Royal Burial In

Tonga.

Picturesque Ceremonies at Interment of Late Princess Fusibala.

(See photographs on opposite page).

THE little Island Kingdom of Tonga was plunged into deep gloom when radio flashed the sad information on April 21 that the Royal Princess Fusibala had succumbed in Sydney to an obscure malady which baffled the skill of the specialists.

It was only a few months earlier that the Princess left Tonga on the Govern ment boat “Hifofua,” which conveyed also the choir of Tongan college boys, under the guidance of the Rev. Mr.

Wood (Principal of Tubou Colege) on an extended Australian tour.

The Princess, who remained in Syd ney, became ill and finally succumbed.

The body was embalmed and the casket containing the remains was conveyed to Suva by the “Aorangi,” where it was received by the High Chiefs of Fiji.

It was conveyed to the “Pioneer,” where it remained until the arrival of the “Hifofua” from Tonga. This vessel ar rived on May 10 in Nukualofa, where extensive preparations had been made to receive the body of the Princess with full native ceremony. The casket was conveyed to the Royal Palace, to lie in state for two days, prior to being in terred in a vault in the Royal burial ground.

On the opposite page is a series of photographs by Mr. Adolf Zuckschwerdt, showing the interesting and picturesque ceremonies which attended the burial.

Top left-hand: Princess Fusibala, photographed in native dress just prior to leaving Tonga.

Top right: The Palace, illuminated, while the body lay in state, awaiting burial.

Centre; The Royal Guards, march ing to the wharf to take charge of the casket containing the body of the Prin cess.

Centre, right; Queen Salote, seated beside the casket in the Throne Room, where she remained for the greater part of the two days during which the body lay in state.

Centre, lower left: The Palace and the grounds were illuminated for two nights by hundreds of lanterns; while, according- to ancient custom, groups of natives kept small fires burning all night outside the palace walls. Photo graph taken from across the water.

Lower, left: Tongan mourners seated around one of the small fires, called Lower, right: Mala’e Kula, the Royal Burial-ground in Nukualofa, a place of imposing monuments, where the Prin cess was interred.