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Home > Mate Ma'a Tonga team receives medal of honour

Mate Ma'a Tonga team receives medal of honour [1]

Nuku'alofa, Tonga

Thursday, November 30, 2017 - 16:43.  Updated on Wednesday, December 20, 2017 - 11:21.

Photos by Pesi Fonua

Mahe Fonua, Siliva Havili and Siosiua Taukeiaho with their medals, east-wing Royal Palace. 29 November 2017.
Mate Ma'a Tonga, Tonga’s national Rugby League team were guests of honour at the Royal Palace Nuku’alofa, where they received medals conferred by the King and presented by Queen Nanasipau'u and the Princess Royal HRH Princess Pilolevu, yesterday evening, 29 November.
 
During the investiture ceremony, the 24 players of the Mate Ma’a Tonga team were awarded the Commander in the Order of Queen Salote, conferred by the King "in recognition of the great sporting achievement the team had attained in the Rugby League World Cup 2017".
 
The management team, including the coach, manager/Secretary General, and trainer of the National Rugby League Team, and two officials, the President  and the Chairman of Tonga’s National Rugby League, Hon. Semisi Sika and Stan Moheloa, were awarded the Royal Order of the Crown of Tonga. 

HM King Tupou VI was travelling to Europe and unable to attend the presentation yesterday.

HM Queen Nanasipau’u and the Princess Royal HRH Princess Pilolevu presented the awards in the east wing reception room of the Royal Palace.

Queen Nanasipau’u, had with the King attended the semi-final game between the MMT and England in Auckland, and commented on the joy and pride that the players had brought to their families and the whole of Tonga with their performances during the 2017 Rugby League World Cup tournament.

Twenty of the 24 member team travelled to Tonga for the Medal Investiture Ceremony after receiving invitations from the King. They were Jason Taumalolo, ‘Ukuma Ta’ai, William Hopoate, Daniel Tupou, Manu Mafi Vatuvei, Tu’imoala Lolohea, Mafoa’aeata Hingano, Sonatane Manu Ma’u, Konrad Hurrell, Siosiua Taukei’aho, Siliva Havili, Mahe Fonua, David Fusitu’a, Samuela Moa, Joseph ‘Ofahengau, Benjieman Murdoch-Masila, Vilimai Sika Manu, Samisoni Langi, Peni Terepo and Sione Katoa.

Four players who could not make it to Tonga and sent representatives to receive the medals on their behalf, were Andrew Fifita, Tevita Pangai Jr, Solomone Kata and Michael Jennings.

Following the presentation of the medals there was a reception in the seafront Palace grounds, and guests were entertained by the Mate Ma’a Tonga by performing their Sipi Tau.

The Palace Office stated that, "The Most Illustrious Order of Queen Salote (Fakalangilangi Ma'olunga 'o Kuini Salote) was founded by King George Tupou V on 28 June, 2008 as the principal civil reward for meritorious services." 
 
The Royal Order of the Crown of Tonga awarded for exceptional services to the country and the Crown of Tonga, was established on 16 April 1913 by King Tupou II and reorganized in 2008 by King Tupou V.
 
Sika Manu and Jason Taumalolo share a joke outside the Palace. 29 November 2017.
Mate Ma'a Tonga [2]
Order of Queen Salote [3]
Royal Order of the Crown of Tonga [4]
Queen Nanasipau'u [5]
Princess Pilolevu [6]
Rugby League [7]

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Source URL:https://matangitonga.to/2017/11/30/mate-maa-tonga-medal-honour

Links
[1] https://matangitonga.to/2017/11/30/mate-maa-tonga-medal-honour [2] https://matangitonga.to/tag/mate-maa-tonga?page=1 [3] https://matangitonga.to/tag/order-queen-salote?page=1 [4] https://matangitonga.to/tag/royal-order-crown-tonga?page=1 [5] https://matangitonga.to/tag/queen-nanasipauu?page=1 [6] https://matangitonga.to/tag/princess-pilolevu?page=1 [7] https://matangitonga.to/topic/rugby-league?page=1