Tonga celebrates Heilala festival

Nuku'alofa(Tonga): Tonga is an Island nation in the Pacific Ocean, located about 1,250 miles north of New Zealand. The spectacular island nation consists of about 150 islands, 36 of which are inhabited with a total population of about 120,000. Tonga is ruled by a royal family that dates back to 1831. The Heilala Festival commemorates the flowering of the Heilala, the national flower of Tonga. But for many years, the Heilala Festival was coincided with the birthday celebrations for Tonga's King ...