Despite the warm ceremony in Samoa, the unresolved issue of UK reparations for historical transatlantic slavery continues to cast a shadow. The event, which included King Charles III's participation in a traditional kava-drinking ritual and his designation as a high chief, is part of the larger Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

Britain's King Charles III participated in a traditional kava-drinking ceremony in Samoa on Thursday, in preparation for being made a "high chief" of the Pacific island. The ceremony involved kava, a drink made from a peppery root that is central to Pacific culture and known for its mild psychoactive effects.

During the ceremony, King Charles raised the drink to his lips after offering a blessing, saying, "May God bless this ava," using the Samoan name for kava. His visit is part of the biennial Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which brings together leaders and officials from 56 countries that have historical ties to the British Empire. The summit started on Monday.

Earlier in the week, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer addressed the issue of reparations for the transatlantic slave trade, stating that while the UK will not bring the topic to the summit's agenda, it remains open to discussions with leaders who wish to engage on the matter.

King Charles, who has paused his cancer treatment to attend the 11-day tour of Australia and Samoa, participated in the kava ceremony wearing a cream-colored, safari-style suit. Seated on a stage in a carved timber longhouse, he was presented with a polished half-coconut shell filled with kava, the mildly narcotic drink. The kava roots had been ceremoniously paraded through the event space before being prepared by a local chief’s daughter and filtered through dried fau tree bark.

Following the kava ceremony, King Charles was scheduled to visit the village of Moata'a, where he would be given the title "Tui Taumeasina," or high chief. Lenatai Victor Tamapua, a local chief responsible for bestowing the title, expressed the community's honor at King Charles's visit. "We feel honored that he has chosen to be welcomed here in our village. So as a gift, we would like to bestow him a title," Tamapua said.

Key issues such as climate change and the legacy of slavery were anticipated to be central topics of discussion as dozens of global leaders gathered for the summit. From the 15th to the 19th century, more than 12.5 million Africans were forcibly transported by European merchants and ships to be sold into slavery, primarily in Brazil and the Caribbean, where they worked under brutal and inhumane conditions on plantations.

Despite the historical gravity of these issues, a spokesperson for Prime Minister Starmer, Dave Pares, confirmed ahead of the summit that reparations were not on the meeting’s agenda. "The government's position has not changed. We do not pay reparations," Pares stated.

Notable absences from the summit include Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who are attending the BRICS summit hosted by Russian President Vladimir Putin. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was also among the leaders who did not attend.