Military Tattoo wrap-up of Coronation celebration of Their Majesties Featured
Nuku'alofa, 10 July 2015. The Coronation celebrations of Their Majesties King Tupou VI and Queen Nanasipau’u concluded with the showcase of the Military Tattoo on Tuesday and Wednesday 7-8 July 2015.
The outstanding performances from four high school brass bands and three visiting overseas brass bands along with His Majesty’s Royal Corps of Musician, drew a crowd of more than a thousand to Mala’e Pangai on the two nights of performances, attended by Their Majesties on Tuesday night and by the Crown Prince and Princess on Wednesday night.
The Coronation Celebration events started on 27th June with the Traditional Taumafa Kava, in which the 24th Tu’i Kanokupolu, King Tupou VI was installed.
The most important event of the Celebrations was the crowning of the King and Queen, held at the Centenary Church of the Free Wesleyan Church on Saturday 4th July.
The Military Tattoo brought to a close the 10-day Celebration of the Coronation of their Majesties.
Brass Bands from abroad that participated in the Tattoo included the US Marine Corps Forces Pacific Band from Kaneohe, Hawai’i; New Zealand Army Band; and the Royal Corps of Musicians and the Australian Royal Military College Band.
Four High School bands that provided entertainment included Tonga High School; Tonga College, Queen Salote College, and Lavengamalie College.
The Australian Royal Military College Band drew the attention of the crowds on Tuesday night with the performance of a Tongan Tau’olunga dance with two female army officers and male dancers performed to His Majesty’s composure of “Tavake.”
On the first night of the performances, a brief history of how brass bands were first introduced to Tonga, was presented in a skit performed by HMAF. According to this presentation, Father Lamaze of France in 1865, a principal of a Catholic school in Ma’ufanga brought the first brass band to Tonga. Moreover, Methodist ministers brought instruments to be used by Nafualu College in 1866.
In 1882, the Government’s Tonga College began brass band studies and formed a brass band to provide music and carry out national duties. In 1952 this national duty was handed over from the Government College to the Tonga Police Brass band.
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