A group of Pacific Islanders who worshipped Prince Philip as a god have celebrated the coronation of King Charles.
Members of one tribe on the island of Vanuatu declared Charles as the “son of our power” as they celebrated with a portrait of the new king.
The Kastom people belive the late Duke of Edinburgh was the son of a mountain spirit, after an ancient legend which said the spirit’s son would travel to a distant land to marry a powerful woman before returning home.
That belief was strengthened when the Duke visited the island in 1974 - a journey repeated in 2018 by the then Prince Charles.
Villagers were given a portrait of the new king by Britain’s Acting High Commissioner Michael Watters and Chief Johnson Iakapass said islanders would hold a flag-raising ceremony and take part in ceremonial dances and drink a traditional drink from a yellow coconut shell.
The Chief told ABC: “It will be a big celebration. We’re talking about 5,000 to 6,000 people gathering together to celebrate the crowning of this king.
“This person is really meaningful to the people of Tanna.
“it’s another thing that will bring back the history of England and Tanna and keep remembering the friendship on this island.”
The tribe believe Tanna and England were once the same island.
