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NUKU'ALOFA (AFP)

King George Tupou V of Tonga (centre) wearing 500-year-old 'aofivalas (royal waist mats) during the taumafa kava ritual in the sacred gathering area of Nuku'alofa on July 30. Tonga's king was officially anointed in a traditional ceremony here Wednesday in which his subjects presented dozens of pigs and hundreds of baskets of food in tribute.

Tonga's king was officially anointed in a traditional ceremony here Wednesday in which his subjects presented dozens of pigs and hundreds of baskets of food in tribute.

King Siaosi Tupou V sat alone on a raised platform as more than 200 of Tonga's nobles and chiefs surrounded him in a circle, dressed in white with woven ta'ovala mats around their waists.

They took part in a kava drinking ceremony, with the king offered the first bowl of the mildly narcotic drink, made from the pounded roots of a plant, to recognise that he was first among Tongans.

The 60-year-old king, whose name is George Tupou V in English, will also be crowned head of the tiny South Pacific nation in a Western style coronation on Friday.

A guest from Japan walks past slaughtered pigs to accept the offering of roast pork on behalf of King George Tupou V of Tonga (royal protocol prohibits a Tongan from doing this) during the taumafa kava ritual in the sacred Pangai Lahi gathering area of Nuku'alofa on July 30.

But for Tongans, Wednesday's ceremony was "the true coronation", said the Master of the Royal Household, the Honourable Tu'ivauavou.

One of the king's talking chiefs, who speaks on his behalf agreed, saying the ceremony installed the king as the 23rd holder of a dynasty founded in the 17th century before European contact.

"This is our traditional ceremony for the coronation, the western coronation is much more recent," Ma'u Kakala told AFP.

"I'm so proud to have taken part in it. Everyone here in this field took part to celebrate our own culture."

A portrait of King George Tupou V adorns the entrance to busy Taufa'ahau Road in the capital, Nuku'alofa on July 29. Tonga's king was officially anointed in a traditional ceremony here Wednesday in which his subjects presented dozens of pigs and hundreds of baskets of food in tribute.

The king walked to the grassy meeting place next to the newly renovated royal palace on Nuku'alofa's waterfront, led by a spear-wielding Fijian chief whose job was to drive away evil spirits in the ceremonial area.

Strict protocol means no Tongan can walk in front of the king or touch his food, so a ceremonial presentation to Siaosi Tupou was accepted on his behalf by a friend in traditional dress.

Up to 75 pigs, dozens of kava plants and hundreds of baskets of cooked food presented to the king were to be later distributed to Tongans.

The king, a controversial figure in the island country due to his widespread business interests, is better known outside Tonga for his taste for elaborate uniforms and for being driven around the capital in a London cab.

Tongan students wearing fa seed necklaces perform the Lakalaka dance for King George Tupou V during the Cultural Day celebrations in the capital, Nuku'alofa on July 29. Tonga's king was officially anointed in a traditional ceremony here Wednesday in which his subjects presented dozens of pigs and hundreds of baskets of food in tribute.

Shortly after he took power in September 2006, riots sparked by a political reform rally left eight people dead and large swathes of the centre of Nuku'alofa were looted and burned.

The coronation was due to be held last year but was postponed as the poor country of 115,000 recovered from the riots.

Siaosi Tupou, who assumed the monarchy after his father Taufa'ahau Tupou IV died two years ago, made his strongest statement yet this week that he plans to hand over some power to his people.

30/07/2008 03:36:19 UST

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