Carpentry & Construction Work in Preparation for the Royal Funeral
There is tremendous joy in my heart in being one of the many who witnessed the usefulness of King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV and how he worked to make his vision become a reality up to his last days on earth. Some of these include the improvement in the economic performance and development of various sectors of Tonga.
It takes great and numerous man power and carpentry work on the “fata” (which is the platform where the royal coffin will be placed before the men carry it on their shoulders) in order to make sure that everything is ready for the royal funeral. The construction of the royal tomb has to be assisted by machinery and other equipment.
The carpentry and construction work is carried out at various locations until it’s completed and then it’s brought all together. The photo below gives us an idea of what the final project will eventually look like.
We should understand that life goes on. It is impossible for me to give a comprehensive evaluation of all the Kings in Tonga or even to begin to compare them, but even with all the great things I have heard about Queen Salote Tupou III, I would still have to say that in my book, King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV has left the greatest impression.
Construction Work at Mala’e Kula
Mala’e Kula, according to Tongan history, is the place where Tongans brought their gifts to King George Tupou I to help in raising funds to establish Tonga College formerly called “Kolisi Pule’anga” or Government of Tonga’s College!
Contract Laborers are currently working on the image stand for the Royal Tomb of Taufa’ahau Tupou IV. I have a lot of respect for all these hard workers who have to endure the heat and the humidity while working and still maintain cultural traditional protocols at all time.
King George Tupou V has been criticized by politicians and the older generation of Tongans for not reinforcing traditional ways of doing things. The two construction employees above are wearing the clothing that is required in order to comply with Occupational Health and Safety measures at the workplace. It is interesting to see that sometimes appropriate changes in traditions is being authorized from the highest level of Tongan Society even during these national events.
Employees of the Ministry of Works doing carpentry works for the “fata”
The two photos above is a total of 14 production hours (7 hours a day). Some may say that this type of carpentry work could be completed in a quicker manner, but one must remember that some of the factors that determine how quickly and efficient something gets accomplished depends on money and access to relevant materials (which is usually sold at very competitive national prices).
Written By: Kisione Taufa
Date: 15 September, 2006
Time: 1:00 pm
Place: The Kingdom of Tonga
September 16th, 2006 at 12:04 pm
Thanks for this Kisione.
I always wondered what they called those royal platforms.
It is also interesting to note, the slight changes in traditions, during Tupou IV’s funeral.
thanks again tk.
September 16th, 2006 at 3:00 pm
I have lived here in the Seattle area since 1990. I said, that I was so grateful to have all of you including planet-tonga, give us the latest of what is going on in the islands.
I was a civil servant from 1985-1990 serving in the Tonga Defense Services, HQ and National Computer Training Center as a Administrative Clerk and a Computer Assistant Instructor.
What I can say to you, regardless of all the trashed that we read on the news. I have great respect and admiration for the Royal Family. Tonga is where we are now because of the unselfish giving heart of the Royal Family. We all have our ups and downs but the Bible was so clear that leaders are God’s chosen people and we have to respect them regardless of our differences and do not judged others less ye be judged.
‘Oatu homau ‘ofa moe fiekaungamamahi ki he Kuini moe Fale’alo hono katoa pehe ki he Hou’eiki moe Kainga Tonga kotoa pe, he fakamasiva kuo hoko ki hotau ki’i fonua.
Tu’a ‘Ofa ‘Eiki atu,
September 16th, 2006 at 7:33 pm
Hey too fantastic to view all these very outstanding shots, were all succint in views and comments packed up were so nicely done! … the details of all that have painted on this screen flashes all our puny memories to a very long held belief of our nation ko ‘etau kei TONGAA pe ko ‘etau kei tauhi ‘a e faka’apa’apaa mo e feveitokai’akii and this has proven enough thru our dressings and deeds and so much more!
Vinaka Vakalevu Kisi for this very excellent work u’ve executed for the nation and esp for us whom are a sec away from home, indeed we all appalaud you for such a very magnificient & tireless effort !
Loloma Levu
September 16th, 2006 at 7:38 pm
Hi,
we all enjoyed vewing this site and thanks a lot Kisione for this !! … we all pray for our beloved king and have remembered all his accomplishments for the nation as it is very long-forgotten.
much luv from Tafotila, (Aust and Vaini & Malapo)
September 16th, 2006 at 7:41 pm
hi all,
thanks Kisione for this very important work you’re done! we all worship and remembered our beloved King in all our prayers and as the antion as a whole to all link hands in praying for this royal funeral.We all wish that we’re
there to witness each and all incident happened.
From all of us USP STUDENTS here in Suva we all send you all our warmest regards with profound condolences for Tonga and its people.
Poko from Laucala Campus -Suva
September 16th, 2006 at 8:00 pm
‘Oku ou fakafeta’i mo fakamalo lahi kihe ‘OTUA MAFIMAFI he tapuaki lahi kuo foaki atu ma’a kimoutolu kau tufunga.Fakatauange ke fai “osikiavelenga homou fatongia pea fai mo e matuaki fai tokanga foki. “Mahuinga lahi ke faka’ofoofa pea lelei “ohange koe ngaue ‘ae tufunga ipu ‘umea pea meihe folofola. Anyway Ilove what ABRAHAM LINCOLN said about the virtue of FORTITUDE. He clearly understood that hard work,determination,and perseverance were vital for success. ‘Ofa atu ,’Atileti ITO RN mei he GENERAL MEDICINE D/E UNITS,STANFORD HOSPITAL.
September 16th, 2006 at 8:14 pm
Malo ‘aupito e ngaue malohi mo ‘aufuato pea ‘oku mau fiefia kotoa ai neongo ‘oku ‘ikai ke mau ‘i hena ka ‘oku hangee pe ‘oku mau ‘osi ‘i Tonga naa ‘a e
fkmafana e ngaahi ‘ataa mo e ngaue fk’ofo’ofa ni kuo ke mafeiaa.
Thanks also Saane foe the encouragement in prayers and worship and true we all have to pray with our all in mights to our beloved KING!
‘ofa atu mo e hufia!
Seini
September 16th, 2006 at 9:02 pm
Hi,
Thanks Kisione for all these you’ve shared in picutes and in words …we’re all so happy here to rec most of these you’ve passed on to us and we all pray
for Tonga and so as our beloved king!
‘ofa atu from maiself cos am the only Tongan here in this Medical School-
Honolulu
Peti (Vaini and Hawaii)
September 17th, 2006 at 12:04 am
all is fk’ofo’ofa he ngaahi ‘ata ko ‘enii pea malo lahi e ngaue Kisione we all worthtake all these showns!
Nothing much this time but our prayers and hufaki!
‘ofa atu
Via n all Aussies!
September 17th, 2006 at 2:26 am
Malo e Lelei,
‘Oku ongo pea uhu ‘a e taufa kuo too ‘i Tongaa. ‘Oku hangee pee kuo mole atu pee ‘a e ongosiaa ‘i si’o mou lea maii. Pea ‘oku ou tui pee ‘oku ‘i ai pee
‘a e ki’i ‘aonga ‘o e tohinoa ni.
‘ofa atu,
Kisione
September 20th, 2006 at 3:19 am
Fakafeta’i ki he ‘Otua Mafimafi ‘i hono fakaivia koe Leveni ‘Aho moe kau tufunga ‘oe MOW ‘i he fakahikihiki’i ne fai ‘ehe tangata faita pea kuo mau vakai pe ki hono mo’oni he ‘u ta he internet kaikehe he’ikai teu viki ka teu fakafeta’i ‘Eiki pe. Fakatauange ke ‘iate kimoutolu ‘a e Laumalie ‘oe ‘Otua ‘o fai tapuekina Koe moe Minisita ‘oe MOW pea pehe ki he kau ngaue. Congratulations and I am so proud of you all.
‘Ofa lahi atu
Loleini Pohiva (Australia)
September 25th, 2006 at 7:50 am
Tatau nai mo e ha ‘a e lava atu ‘a e si’i telio ‘a hotau Tu’i ofeina pea malo kuo lava ia, ka tau hanga hake a ki he La’a fo’ou ‘o Tonga kuo hopo hake, ‘o oua ‘e to e tuku ha tau ivi, ka tau tu’u tafa’aki ‘i hono poupou’i ‘ene taki mo ‘ene angi ke kei Tonga pe ‘a Tonga ‘o laui kuonga pea ta’engata.
Pea malo mu’a Kisione hono ma’u ‘a e ‘u ta mo e faingamalie ni ke ma’u lave atu ai.
Malo moe ofa lahi atu
Nunia. Faletau Fifita.
September 25th, 2006 at 9:16 am
Ki he fale ‘o Ha’a Moheofo, ‘oku ‘oatu ‘a e fie kaunga mamahi mo’oni ‘i he mole ‘a e La’a kuo To. ‘Oiaue ‘ae Tu’i ‘ofa hono kakai pea fielau he na’e tuku he’e ‘Uluaki Fa ki Langi. ‘oku mau ‘ofa lahi atu moe faka’apa’apa kiate Koe Kuini Halaevalu Mata’aho pea ‘oku ‘oatu foki moe hufia lahi ki he si’i Siaosi Tupou V ke lakalakai monu pea ke fai tapuekina ‘ehe ‘Otua hono kuonga.
‘Ofa lahi atu mei he
Fanau moe fanga mokopuna ‘o
Popua’uli’uli mo Ma’afu ‘o Tu’i Tonga mo
Tupou VEiongo Moheofo