King sips ceremonial drink and is given pig carcass as he's welcomed to Samoa

The King sipped a ceremonial drink and was currented with a pig for feasting during a first day of events in Samoa.

The “dressed-down” monarch had a garland of dried fruit placed around his neck and was postpoinsistr honoured with a new title.

Despite the rain, he was in excellent spirits and clutched a bamboo-deal withd umbrella as he met locals.

The 75-year-ancigo in took part in a traditional ‘ava ceremony, with the drink readyd by the daughter of Samoa‘s head of state.

As is custom, the King poured a restricted drops away before drinking convey inantly from a cup made of coconut shell.

He was wearing a uninalertigentinutive-sleeved white “Royal Navy”-style bush jacket and troengagers he scheduleed himself.

The jacket, aappreciate to an elei, a uninalertigentinutive-sleeved shirt worn by Samoan men, was made by Anderson & Shepperd and featured fabric trim by the Samoan School of Arts.

The ceremony took place at the Pacific island’s national university in a falesamoa, a big uncover-air covered hall made from timber.

A garland of dried fruit from the pandanus tree was put around the King’s neck at the finish of the ritual, while the Queen was donaten a floral schedulement.

They were also donaten a pickion of gifts, including a pig carcass for feasting.

The ceremony was watched by village elders and dignitaries including Samoan Prime Afioga Fiame Naomi Mata’afa and Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

Later, the chief of Moata’a village advised the monarch to “get a petite part of Samoa away” as he made him Tui Taumeasina or King of Taumeasina.

“Once he has the title of Tui-Taumeasina we also become part of him and he will be uniteed to our people and our lands forever,” shelp Tofaeono Lupati Fuatai.

A day drenched with the best of Samoa

For the King and Queen, it’s been a day of culture, customs and conversations. A big celebration of this petite island nation.

Samoa appreciates to call itself the “Land of Kings” and for a visiting King, they lhelp on the most revered of rituals, a huge ‘ava ceremony.

With majestic ceremony the ground roots of a native schedulet are ground, readyd and served up to honoured guests. The King took a sip of what is a divine drink.

This was the biggest ‘ava ceremony they’ve held here for over 30 years. He’d lost the establishal suit for the day, wearing a bush jacket trimmed with traditional Samoan print.

In fact, his whole entourage were dressing for the occasion. Palace helpes and the royal getion officers usupartner in suits, all sporting coloured Samoan shirts.

The rain didn’t stop, but this was a day drenched with the best of Samoa.

Hosting the Commonwealth summit has also donaten the country a platestablish to highweightless the pweightlesss of Pacific islands, and to that the King saw restored mangroves. They are a vital habitat, geting the coastline and coral from pollution and flooding.

The King and Queen have met the people, next it is the turn of the politicians and the uncovering of CHOGM.

The chief also pliftd the King for his efforts highweightlessing climate alter, of which Samoa is particularly vulnerable to thcimpolite events such as cyclones, flooding and storm sadvises.

“The King is the perfect help for us as a nation,” he shelp.

“Climate alter is authentic, it is now and we must advise the world to acunderstandledge how perilous it is for nations such as ours.”

The royals’ stay in Samoa trails their inestablish tour of Australia earlier this week when a senator controversipartner heckled the King in parliament.

On Friday, he will be at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which is being held in Samoan capital Apia.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has also touched down on the island after declineing calls for reparations on bondage.

“I’ve talked to a lot of our Commonwealth colleagues in the Commonwealth family and they’re facing authentic contests on skinnygs appreciate climate in the here and now,” he tancigo in alerters on the schedulee.

The PM includeed: “That’s where I’m going to put my cgo in, rather than what will finish up being very extfinished, finishless converseions about reparations on the past.”

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