Photo: Supplied / Waikato Tainui
As Pacific leaders in Tonga got up on Friday morning for the home stretch of their annual summit, news from Aotearoa New Zealand cast a shadow over the day.
The Maaori king, Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII, has died, days after the 18th anniversary celebration of his coronation.
He was 69 years old and had been in hospital recovering from heart surgery.
RNZ Pacific's Lydia Lewis is in Tonga for the forum.
