Pacific Magazine > Magazine > September 1, 2006

Tonga

Tonga's Tragedy

Royals Mourned At Home And Away

The deaths of Tongan royals Prince Tu’iipelehake and Princess Kaimana Tuku’aho, along with their driver Vinisa Hefa in a road accident in San Francisco, Calif. in early July shocked Tongans and Pacific Islanders across the world.

Three hundred thirty three men were selected to carry the catafalque in the funeral cortege on its way to the burial ceremony at the Namoala Royal tombs at Lapaha.

Court proceedings against the 18-year-old involved in the accident
continue. Edith Delgado has pleaded not guilty to felony manslaughter charges in the highway crash.

Inside the Free Wesleyan Church of Tonga at Nuku’alofa during the funeral service.

The royal couple was visiting the Bay area and Seattle to discuss political reforms in the Kingdom with Tongan residents in those areas.

Princess Regent, Princess Salote Mafile'o Pilolevu Tuita, daughter of the Tongan King and cousin of the deceased Prince in attendance on behalf of the Royal family at a maumau or a traditional offer of respect and condolence during the prayer service, which marked the beginning of the Royal Funeral.

Matangi Tonga Publisher Pesi Fonua described the prince’s death as a great loss to Tonga’s political reform movement.

A women wears a ta'ovala, a woven mat over her head, marking her close relationship to the deceased, during proceedings at the royal funeral.

“The prince was the one member of the royal family who sincerely believed that only through dialogue might a solution be found to a growing political confrontation between the Tongan people and the monarchy,” Fonua opined.

“The prince’s approach was unconfrontational and straight forward, in his adoption of a traditional Tongan approach called Talanoa.”

At the Namoala Royal tombs during the burial ceremonies during the state funeral.

Many overseas based Tongans, and leaders from around the region, returned to Tonga for the funeral.

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Jocelyn Carlin attended the July 21st funeral and associated ceremonies, and took these images for Pacific Magazine.