This could be a very interesting time to be in Tonga and experience the change of leadership, especially after the rioting of 2006, and the "election" that they held last year, 2011. There are changes happening, but not necessarily like what we are reading in the news. Is that a surprise????

This week we have heard of the death of the King of Tonga. This will be a time of great mourning on the island, and most of the family will be wearing black for 1 year to show their sadness. This will be the typical dress, and even the men will dress this way. Their funeral will be for several days and sometimes weeks. The people will gather, have the funeral and then stay for days and the family will have to feed and care for them. The men do the cooking, outside (of course), and will be cooking for hundred of people. The church is trying to get them to change this tradition, because it is such a financial drain on the family. But as we all know "tradition" or "habit" is not always easy to change.