Tongan Update, 02 Aug 2008, Tongan Idol (TI) Event #1 by Elder Karratti
Ryan’s wife, Becca, had the courage and tenacity to go to the Delta Center (or whatever it’s called) and try out for American Idol. Darn it, she didn’t make it, but she had a “blast.” Tonight “you” are invited to THIS episode of “Tongan Idol” where you may email in and vote for your favorite King’s Coronation Event. We will send you four emails. Please wait until you have read all four events before you cast your vote.
EVENT #1: The Tupakapakanava--featured by Elder Pasi and Elder Karratti, written by Elder Karratti. (Don’t let the title discourage you from voting for this event.)
Just imagine yourself after a nice BBQ at one of your member’s local restaurants, watching cars pass by people who are briskly walking towards the boardwalk of Nuku’alofa and wondering to yourself, “what is all this hustle and bustle about?” As the crowds of people walk past, we overheard them talking about an ancient traditional torch lighting ceremony that was about to begin. This only happens when there is a coronation of a king. The torches used in the ceremony are not your average pieces of wood doused in gas. These torches are made out of a special bark and also aged coconut leaves, and then they are wrapped in five spots representing the 5th King of Tonga. As the excitement started to turn within my stomach, I realized that all this was going to happen with or without me. So I hurried and jumped into the van with my comp and rushed back to the office to tell Elder and Sister Thompson what was going on. I ran into the complex and told them that we were going to the traditional torch ceremony and invited them to go with us. And of course they said “yes,” but with all of this chaos going on at the office, they decided it would be funny to lock there keys in their apartment. Well, you don’t have to worry. Once again the office elders (me and my comp.) came to the rescue and got their door opened. But the funny thing was that as we were trying to get the door opened, they decided to sneak out the front door and sprint to the traditional torch spectacle!! When we finally realized that they had made a mad dash to the water front, we turned our missionary’s legs on and walked as fast as we could to catch up to them. The Thompsons did, however, give us a call and said they saved a spot for us down at the boardwalk. As we met up with them, we also found Elder and Sister Garrett. Being good little missionaries, we followed our “senior” couples around the boardwalk on a search for the perfect spot to observe the action. We experienced second-hand smoke and watery eyes. Seeing all the lighted torches, “This is like a scout jamboree,” said Elder Thompson. Finally, we reached the perfect spot. We climbed over lava rocks to the ocean’s edge. We sat on the hard, spiky, coral. (Elder Thompson’s rock was warmed by the Tongan torches. Little did he know that he was sitting in ashes left from someone’s torch until he stood up and had to brush the soot off the seat of his pants.) We got ourselves comfortable and enjoyed the beautiful torches lit all along the shoreline, and torches lit on the little islands across the bay.
The clock struck 8:15 pm…..”BOOM, POP, BANG!!!!” The first few fireworks erupted, and then it was rapid fire in multiple locations for 45 minutes. The sky lit up like the magical sky in Disneyland. There was a short break to re-fuel the launchers and then “boom, pop, and bang” for another 45 minutes. Move over Stadium of Fire. Move over Sugar House Park, and move over Elder Thompson’s National Scout Jamboree. We have a new King in town or in this case a new King on a rock in the middle of the Pacific!! This night will forever be in my memory as a night of wonder, excitement, amazement, and, yes of course, spending a few hours with our great friends, THE SENIORS.
DON’T FORGET TO VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE, BUT NOT YET. SEND YOUR VOTE TO: jthompsonmiss@yahoo.com
EVENT #2: The Church of Tonga and Parade—featured Elder Thompson and Elder and Sister Garrett, by Elder Thompson.
Early in the morning we left the Mission Office which is in Nuku’alofa and walked to the parade site. Hundreds of people were already there, but no one knew what was going on, so we stood on the corner watching all the Tongans go by. Finally, we decided to walk to the church where the Coronation was to take place. As we walked we stopped to say “Malo e lelei, fefe hake” to several people. Missionaries don’t walk through town without saying “hello and how are you” to just about everyone.
Along the way some of us stopped in front of the Church of Tonga to admire the interesting building.
Sister Thompson and Kinikini were so busy talking that they didn’t know we had stopped. The church is a perfect Harry Potter building--high stone walls with arched side panels, colorful stained (painted) glass, and red steeple.
In front of the church was the Church of Tonga band in their colorful orange uniforms.
We crossed the street and asked if we could go into the church. They invited us in. So while Sister Thompson and Kinikini continued their walk, we went on a tour of the Church of Tonga.
Since Sister Thompson and Sister Kinikini were nowhere in sight, we worked our way to the Coronation site-the Welayian Church. We stood in the street as the Coronation took place. It was a festive sight. Tapa cloth covered the street for a block.
Students sat on the street on both sides of the 10’ wide tapa cloth that created a pathway for the king. After the Coronation, cannons fired, and bells began to ring, signaling everyone that the king had been crowned. It was exciting, people moved to get into position to see the King’s departure. We talked to a policeman to find out where the king would leave, and then we moved into position. I positioned myself in a spot where I could see him coming and where he had to pass me.
He is not my King, but it was fun to observe and participate in the event. After he passed, we quickly walked a couple of blocks to watch the parade in which the King was part of. I think every junior and senior high school student on the island was involved in the parade. Bands played and did Tongan dance routines. When the king passed, it was squeeze time as everyone pressed to get a look.
After several high school bands passed, an exciting band approached. It was the US Marine Band playing good, old American tunes. Chills came over my body. Their uniforms were so striking- dark blue coats and hats, white pants, and red, white, and blue trim on their hats and coats. We cheered and whistled. As they passed, we could see band members eyes shift towards us. I’m sure they wondered who was creating all the cheers. It was the American missionaries. We were so proud and thankful for what and who they represented.
PLEASE VOTE AT THE END OF THE PROGRAM. SEND YOUR VOTE TO: jthompsonmiss@yahoo.com
EVENT #3: The USS J.S. McCain Battleship—featured by Elder Jones, Elder May, Elder Hauser, and Elder Faletoa—written by Elder Jones. (After we toured the ship President McMurray, Elder and Sister Thompson, the APs, and the Office Elders toured the ship also)
While walking the streets of Nuku’alofa, a sailor approached us and asked if we would like to tour the USS J.S. MaCain battle ship. Of course we were excited to go but would it get us in trouble. We called President McMurray, and he authorized us to go and reminded us to remember who we were and who we represented. At 6:30pm we met our guide who took us to the military port. We boarded the “Ikale,”
a small Tongan vessel used to travel to ‘Eua, which took us out onto a barge from which we boarded the USS McCain.
My companions and I hunted down the sailor, named Robert Ogden, who had invited us to come to the ship.
He neglected to tell us that he was the Executive Officer of the ship, second in command, and a member of the Church. He took us down to his personal quarters, where we waited until a four-star colonel arrived. Then we and the other guests indulged ourselves with a buffet dinner which included shrimp, a roasted pig, cake, and a giant ice eagle.
We mingled with military personnel from Canada, America, Australia, France, and New Zealand. There were also about forty Peace Corp workers and a few Tongan dignitaries. I began to speak with a Tongan man and found out that he had been the Tongan Prime Minister for twenty-five years and is now the consulate to America and lives in San Francisco. While we were talking, he was asked if he would like a tour of the ship. He answered, “Yes,” and informed his liaison that the missionaries would be joining him for the official tour.
We were able to go below and see the engine room, officer quarters, the battle command room.
We also went on deck and took pictures on the bridge, including sitting in the captain’s chair.
To top off the night, we stood on the side of the destroyer and watched as the fireworks rose above the Tongan capital city of Nuku’alofa. After the fireworks we reboarded the “Ikale” and rode back to the wharf and returned home.
Our email is jthompsonmiss@yahoo.com OUR LINES WON’T BE OPEN UNTIL ALL EVENTS HAVE BEEN READ, BUT DON’T FORGET TO VOTE!
EVENT #4: The Coronation of His Majesty King George Tupou V—featured by Sister Thompson and Sister Kinikini-written by Sister Thompson
Sister Kinikini and I were leading the other senior missionaries up a crowded road in Nuku’alofa to the chapel where the coronation was to take place.
However, when we turned around, there was not a missionary in sight. They were lost…so we two Sisters decided to continued on with plan A. We eventually congratulated ourselves on finding a spot across the street from the church where we could watch all the action. Fancy cars went by filled with the honorary guests of the king, and we even saw the king himself. People in tuxedos, coat-tails, formal dresses, and jewels were being dropped off in front of the
church.
We giggled over the various snazzy hats some of the women were wearing. As we were ogling over the guests, a “talker” for the royal family invited some of the “common people” who were out on the street to come and sit outside the church and watch the actual coronation through the open doors of the chapel. Hey, Sister Kinikini and I were “common people” so we rushed across the street only to have the gate closed on us. They had enough of us commoners.
As we were turning to leave, the Tongan usher opened the gate again and said that five more people could enter. A sweet, aggressive Tongan woman grabbed me, I grabbed Sister Kinikini, and she shoved both of us up to the front of the line and through the gate. We were in! Sister Kinikini and I proceeded to find two empty, small, blue chairs that were positioned outside the building and plopped ourselves down, totally amazed that we were going to attend the actual coronation of a king.
Just as we were getting comfortable, I was tapped on the shoulder by Papiloa who was the first woman to serve in the Tongan Parliament, who is a member of our Branch, and who Elder Thompson and I Home Teach. She invited us little missionaries to ENTER the building and sit on the large, soft, red-cushioned chairs. I sat next to a distinguished gentleman wearing a black tux with a medallion pinned onto his lapel and whose top hat was resting on the floor. Who would have believed that we were now part of the “honored guests?” My, we were moving up in the world!
The coronation was like stepping back in time…to the Renaissance with the likes of Arthur, Lancelot, and the round table. First, the congregation stood during the royal procession. Three pages carried the $650,000 train of His Majesty. (The red cloak was trimmed with fur and dragged about fourteen feet behind him.) Then there was the crown bearer, the royal sceptre bearer, and the ring bearer, followed by six lords in waiting, His Grace Archbishop, etc. Secondly, the procession ended at the front of the chapel with His Majesty sitting on a stately gold throne with George Tupou V engraved upon it. There were prayers, music provided by a choir and orchestra, and the “putting on of the crown.” This was followed by a 21 gun salute and the pealing of the Church Bells. “After the King had been anointed and crowned and had received all the ensigns of Royalty” (that part is quoted out of the program), the benediction was offered:
The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord protect you in all your ways and prosper all your handy work. Amen
May wisdom and knowledge be the stability of your times, and the fear of the Lord your treasure. Amen
The royal procession with His Majesty King George Tupou V wearing his crown and ring sauntered back down the aisle and out into the church yard, as the audience stood and the choir sang the National Anthem.
VOTE NOW! YOUR VOTE MIGHT MAKE THE DIFFERENCE! ALL LINES ARE NOW OPEN! jthompsonmiss@yahoo.com
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