12 October 2014 Funeral Pictures

Funeral service for Princess 'Elisiva Fusipala Vaha'i
Pictures Cannot be taken during the service, but this shows the Havelu chapel
being prepared for a "Royal  Funeral" all the benches are removed from the chapel
and mats are placed on the floor, a stand is decorated for the casket to be placed on
and a stand is built for the King.  It is covered in Tapa.  The blue chairs on the left
are for close family.  The King sat on a larger red chair.

Sister Meyers visits with the Mission Assistants after the services.  She accompanied
the Senior Missionary Choir.  She will give the full funeral coverage in her blog entry.

We continually see traditional Tongan Funerals being held and have taken a few random pictures.
Last week the neice to  King Tauf'ahau Tupou IV, Princess 'Elisiva Fusipala Vaha'i passed away
and the senior missionaries were invited to sing at her funeral.  Because she is Royalty, she is honored
by people decorating churches and villages with black and purple material.  She was baptized in 1989
in California and was an active member of the Church.  So her funeral combined all the
traditional elements as well as an LDS funeral service.

Her village honors her by preparing meals for anyone who attends the all night wake as
well as the funeral.  These ladies were cutting up salad vegetables, but told us they were
there to "see that the men were cooking."

....and cooking they were!  This is their professional kitchen area.  Complete
with two dogs in front and two cows in the back!

Fifty gallon barrels are used to boil the volumes of root plants needed.

These men are pealing the ofie's (sweet potatoes)

 

These are the large Tongan taro plants they will peal and boil.  They are at least
three feet long.

No Tongan feast can be complete without roasting  smaller pigs.  Generally a horse
would be cooked to feed the large crowd.  They said they had a cow prepared to cook
but we didn't see it on our self guided tour.

This is the taro ready to be cooked.  Banana leaves serve as their clean table cover.

They cook chicken over an open fire.

Their grill is loaded and placed over the fire.  This grill is probably nearly four foot
by eight foot long.  They said that they were preparing 1000 meals and would cook
all night long.

They had two large pigs that were tied in cages and were to be cooked in the ground
in their traditional "Umu".  We did not stay around for the preparation of this
special event!

The decorated home of the Princess' son in Foui.  It is across the street from the
cemetery where she will be buried.

The funeral march after the funeral.  This is Joshua David Ben Hur Kivalu
 and his wife Baby.  Certainly not typical Tongan names!  Pres. Kivalu is a
Stake President and played football at Ricks College the last year they
had sports.  Baby is Samoan.

The casket was brought from the Stake Center at Havelu to her village of Foui
and placed on this large structure and carried by "several" men through the Village
to the cemetery.

The police led the procession with an Honor Guard, who played music and presented a
gun salute after the burial was completed.

The casket was followed by Nobles, Parliament, Family and
Royalty.  This is Prince Ata, son of the current King Tupou IV.
He is leading the long procession of people following the casket.
 

The procession has entered the cemetery.  The grounds are covered with Tapa Cloth
for everyone to sit on.  Standing is not allowed, because the King is in attendance.
Now my true behavior comes out....look at the size of the burl on that Persian ironwood tree!!!
 

All Tongan's wear a funeral mat made for these special occasions.
Black clothing is also required.  Family members will wear these
until the official time of morning is declared.  It use to be one year,
but that has recently changed, but could be a minimum of thirty days.

The village Elders hold a Village Kava Ceremony as part of their honoring tradition.

After the burial they are completely covering the vault with
sand.  Coral will be added by the family later to hold the
sand in place.  The Tapa matts are beautiful artwork that are
used at special occasions like weddings and funerals. 
Tapa and mats, rather than money signify an individuals wealth. 

Even the trees are decorated.  This gentleman is 91 years old, which is rare in Tonga.
The grass type kiakia and messy hair are like "sack cloth and ashes...Tongan style!

Stake Presidents, Inoke Kupu, Sione Langi, and Alvin Sika.

This is the Royal seating area.  The King has left, but was seated on the upper level
with other high ranking Nobility and Family.  The lower level was for direct family,
dignitaries and church leaders.  Elder Haleck of the South Pacific Area Presidency
represented the First Presidency and Quorum of the twelve for the church.
 He presided over both the services.
 

 

Prince Ata with the mission Assistants, Elders Lotolelei and Makasini.  They are
teaching the Prince and he is to be baptized "soon".  The Prince just returned
after three weeks in the U.S. with the King and Queen at the U.N.
Obviously he is not following protocol with these "commoners"!

The grave mound is decorated with all the funeral flowers. 



Walking back from cemetery to the van we passed this cute entry into a very humble
but well groomed yard.

This home is eight foot wide by eleven foot long.  It is complete with two
strollers on the porch.  It is within a hundred yards of the big yellow home.

We thought we made it out without being given food, but no such luck.  So, on the walk
back we gave it to this elderly lady and her granddaughter.  I don't know that she
understood anything we said other than "hi".