King sips ceremonial drink and is given pig carcass as he's welcomed to Samoa

The King sipped a ceremonial drink and was presented with a pig for feasting during a first day of events in Samoa.

The “dressed-down” monarch had a garland of dried fruit placed around his neck and was later honoured with a new title.

Despite the rain, he was in good spirits and clutched a bamboo-handled umbrella as he met locals.

The 75-year-old took part in a traditional ‘ava ceremony, with the drink prepared by the daughter of Samoa‘s head of state.

As is custom, the King poured a few drops away before drinking deeply from a cup made of coconut shell.

He was wearing a short-sleeved white “Royal Navy”-style bush jacket and trousers he designed himself.

The jacket, similar to an elei, a short-sleeved shirt worn by Samoan men, was made by Anderson & Shepperd and featured fabric trim by the Samoan School of Arts.

The ceremony took place at the Pacific island’s national university in a falesamoa, a large open-air covered hall made from timber.

A garland of dried fruit from the pandanus tree was put around the King’s neck at the end of the ritual, while the Queen was given a floral arrangement.

They were also given a selection of gifts, including a pig carcass for feasting.

The ceremony was watched by village elders and dignitaries including Samoan Prime Afioga Fiame Naomi Mata’afa and Foreign Secretary David Lammy.

Later, the chief of Moata’a village urged the monarch to “take a small part of Samoa away” as he made him Tui Taumeasina or King of Taumeasina.

“Once he has the title of Tui-Taumeasina we also become part of him and he will be connected to our people and our lands forever,” said Tofaeono Lupati Fuatai.

A day drenched with the best of Samoa

For the King and Queen, it’s been a day of culture, customs and conversations. A big celebration of this small island nation.

Samoa likes to call itself the “Land of Kings” and for a visiting King, they laid on the most revered of rituals, a huge ‘ava ceremony.

With grand ceremony the ground roots of a native plant are ground, prepared and served up to honoured guests. The King took a sip of what is a sacred drink.

This was the biggest ‘ava ceremony they’ve held here for over 30 years. He’d lost the formal suit for the day, wearing a bush jacket trimmed with traditional Samoan print.

In fact, his whole entourage were dressing for the occasion. Palace aides and the royal protection officers usually in suits, all sporting coloured Samoan shirts.

The rain didn’t stop, but this was a day drenched with the best of Samoa.

Hosting the Commonwealth summit has also given the country a platform to highlight the plights of Pacific islands, and to that the King saw restored mangroves. They are a vital habitat, protecting the coastline and coral from pollution and flooding.

The King and Queen have met the people, next it is the turn of the politicians and the opening of CHOGM.

The chief also praised the King for his efforts highlighting climate change, of which Samoa is particularly vulnerable to through events such as cyclones, flooding and storm surges.

“The King is the perfect advocate for us as a nation,” he said.

“Climate change is real, it is now and we must urge the world to acknowledge how perilous it is for nations such as ours.”

The royals’ stay in Samoa follows their brief tour of Australia earlier this week when a senator controversially heckled the King in parliament.

On Friday, the King will be at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which is being held in Samoan capital Apia.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has also touched down on the island nation of 218,000 after rejecting calls for reparations on slavery.

“I’ve talked to a lot of our Commonwealth colleagues in the Commonwealth family and they’re facing real challenges on things like climate in the here and now,” he told reporters on the plane.

“That’s where I’m going to put my focus,” he added. “Rather than what will end up being very long, endless discussions about reparations on the past.”