Apia, Samoa: King Charles III participated in a traditional kava-drinking ceremony on Thursday, where he was honoured as a “high chief” by a group of bare-chested, heavily tattooed Samoans. This event took place during his 11-day tour of Australia and Samoa, marking his first major international trip since his cancer diagnosis earlier this year.
Dressed in a white safari-style suit, the 75-year-old monarch sat at the head of a carved wooden longhouse. He was offered a polished half-coconut filled with kava, a mildly intoxicating drink that plays a significant role in Pacific culture, known locally as “ava.”
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The kava roots were showcased and prepared by the chief’s daughter, filtered through a sieve made from the bark of a fau tree. As the drink was ready, a Samoan man shouted as he poured it, finally presenting it to the king. Charles uttered the words: “May God Bless this ava” before lifting it to his lips. The ceremony concluded with claps. Queen Camilla, sitting beside him, fanned herself to cope with the tropical heat.
Many Samoans expressed their excitement to welcome the king, as this is his first visit to the Pacific Island nation, which was formerly a British colony. Later, the royal couple visited the village of Moata’a, where King Charles was named “Tui Taumeasina,” or high chief. Local legends suggest that this area is where coconuts first originated.
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