King Charles sips traditional ava root tea during Samoan ceremony

King Charles sipped traditional ava root tea during a Samoan ceremony welcoming him and Queen Camilla to the island nation.

Samoa’s head of state and his village afforded the King the highest accolade by staging an ava ceremony where the drink, prepared by the statesman’s daughter from powdered ava root and representing community unity, was presented to Charles.

The ceremony was held at the National University of Samoa on Wednesday (23 October).

Following custom Charles poured a few drops of the ava away before drinking deeply from a cup, made from a coconut shell, and watched by village elders and dignitaries including Samoa’s prime minister Afioga Fiame Naomi Mata’afa.