Queen Salote

Celebrates

Her Birthday

MARCH 13 was a day of thanksgiving and rejoicing in Tonga in honour of the 50th birthday of the little Kingdom’s Queen, Salote Tubou.

The celebrations had their centre in the Group’s capital, Nukualofa. From early morning group after group of Tongan men, women and children brought gifts of food, kava, tapa and mats to the Royal Palace.

Whole roasted pigs were carried on wooden platforms and fish and native vegetables were brought in baskets to join roots of kava laid out in the grounds of the palace to be counted and acknow ledged by the Matapules, or spokesmen, of the Queen.

Pieces of tapa, hundreds of feet long and ten or twelve feet wide were carried into the palace grounds supported at the edges by lines of shouting men, women and children, the tapa billowing as it was caught by the strong wind blowing from off the sea.

Every hour from 8 a.m. to late at night had its ceremony—the firing of signal guns; calls upon the Queen at her palace by Tongan and visiting officials; parades of the Palace Guard, the presentation of gifts.

A message of congratulation was re ceived from King George VI and read in the public park. The Western Pacific High Commission was represented by Mr.

G. D. Chamberlain and Fiji by the act ing-governor, Mr. A. F. R. Stoddart.

The highlight of the afternoon was a feast on the Mala’e given by Prince Tungi and Prince Tuipelehake and their wives.

A foliage-covered shelter formed three sides of a rectangle. The total length was close to two hundred yards and along the full distance roast sucking pigs were placed nose to tail in a continuous line.

These were flanked with poultry, lobsters, baked fish, yams, kumalas, and native puddings. There was coconut milk to drink and table napkins were squares of tapa. The guests were served by Tongan girls wearing skirts in the national colours of Tonga, red and white.

A three-tiered birthday cake was wheeled on to the mala’e on a platform on which a map of Tonga had been made from blocks of turf in which miniature coconut and banana-palms had been placed. Three hours of dancing by suc cessive groups followed the feast.

European residents of Nukualofa entertained Queen Salote at the Club. Left to right: Mrs. J. E. Windrum, wife of the British Agent and Consul; Mr. C. D. Chamber lain, Acting High Commissioner for the Western Pacific; Queen Salote. Mr. A. F. H.

Stoddart, Acting Governor of Fiji, Mrs. Chamberlain and Crown Prince Tungi.

Tongans bringing in gifts for their Queen —these are carrying piece of tapa cloth. Making tapa is a craft at which Tongans excel Nowhere else in the Pacific are such long lengths made. -Photos by Fiji Public Relations Office.

A future ruler of Tonga—Taufa Ahau, son of Prince Tungi and Princess Mata'aho. drives his pedal car in the Palace grounds.

Some of the 300 pupils of the Queen Salote Methodist Ladies’ College who perform Tongan dances at the feast.