Ritual and tradition surround burial of Tongan King

King Tupou IV died after a long illness. Picture / Dean Purcell

NUKU'ALOFA - In a meticulously planned ceremony based on ancient rituals and traditions Tonga will today lay to rest King Taufa'ahau Tupou IV, who ruled the country for nearly half a century.

Months of careful planning have gone into the funeral of the 88-year-old, who died in Auckland 10 days ago.

Around midday local time (11am NZ time) the body of the King will be taken from the royal palace at Nuku'alofa to be placed on the catafalque, a decorated platform that will carry the casket, and on to the royal tombs.

The catafalque will be borne by hundreds of pallbearers, either former students of Tupou College or men from villages throughout the main island of Tongatapu, in the journey of about 500m.

One thousand men are available to take turns to support each side of the platform, which carries not only the heavy mahogany and lead-lined casket but also two senior undertakers to the tomb at the mala'e kula burial grounds.

It is understood the casket alone weighs close to a staggering 800kg, and the floor of the royal palace had to be strengthened to take its weight.

Dignitaries are attending from all over the Pacific and countries further afield, such as France, Greece, Sweden, and Switzerland.

New Zealand is represented by Prime Minister Helen Clark, and Australia by Governor-General Michael Jeffery.

The Duke and Duchess of Gloucester from Britain will also be present.

More than a hundred foreign media representatives have flown in over the past week to cover the funeral.

A large bronze statue of the King sits upon a large plinth to mark his tomb.

It shows the monarch in military uniform, his trousers tucked into his long boots, and holding a cap under his right arm.

Barrel-chested, he proudly stands at the end of a row of statues of previous monarchs, with his head slightly turned to look north.

Albert Vaea, master of the royal household, said yesterday that the final touches were being made to the tomb.

Early in the morning Tongan teenage boys sang hymns as they strolled around the perimeter of the mala'e kula picking up rubbish. Around the palace, small groups of people stayed up all last night to keep small fires of coconut fibre burning so there would be light for the King - a tradition known as the takipo.

But the strain of the huge preparations were beginning to show.

A noble's wife, Robyn Kaho, said the palace workers were stressed and tired.

"There were a few short fuses last night."

Undertaking a sacred duty

Tonga's royal undertakers were traditionally strangled after finishing their duties and entombed with their kings so they could accompany them to the pulotu (underworld).

"It was a privilege to pass away with the king," said Albert Vaea, master of the royal household.

That practice was replaced by the chopping off of their fingers which continued up to about 300 years ago.

After the latest funeral, the mala'e kula remains sacred.

The undertakers were under tapu for a month which meant they had to avoid public contact and had the same high status as the new King Siaosi Tupou V.

Mr Vaea said they might not be able to fully resume normal life for up to a year.