King Charles and Camilla finally stopped in Samoa for a farewell ceremony in Siumu Village. The King and Queen were offered seats on golden thrones and warmly welcomed and treated like royalty.
The King And Queen Were Given Gifts During “The Ava Ceremony”
During what is known as the “ava ceremony,” the villagers made a special drink for the King, made from the roots of an ava plant in a coconut shell.
The couple were also presented with gifts. His Majesty made an impromptu speech thanking them for their hospitality.
“I shall always remain devoted to this part of the world and hope that I survive long enough to come back again and see you,”
He said, speaking with emotion.
“We shall take away with us, I promise you, extraordinary memories of our time here. We thank you for our wonderful gifts,”
He beamed.
A sweet moment came when the King planted a tree in a garden created in his honor in Samoa before his late dinner. The Talafalu tree helps an endangered species of butterfly called the Samoan swallowtail butterfly. He asked the locals to protect the tree.
Yesterday, His Majesty also delivered a landmark speech at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting. He acknowledged calls for slavery reparations. It was his first speech as Head of the Commonwealth.
He told world leaders at the summit, “None of us can change the past. But we can commit, with all our hearts, to learning its lessons and to finding creative ways to right inequalities that endure.”
He didn’t mention financial reparations, but they needed to understand and acknowledge “the most painful aspect of our past.”
King Charles Wants Us To Focus On Fixing Inequalities
The King said it was vital for them to focus on fixing inequalities in such areas as employment, health, access to opportunity, education, skills training, and discussing climate change.
His speech supported the British Prime Minister’s decision not to investigate reparatory justice for the slave trade, as it could render the UK down billions of pounds.
The monarch explained that one way to make things right is to introduce initiatives like the Commonwealth Fellowship Program, which offers educational opportunities to students from small island states.
King Charles was more in-depth about his feelings about slavery than his mother, Queen Elizabeth.
The monarch gave a speech in Kenya last year, saying he “deeply regrets” the “wrongdoings of the past.” He is also supportive of researching the British royal family’s historical bonds with transatlantic slavery.
The Prime Minister of Samoa, Fiame Naomi Mata’afa, praised Queen Elizabeth for her “steady leadership” and “unifying role.”
During the King’s speech, he assured the people he would continue his duties for as long as he could,
“For my part, I can assure you today that for however many years God grants me, I will join you and the people of this Commonwealth on every step of this journey. Let us learn from the lessons of the past. Let us be proud of who we are today. And together, let us forge a future of harmony with nature and between ourselves that our children and grandchildren deserve.”
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