KING CHARLES WELCOMED TO SAMOA WITH TRADITIONAL TEA CEREMONY

APIA, Oct 24 (Bernama-PA Media/dpa) -- Britain's King Charles III was dressed in Samoan-style for a day of ceremonies welcoming him and Queen Camilla to the island nation for a state visit, the PA Media news agency reported.

Charles swapped his trademark tailored suit for a short-sleeved white jacket and trousers he designed himself as he was honoured with a new title. 

Samoa's head of state and his village honoured the King with the highest accolade by staging an ava ceremony, during which the drink, prepared by the statesman's daughter from powdered ava root and representing community unity, was presented to Charles.

The ceremony was held at the National University of Samoa, in a falesamoa, a large open-air covered hall made from huge timbers and guarded by a ring of malosi ole nuu, bare-chested orators armed with sticks of their office and wearing sarongs and garlands.

Following custom Charles poured a few drops of the ava away before drinking deeply from a cup, made from a coconut shell, and watched by village elders and dignitaries including Samoa's Prime Minister Afioga Fiame Naomi Mata'afa and UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

Charles wore a Royal Navy bush jacket-style suit made by Anderson & Shepperd, which featured fabric trim by the Samoan School of Arts.

The jacket was similar to an elei, a smart casual short-sleeved shirt worn by Samoan men, and Charles' look was even reflected in the dress of his protection officers and some of his aides who wore colourful shirts.

At the end of the ceremony, a garland of dried fruit from the pandanus tree was placed around the king's neck while the Queen had a floral garland. They were also presented with an array of gifts.  

Later in Moata'a village, its chief Tofaeono Lupati Fuatai urged the monarch to "take a small part of Samoa away" with him after he was made Tui Taumeasina or King of Taumeasina.

Villagers gathered for the ceremony, similar to the earlier event, and later the chief spoke of his admiration for the King and his efforts to highlight climate change throughout his life.

He spoke about the honour bestowed on Charles, saying: "We hope that the King takes a small part of Samoa away with him.

"Once he has the title of Tui-Taumeasina we also become part of him and he will be connected to our people and our lands forever."

The Polynesian country of Samoa is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change including tropical cyclones and storm surges, flooding, and more severe and longer-lasting droughts like other Small Island Developing States.

Moata'a village was chosen to welcome the royals after the area was badly affected by flooding in 2018. In response the community's council developed a plan for future natural disasters and has established a mangrove conservation area which the King visited.

The chief said: "The King is the perfect advocate for us as a nation. Climate change is real, it is now and we must urge the world to acknowledge how perilous it is for nations such as ours."

-- BERNAMA-PA MEDIA/dpa