While a woman was getting a traditional Samoan tattoo imprinted on her leg, King Charles watched as she moaned in pain and grimaced to herself.
John Lemisio, a tattoo artist, presented the King with his family members, demonstrating the sacred art of Samoan tattooing, referred to as "Tatau." In response to the King's inquiry about whether or not it was "painful," John laughed and responded, "It's very painful, very painful."
At the time, the King inquired, "Does the pain last for a very long time?" John responded, "It is a lifetime of pain." For that, Charles asked, "Do you feel like you need a drink?" However, he was informed, "No. There is no medication."
"Welcome to the house of pain, your majesty!" Lemisio continued while addressing the king. The King responded, "Yes, indeed, it must be very painful." Each tattoo design is replete with significance and represents personal narratives, cultural history, and social standing. Samoan tattoo artists must possess not only a high level of expertise but also a deep understanding of Samoan culture.
During the time the King and Queen were being shown a virtual "cultural village" organized by the Samoa Tourism Authority, the tattoo display was taking place, as per The Mirror. The plan was to save time by collecting people from the surrounding villages in a single location, allowing the King and Queen to meet as many residents as possible in a single location.
When they arrived, they were met by Afiosa Tuala Ponifasio, the Deputy Prime Minister, who said, "Words cannot express how honored we are and how appreciative we are for you being among our midst." Please accept our sincere gratitude, Your Majesties.
Pesteta Arasi, the President of the Samoan Women in Business organization, demonstrated the ancient Samoan weaving process to them. When she told the King, "You can put the pillow on the mat, and you can have a quick rest," she was referring to the fact that the strong ones were used for sleeping.
Le Samoa is a magnificent mat that is of great cultural value in Samoan households since it represents a family's riches. The students were shown the traditional Samoan weaving method used to manufacture le Samoa.
Pandanus leaves are picked, dried, bathed in seawater for five nights, cleaned, bleached in the sun, and then slit to be woven into the mats. The mats are created utilizing a six-stage process that begins with the harvesting of the leaves and continues with the bleaching of the leaves in the sun.
The best mats are known as le-Sae, and they are renowned for their excellent craftsmanship and softness. While the King was outside, he observed a group of individuals soaking a mat in water and scrubbing it. "It must be the perfect day for it," declared Charles, who was holding an umbrella at the time, referring to the rain assisting them in completing the task.
Camilla was presented with a roll of Siapo, a fine cloth woven from tree bark that had historically been used as fabric for clothing for centuries before the advent of missionaries on the island. This was a gift that Camilla received after she had seen how the clothes were manufactured. It has evolved into a kind of artistic expression.
The king and queen were treated to an outdoor traditional battle dance and the opportunity to meet the island nation's rugby and cricket teams.
The Queen Camilla was received by the beauty queen Litara Leremia-Allan, the Miss Samoa 2024.
The 23-year-old said, "Samoan Queens have strength and resilience are the glue that holds our community together. A Samoan Queen and British Queen is a meeting of two different understandings and an intersection of cultures, and I'm honored to present this side."
Meanwhile, King Charles was proclaimed a "high chief" of the Pacific island nation of Samoa after participating in a traditional kava-drinking ceremony in front of a line of Samoans who were extensively tattooed and exposed to their chests, The Guardian reported.
This is the first significant journey that the British monarch has taken outside of the country since he was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year. He is currently on an 11-day visit to Australia and Samoa.
During Thursday's ceremony, the 75-year-old king sat at the top of a carved timber longhouse while wearing a white safari-style outfit. He was then presented with a polished half-coconut filled with a kava brew that had a somewhat narcotic effect.
Known as "ava" in the region, the root drink is a significant component of Pacific culture and is characterized by a peppery and slightly intoxicating flavor. In 2022, at a ceremony very similar to the one that took place in Micronesia, the former deputy prime minister of Australia wound up in the hospital after accidentally drinking an excessive amount of a local beer.
On Thursday, the kava roots were filtered through a sieve made of the dried bark of a fau tree and paraded around the tent. The chief's daughter prepared the kava roots.
When the drink was finally ready, a Samoan man yelled as he decanted it, and then it was eventually delivered to the monarch after all.
After uttering, "May God bless this ava," King Charles brought it to his mouth and pronounced it. Claps were heard when the ritual came to a close.
He was seated next to his wife, Queen Camilla, who was fanning herself to alleviate the oppressive humidity of the tropical climate.
Many people in Samoa are thrilled to be able to play host to the King on his trip to the Pacific Island nation, which was formerly a British colony.
Later, the royal couple traveled to the town of Moata'a, where King Charles was elevated to the position of "Tui Taumeasina," which translates to "high chief."
The origin of the coconut is said to have been in the region surrounding Moata'a, according to the community legend.
According to the local chief, Lenatai Victor Tamapua, who spoke to AFP before the visit, "Everyone has taken to our heart and is looking forward to welcoming the king."
That he has decided to be welcomed here in our town is something that we consider to be an honor. In light of this, we would want to present him with a title as a present.
Tamapua also planned to raise the issue of climate change with the king and queen and show them the local mangroves.
