King george tupou v biography of martin lewis
During the week of celebrations, two key ceremonies took place to mark his coronation. During the ceremony, the king sat on a pile of handwoven pandanus mats in an open pavilion facing the sea, while more than Tongan nobles and chiefs dressed in woven skirts and sea shells circled him. The ceremony involved having kava , hundreds of baskets of food, and seventy cooked pigs presented to the King and the assembly of chiefs and nobles.
Later that night, schoolchildren held 30, torches to proclaim the coronation in what is known as a tupakapakanava. During the culmination of the ceremony, Archbishop Bryce placed the Tongan Crown on the monarch's head. As king, his first proclamation was that he would dispose of all his business assets as soon as reasonably possible, and in accordance with the law.
During his reign, George Tupou V oversaw reforms within the Tongan honours system which both expanded the number of Orders in the Kingdom and created rules to make the award of these Orders more egalitarian. In , he bestowed noble titles to family members. Three days before his coronation ceremony on 1 August , the King announced that he would relinquish most of his power and be guided by his Prime Minister 's recommendations on most matters.
The king agrees with them. In July , the government published a new electoral roll and called on Tonga's , citizens to add their names to the document so that they could take part in the historic vote , which was due to be held on 25 November. This meant that a majority of members of the Legislative Assembly of Tonga would be elected for the first time, rather than appointed by the monarch or drawn from the aristocracy.
In September , Tupou V underwent a surgery operation to remove his right kidney following the discovery of a tumour. A statement was due following a cabinet meeting the day after his death. Queen Elizabeth II sent a message of condolence saying that King Tupou was "a true statesman who served his country with distinction". New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said that the late king "believed that the monarchy was an instrument of change and can truly be seen as the architect of evolving democracy in Tonga.
This will be his enduring legacy. Following the official announcement of the death and giving the proclamation of the new king, now Tupou VI, the royal cabinet set up a committee for the organization of the state funeral. Lord Vaea was appointed the chairman of the committee. The decision led to criticism from members of the Tongan diaspora who were unable to travel to Tonga in time for the funeral.
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Selected foreign dignitaries were invited by the committee to attend the funeral, including the Governor-General of Australia , Quentin Bryce , and the Governor-General of New Zealand , Jerry Mateparae. See the Tongan language page and ancestor's page Contents move to sidebar hide. Article Talk. Read Edit View history.
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King of Tonga from to George Tupou V in See list. Early life and education [ edit ]. Crown Prince [ edit ]. Reign [ edit ]. Accession and coronation [ edit ]. Reforms [ edit ]. Health [ edit ]. Death and state funeral [ edit ]. Reactions [ edit ]. This goes beyond culture and heredity. It is actually proclaimed in the Constitution.
His relationships with the people are defined by this fact and by the strict "tapu" and protocols which surround those of high status. When they are at an event attended by the King, Tongans maintain a respectful distance from his person, speak with lowered voices and stoop deferentially when they must approach the Monarch. On these occasions, they are particularly conservative in their dress.
The King, for his part, carries himself with chiefly dignity - part of a code of behaviour the Tongans call anga faka'ei'eiki - and converses in the courtly language expected of Tongan royalty. The customary rules, however, do not place an insurmountable barrier between the Monarch and his subjects. There are channels of communication for both ceremonial and more informal settings.
These might be through an extended kainga group of relatives, or via church and social organisations. The King may listen directly to representations and requests. If he does not reply immediately his decision will be relayed later through a "talking chief " spokesperson. When he is meeting people on his official duties, the King often makes unscripted remarks in eloquent Tongan.
On a tour, shortly after becoming sovereign, he turned to a Biblical theme, urging those who were welcoming him to love one another and their neighbours. The King dwelt on this as a basis for social order. Then he encouraged the people to seek prosperity through their own initiative, reflecting his own belief in private enterprise.
To reinforce this, he visited a snack food-manufacturing project supported by village women. An aide travelling with him said His Majesty spoke in a manner that was "utterly inspiring". It was on this tour that the word went out that His Majesty did not wish to receive traditional gifts of money that Tongans are inclined to give their Monarch.
This was King George's way of indicating he understood that cash was often short in the villages and that he preferred people to use what they had for their own needs. Last year, His Majesty decided he would donate part of the privy purse he receives from the Government to his mother Queen Mata'aho, to assist with her work for the disabled.
He has started to use the power of royal patronage to raise money for the needy.
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In May he arranged a charity concert which resulted in a substantial donation for Tonga's Child Cancer Foundation. The lethal riot in Nuku'alofa in November was an early test of King George's leadership. It was a calamity of unprecedented proportions for a country with a peaceful and friendly reputation. When he closed a session of Parliament a week later, King George was in sombre mood.
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He reminded the nation of what had happened just a short distance away - the burnings, and the bodies in the ashes. The capital, he said, was silent as it had never been before. His Majesty called for a rebuilding "of mutual responsibility to each other so that never again will we see such violence, arson, looting, death - and such shame".
The people had to stand together to rebuild trust and hope. Then the King offered a seminal vision of a Kingdom reborn.
Tongan culture, Tongan traditions, Tongan strength, Tongan singing, Tongan voices, Tongan prayer and Tongan dignity must find new expression and new vigour. This was the opportunity and the hope King George found in the disaster that had befallen the town. In the Tonga of his reign, there will be no turning back from modernization, renewal and democracy.
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Tonga: George Tupou V [a] (Siaosi Tāufaʻāhau Manumataongo Tukuʻaho Tupou; 4 May – 18 March ) was King of Tonga from to his death in He was the eldest son of King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV.
In that short six years, he brought profound change to Tonga, moving it to being a far more democratic state. He surrendered significant power to the parliament and announced that in matters of state he would henceforth rely on the advice of the elected prime minister. In the elections, a majority of the members 17 out of 26 were for the first time elected by the people.
Prior to that the "commoners" were allowed to vote for only nine MPs out of the 30 who sat in the old parliament. Twelve were appointed directly by the king, who also chose the prime minister. The common factor between the old and the new parliaments is that there remain nine noble MPs. These nine are elected by the holders of Tonga's noble titles.
On the last day of the family mourning, the sacrifice of Pongipongi Tuku was supposed to be repeated, followed by a hour vigil of the royal family members accompanied by complex rituals. The deceased, Taumafa Kava, was revered during this time. However, due to the riots, the concluding ceremony was not conducted. King George Tupou V postponed his coronation indefinitely, considering it inappropriate to hold celebrations in light of recent events.
During this time, George Tupou V carried out his duties as monarch. The formal coronation took place at the Centennial Chapel in Nuku'alofa.