A small island in the Pacific rang out with song on Saturday as hundreds of its residents celebrated the coronation of King Charles III, an event particularly notable for this tribe which considers the king’s father, Prince Philip, to be one of its gods.
The volcanic island of Tanna, in southern Vanuatu, is the center of the “Prince Philip movement”, which sees in Charles’ father a very distant mythical ancestor.
“I’m very happy, because Charles is Philip’s son,” local chief Yabah, who once visited Windsor Castle and met Prince Philip, told AFP. “I want him to come see me here,” he added.
This movement began in the 1970s, when the Duke of Edinburgh visited this former Anglo-French colony then known as the New Hebrides and which remains a Commonwealth country.
The origin of this belief is not clearly explained, but would be based, according to anthropologists, on an ancient prophecy foreseeing the return of a white-skinned son from the island.
Some are even convinced that it was from Tanna that the prince left before the Second World War to go and marry the future Queen Elizabeth.
“There are several clans that have long awaited the return of this mythical being,” says anthropologist Kirk Huffman, former curator of the National Museum of Vanuatu.
The island therefore celebrated Saturday in its own way, far from the splendor of Westminster, the coronation of Charles.
Gathered in the hills with tropical vegetation, a thousand men, women and children, dressed in loincloths, danced and sang, before a banquet of the best local dishes accompanied by kava, a spicy and slightly alcoholic drink made from root and which is part of the traditions of the Pacific.
The movement is concentrated mainly in the villages of Yaohnanen and Yakel, accessible only by a difficult path through the jungle, in this region known for its traditions of legends and spirituality.
British diplomats were present, having come on a special mission for the coronation, bringing as a gift a framed portrait of Charles.
This will be added to a collection of old photos showing Prince Philippe in his youth, which are carefully guarded by followers of the movement.
Ambassador Michael Watters, who came specially from the capital Port Vila, followed the long procession with pleasure, surrounded by the village elders.
“I was welcomed with such warmth and joy by this community,” he told AFP, adding: “This ceremony is a wonderful way to mark the unique relationship between the United Kingdom and Vanuatu”.
The Duke of Edinburgh may be known for his often contemptuous gaffes for indigenous cultures, but he has always shown respect for this movement and its followers.
He wrote to them, sent them autographed photos and even met their leaders during a private visit to Windsor Castle in 2007.
His death in 2021 had rocked the island of Tanna, raising questions about the future of their movement and their customs.
Its inhabitants will welcome, explains Mr Huffman, the gifts brought by the British delegation “which will mean to them that Prince (King) Charles wants the relationship to continue”.
07/05/2023 00:33:46 – Tanna Island (Vanuatu) (AFP) – © 2023 AFP