Photos by Pesi Fonua, Linny Folau, and Adrienne L. Kaeppler.

Story by Pesi Fonua

The passing of ten nights after the burial of Tonga's late King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV was marked this morning with a funeral ceremony called the Pongipongi Tapu, or sacred morning, at Pangai Lahi, with a traditionally massive presentation of food.

The Pongipongi Tapu today also included several important ceremonial events held on the seafront ground next to the Royal Palace. The Taumafa Kava, and the bestowment of a royal title and several noble titles also took place in a huge kava circle that filled Pangai Lahi.

Tonga's new King Siaosi Tupou V took his first ceremonial kava drink, and in the traditional way his name was called out for the first time in a kava circle.

Spreading out before the new King who was seated in a flower-decked shelter, were 10,000 baskets of food, more than 200 huge pigs, three calves and a number of huge kava plants that were uprooted for the occasion. There were also ngatu 'uli, or black tapa cloth, Tongan fine mats and other kolo'a that were presented by women from the estates of the new Crown Prince, the King's younger brother Prince Tupouto'a Lavaka.

The massive array of offerings came from all the 40 estate owners throughout Tonga and their kainga, or people. Attending and taking their place in the kava circle were over 100 noble title-holders and matapules, the talking chiefs. Over 1,000 people attended many of them coming from the outer islands especially for the occasion.

Head of the Tonga Traditional Committee, Hon. Tu'ivanuavou Vaea said the Taumafa Kava, is the first kava circle to be presided over by the new king, George Tupou V. Other important events at the kava circle this morning were the bestowment of the Crown Prince title and a new noble title, Tupouto'a on the Prince Lavaka, and the bestowment of noble titles on Prince Tupouto'a Lavaka's sons. Prince 'Aho'eitu was bestowed with the title 'Ulukalala, while Prince Viliami 'Unuaki-'o-Tonga was bestowed with the title Ata.

Following the arrival of King Siaosi Tupou V who walked from the Royal Palace and took his place in a shelter built for the occasion, the Matapule Motu'apuaka called for the attendants to make their presentation. The attendants ceremonially counted out the number of baskets of food, the number of pigs of various sizes, and the number of kava plants of two different sizes. A kava plant was theatrically broken into pieces by a man with a stick, before the kava was prepared in three big wooden kumete. There was a traditional process of preparing this kava for the king under the watchful eyes of a number of attendants. The kava maker in the middle was Princess Angelika Latufuipeka, the only daughter of the Crown Prince Tupouto'a Lavaka. When the kava was ready two large pigs were butchered and distributed to the attendants in the kava circle. These pieces of pork were taken away by mainly younger people who have the right to claim them.

The first kava was served for the king by Princess Angelika Latufuipeka, and was carried around the circle to the king by Prince Ata. Then kava for the attendants were carried to them by other young people in a ritual that took about four hours.

Hon. Tu'ivanuavou Vaea said that the Pongipongi Tapu marked the end of ten nights of mourning, "now estate owners and their people can go back to their islands and villages and continue on with their lives, but the one month of taboo will continue until October 17." The taboo restricts loud music, nightclubs and celebrations throughout Tonga.

The 10th night of mourning also marks the easing of the strict ritual requirements for the Nima Tapu, the king's funeral attendants. Now they can visit their families and the taboo on washing and sex is lifted.