Pacific island nation of Samoa held Saturday state funeral for the late head of state Malietoa Tanumafili II.

The grounds of the Samoa parliament are ringed by chiefs in traditional wear as the funeral for the late Head of state begins.

Tanumafili, 94, died last Friday.

Among the dignitaries are the New Zealand Governor General Anand Satyanand and Prime Minister Helen Clark, the Maori King Tuhetia, the governor of American Samoa and members of the Tonga royal family, including the King.

Choirs have sung through the night and the mood under leaden skies is both somber and sweet, according to New Zealand Radio.

The number of mourners, most wearing black and white, and the floral tributes are testimony to his life.

Malietoa, who had been head of state of Samoa since the nation of 180,000 people gained independence from New Zealand in 1962, died in hospital in his country's capital, Apia.

Source: Xinhua