The Royal Order of Pouono is the highest

knighthood A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...

order of the

Kingdom of Tonga Tonga (, ; ), officially the Kingdom of Tonga ( to, Puleʻanga Fakatuʻi ʻo Tonga), is a Polynesia, Polynesian country and archipelago. The country has List of islands and towns in Tonga, 171 islands – of which 45 are inhabited. Its tota ...

History

The Order was established in 1893 by King

George Tupou II George Tupou II ( to, Siaosi Tupou II; 18 June 1874 – 5 April 1918) was the King of Tonga from 18 February 1893 until his death. He was officially crowned at Nukuʻalofa, on 17 March 1893. He was also the 20th Tuʻi Kanokupolu. Life Siao ...

. It is awarded by His Majesty, The Sovereign to foreign Heads of State only.John Duncan McMeekin's summary
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Class

The Order consists of a single class: Knight Grand Cross with Collar. Its

post-nominal letters Post-nominal letters, also called post-nominal initials, post-nominal titles, designatory letters or simply post-nominals, are letters placed after a person's name to indicate that the individual holds a position, academic degree, accreditation, ...

are KGCCP."Gentleman's Military Interest Club" Foru
Tonga Orders
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Insignia

The insignia consists of a Grand Collar with a Badge, a Star, a Sash with a Badge The ''Grand Collar'' of the Order is a double gold chain set with a white enamel 6-pointed gold edged star (centre-piece), with on either side moving upwards; a white enamel dove in flight, three crossed swords in gold, a 6-pointed white enamel & gold edged star. From it hangs the Collar Badge, a white enamel gold edged Maltese cross pendant from a gold Tongan crown, The gold central medallion has the "Pouono fale" (a six posted house) also in gold. The red enamel riband has the National motto "KO E ‘OTUA TONGA KO HOKU TOFI’A" (sometimes written as "KOE OTUA MOTOGA KO HOKU TOFIA" due to a manufacturing error) in gold capital letters, in the base is a spray of gold laurel. The ''Plaque'' is a gold 7-armed cross (each arm has seven finger-rays, the first & seventh being the same length, the second & sixth being smaller than the first etc., the third & fifth being smaller than the others, and the fourth is the smallest ray). The white enamel central medallion has a golden "Pouono fale". The red riband has the gold National motto in capital letters, with a spray of gold laurel in the base. The ''ribbon'' is a 102mm moire scarlet/light-cream/scarlet/light-cream/scarlet sash (proportions 6/20/50/20/6mm)

References

{{Tongan honours Orders, decorations, and medals of Tonga Awards established in 1893 1893 establishments in Tonga Pouono, Royal Order of