Passengers enjoyed a neat song and dance from the Folaosi Folk Dance Group.
I have added video from my youtube channel.
Beautiful young performers!
Known to English speakers as George Tupou V, the king inherited a febrile
atmosphere on the death in 2006 of his father, Taufa’ahau Tupou IV, who had
steadfastly resisted constitutional reform for 41 years. With an elite appointed
by royal decree securing large chunks of the country’s wealth, resentment had
grown among many amongst Tonga’s disfranchised poor.
Within two months of Tupou IV’s death, mobs set parts of the capital
Nuku’alofa ablaze and looted cars and shops. Eight people died in rioting which
was widely blamed on the slow pace of democratic reform. Such was the impact of
the violence that the new king delayed his coronation ceremony, calling instead
for a rebuilding of “mutual responsibility”.
It was not until late July 2008 that the framework for the transfer of power
to a democratically elected parliament had been established. Though the royal
house still retained some ceremonial authority (such as the power to commute
sentences) Tonga had in effect become a constitutional, rather than absolute,
monarchy. Three days later, on August 1, Siaosi Tupou was finally crowned king
at an elaborate five day ceremony attended by the Duke and Duchess of
Gloucester. Earlier, in a traditional ceremony, his sovereignty over Tonga’s 170
islands was recognised by 200 nobles, who slaughtered pigs and offered kava, a
hallucinogenic drink, in his honour.
He was born on May 4 1948, the eldest son of Taufa’ahau Tupou IV and Queen
Halaevalu Mata’aho. Respect for the king his father was drummed into him from an
early age. “We were always encouraged not to be beastly children and not to
misbehave in public,” he said later. “Like others in my generation, our parents
would whip us if we were naughty.”
His early education was conducted in Auckland before he travelled to the Leys
School in Cambridge (where he associated with the “criminal” elements in class
“and then took my punishment like everyone else”). He later attended Sandhurst,
which he said taught him not to take life too seriously; he retained an immense
fondness for Britain throughout his life.
He was appointed Crown Prince in 1966, and took responsibility for Tonga’s
foreign affairs from the late 1970s. But as he rose to prominence his courtly
manners and dress only seemed to underline the gulf between Tonga’s elite and
its people.
While most Tongans favoured relaxed, light clothing suitable to the warm weather, Crown Prince Tupouto’a, as he was then known, was rarely seen in anything but Savile Row suits. His only concession to the climate was a pith helmet. He was also known to affect a monocle.
His grandmother, Queen Salote, had won a place in British hearts at the Coronation in 1953 by smiling while riding in an open carriage through the rain. George Tupou V, however, preferred to travel in a London taxi cab, eventually acquiring two, one of which he converted to run on electricity which he generated with a windmill on the grounds of his residence. The reason for his choice was entirely practical: “An English taxi is extremely easy to get in and out of wearing a sword, a spiked helmet or spurs. I realise these are not primary considerations for buying a car for most people but it is for me.”
Away from ceremonial engagements Tupou V, who was unmarried, was reported to enjoy sailing model boats in his swimming pool and playing computer games. He had a sharp and inquiring mind and loved to travel. He also launched a brand of beer called Royal.
His younger brother, Crown Prince Tupouto’a Lavaka, succeeds to the throne.
While most Tongans favoured relaxed, light clothing suitable to the warm weather, Crown Prince Tupouto’a, as he was then known, was rarely seen in anything but Savile Row suits. His only concession to the climate was a pith helmet. He was also known to affect a monocle.
His grandmother, Queen Salote, had won a place in British hearts at the Coronation in 1953 by smiling while riding in an open carriage through the rain. George Tupou V, however, preferred to travel in a London taxi cab, eventually acquiring two, one of which he converted to run on electricity which he generated with a windmill on the grounds of his residence. The reason for his choice was entirely practical: “An English taxi is extremely easy to get in and out of wearing a sword, a spiked helmet or spurs. I realise these are not primary considerations for buying a car for most people but it is for me.”
Away from ceremonial engagements Tupou V, who was unmarried, was reported to enjoy sailing model boats in his swimming pool and playing computer games. He had a sharp and inquiring mind and loved to travel. He also launched a brand of beer called Royal.
His younger brother, Crown Prince Tupouto’a Lavaka, succeeds to the throne.
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w worm and Limestone Cave Tours were first established in the 1950’s by Te Tawai Kawiti, Great grandson of the famous Maori Chief,