Tui Taumesaina and Queen woke up to another rainy day in Samoa. They had one last engagement to attend in the morning before departing from the island paradise in the afternoon.
This was a farewell ceremony hosted by the village of Maninoa, Siumu, the location of Sinalei Resort, where the royals had been staying during their CHOGM visit.
The village of Siumu treated the royals with the utmost respect. Seats had been prepared especially for the King and Queen, honouring their presence in the village.
The main purpose of the ceremony was to show gratitude and appreciation for the royals’ brief stay. During the event, the village bestowed upon Tui Taumeasina Charles III his second Samoan chiefly title, Toaigaotumua. The title symbolises the collective strength fostered through gatherings that unite Samoan families and friends.
This was likely the fourth time the King had tasted kava during his time in Samoa, and he accepted it without hesitation, demonstrating his profound respect for Samoa and honouring the fa’aaloalo.
It is common in Samoa to hold multiple chiefly titles, and King Charles now holds two, Tuitaumeasina from the village of Moata’a and Toaigaotumua from the village of Maninoa, Siumu.
King Charles took a moment to thank the village, saying,
“My wife and I have become accustomed to the roads here in Samoa. If I may say so, we have been very impressed by the beautiful way in which all the villages have decorated the roadsides. There is something very special about Samoa. But I also wanted to thank you, more than I could possibly say, for your wonderful generosity each morning in bringing offerings of food and various other wonderful things to where we have been staying. It has been deeply appreciated, and we shall take away with us, I promise you, the most special memories of our time here. Thank you for these wonderful gifts and for bestowing this particular title on me. I shall always remain devoted to this part of the world and hope that I survive long enough to come to see you all again. Thank you.”
Later, the royals headed directly to the airport, bidding farewell to the beautiful island of Samoa.
As they prepared to depart, the royal couple expressed their gratitude for the warmth and hospitality shown throughout their visit.
Reflecting on their experiences in both Australia and Samoa, they shared a message via the Royal Family’s official Facebook page,
“As our visits to Australia and Samoa come to a close, my wife and I would like to thank both nations for the warmest of welcomes and for the countless fond memories we will carry in our hearts for many years to come. Even when we are far apart in distance, the many close connections that unite us across the globe and through our Commonwealth family have been renewed, and will remain as profound as they are enduring.”
