King Kerbet Hebel and Queen Rihna Une Abraham of Pohnpei's largest municipality, Madolenihmw, are in the Northern Marianas to attend a conference organised by the Pacific Islands Bilingual Bicultural Association.
King Kerbet Hebel and Queen Rihna Une Abraham in Saipan. Photo: Saipan Tribune
The CNMI governor, Ralph Torres, along with the islands' Pohnpei community, welcomed Hebel and his wife when they arrived at Saipan airport on Sunday.
Hebel is the first 'nahnmwarki' or Pohnpeian king to visit Saipan and the first Pohnpeian king to participate in the PIBBA conference.
Following his arrival, the Pohnpeian community in the CNMI organised a traditional sakau ceremony to honor Hebel and to enable him as nan marki of Madolenihmw to confer an honorary traditional title on Mr Torres.
The opening ceremony featured the sakau, a traditional Pohnpeian drink, and an uhm, a traditional Pohnpeian pig roasting.
