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The New Year season is always a festive one in Samoa. Not only does the nation celebrate the passing of another year, it also celebrates its Head of State, Susuga Malietoa Tanumafili II’s birthday each January.
His Highness is the oldest and the longest serving Head of Government in the South Pacific to date. Now a year away from his 90th birthday, the octagenarian celebrated his latest birthday at the Maota o Tina ma Tamaitai at Sogi near Apia.
The ceremony began at noon with a toast to his Highness by the King of Tonga, His Majesty King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV. American Samoa representative to the U.S. Congress, Eni Hunkin also joined the celebration on behalf of American Samoa’s Governor - Tauese Sunia.
The occasion is always one of Samoa’s biggest public events. At the official ceremony at Sogi, politicians and government bureaucrats, church leaders, paramount chiefs of Samoa and local business leaders gathered to mark the birthday of the Head of State.
The Samoan Government presented a SAT$10,000 gift on behalf of the people of Samoa. Malietoa later donated $1,000 to Mapuifagalele, the only rest-home for the elderly in Samoa, run by Catholic nuns.
Miss Samoa and current Miss South Pacific, Manamea Apelu
entertained
the dignitaries later in the program with a traditional
Samoan dance. The popular Samoa Police Band also performed, but it was the delicious food that sealed in the flavour of the day. The scrumptious feast was catered for by the famous Rane’e and her crew.
The attendance of King Taufa’ahau Tupou IV as special guest each year is received with much gratitude by His Highness and the people of Samoa.
Head of State Malietoa Tanumafili continued on with the birthday celebration at his new residence at Vailele. It’s here that the government has built a new home for His Highness complete with trees planted in remembrance of his birthday.
The coverage of the Head of State’s birthday was broadcast live on both Televise Samoa and the 2AP Radio Station.
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