29 May 2023

Tonga mourns death of Princess Mele Siu'ilikutapu

From Midday Report, 12:42 pm on 29 May 2023

The Kingdom of Tonga is mourning the death of Princess Mele Siu'ilikutapu who died yesterday in Auckland, aged 75.

The princess is remembered for paving the way for women in politics in Tonga, becoming the first elected female parliamentarian in the 1970s.

In 2021, she accepted the New Zealand government's apology for the Dawn Raids, which targeted the homes of Pacific Islanders.

RNZ's correspondent in Tonga, Kalafi Moala, reflects on her reign.