition to supplying graduation attire for private schools such as Punahou and Iolani, Princess Ka'iulani Fashions also features a popular bridal line, offering styles very distinct to Hawai'i in modern fabrics such as silk and charmeuse. That now makes up about 15 percent of its business.

The Japanese market has also grown for the company, with the increase in popularity of hula in Japan.

This has prompted the company to open a second retail location on Kapahulu Avenue this year, hoping for greater visibility for its upscale designer Hawaiian-style fashion.

"We've always been about quality and keeping that quality, even at a lower volume," Anderson said. "The quality makes up for (the volume). That's always been the rule of thumb here. ... I love the idea of keeping the business the way it's been."

That kind of attitude — or belief in what the company stands for — is what drives these companies to be successful.

"Believing in your business, believing that your idea for a business is right, is probably the single key factor in driving an entrepreneur to success," said Andrew Poepoe, Hawai'i district director for the Small Business Administration. "Nothing else will come close to driving an entrepreneur to work the long hours and long weeks necessary to achieve success."