His Majesty King Tupou VI paid tribute to Lord Ma’afu this morning as his body was laid to rest at Huelo Hangai royal cemetery in Tokomololo.
The king was seen hanging a wreath before bowing his head in front of Lord Ma’afu’s grave.
The ceremony was attended by about 100 mourners including Queen Nanasipau’u Tuku’aho, Princess Pilolevu Tuita and was broadcast live. Lord Ma’afu died in Auckland, New Zealand on Dec 12, aged 66.
The former Minister of His Majesty’s Armed Forces was honoured at his Tokomololo estate’s cemetery in a service that was steeped in military and royal tradition.
The funeral reflected his military and royal ties as “a professional soldier, serving for more than 20 years and rising to the rank of colonel” and the head of the highest chiefly Ha’a Havea clan. He was a cousin of Queen Nanasipau’u.
A royal procession was led this morning by Prince Ata from Vaiola mortuary where Lord Ma’afu’s body was being laid after arriving from New Zealand last week, to Tokomololo.
Coronavirus restrictions meant that instead of laying his body at his own home he was taken to the mortuary. Cultural funeral practices and presentations were performed and presented at various places including his estates and church.
He was described as “the people’s chief who truly loved his people”.
Ma’afu was not well before he died and had come to New Zealand to get treatment.
