The Kava Ceremony is held to memorialize a royal death, marriage or bestowing of an honorary title or coronation. It is attended by the King. Kava is the ceremonial drink, a tradition which dates back to the tenth century. The drink originated on the islands of Tonga and Eueiki.
The coronation ceremony is known as fakanofo in Tongan society. The President oversees this, and the would-be king is guarded by two trusted Matapules.
Terms
[[File:Taumafa Kava.jpg|300px|thumb|Taumafa Kava|Diagram below showing the seating arrangements of chiefs, nobles and their matapules in the kava circle. tags which will then appear here automatically -->
References
Tongan Kava Ceremony-Taumafa Kava Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA