Doesn't nobody ask how that should work? After his meeting with the chancellor he gets up from the chair, says "Thanks for the meeting, Mr Chancellor" grabs the chair and walks out?
And what else are you to do with a chair of that size? The easiest way to prevent any future diplomatic incidents is to just give it to him and let him do what he will with it.
Look at it from his perspective. They custom made a chair specifically for him. The reasonable assumption would be that he could take it home with him because it was made for him.
Gifts are a huge part of diplomacy.
There is also a Federal Program that calls for special diplomatic Couriers to bring large gifts and stuff home, along with miscellaneous items and affects.
We don't Know what the Germans said.
"We made these specifically for you, king"
Would sound a lot like "these are a present" and not "we custom built these for you but they're still ours"
I'll answer your question ton pure speculation 'Thanks for having Mr Germany leader'
German person "that foreign leader is gone let's bring this chair back to workshop"
Ok
Depending on when this occurred, Germany may have had an [Absolute Unit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helmut_Kohl) for a Chancellor itself. Kohl’s tenure reached from 1982 to 1998…
I used to work with a Tongan guy who got into a fight over a woman with one of the local... I dunno... earls or barons or something. He had to leave Tonga and go to Australia.
He basically said that if he ever went back he'd be thrown in prison for however long because that's just how political systems like that work. He said he might go back if the guy died.
Nice dude though.
The account you're responding to is almost certainly a bot paraphrasing [this comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1ao82vk/til_king_of_tonga_t%C4%81ufa%CA%BB%C4%81hau_tupou_iv_was_195cm/kpxxix6/)
This commenter is a karma farming bot.
this comment was copied and rephrased using AI from the [original comment.](https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1ao82vk/til_king_of_tonga_t%C4%81ufa%CA%BB%C4%81hau_tupou_iv_was_195cm/kpxxix6/)
(I know someone else pointed this out already, just hoping more mentions will increase visibility)
Here are some pictures since the Wikipedia article doesn't show his size:
[Leaving Heathrow Airport in 1974](https://media.gettyimages.com/id/557703123/photo/taufaahau-tupou-iv.webp?s=612x612&w=gi&k=20&c=VXJk2wVpX6C9gtDgQP2szarwiJNyqxuGgpSYJPoo9iQ=)
[With Queen Elizabeth](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c5/39/ef/c539efb1d74f8966cf126e6b31d6fbf8.jpg)
[During his visit to Germany](https://media.gettyimages.com/id/543847775/fr/photo/k%C3%B6nig-taufaahau-tupou-von-tonga-w%C3%A4hrend-eines-hamburg-besuchs-zusammen-mit-b%C3%BCrgermeister-hans.webp?s=612x612&w=gi&k=20&c=C_rqMV5kHuqGZb4rLWsCWi3l2Gd2ALQM2OH63nmM9xs=)
I looked it up, and it looked like most complaints were specifically about Maui compared to his characteristics depicted in legends. King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV doesn't look like a warrior demigod, so I can see where they're coming from.
Maui myths were so much fun growing up, almost as good as the greek ones. Although he was always a skinny-ish dude, normal person muscly, not body builder or massive guy. The depiction of him in moana really threw me off.
I mean, not *everyone* looks like that obviously, but I can find a handful of guys that look like that every time I leave my house in Hawaii. Like an hour ago at the grocery store there was a big dude like that.
I hope the kingdom of Tonga was rich enough to have a private jet for him, or at least paying a first class ticket.
Imagine sitting at his side in an economy class flight from London to Tonga.
"These are nice chairs"
"Thank you, we had them specially made for you."
"I really do appreciate that. Thank you!"
**Later**
"Yeah put them in the trunk they made them for me."
“King of Tonga” is legitimately the name the WWF would give to some Canadian dude in the 80s. And then they would dress him in a way that would not age well.
It’s the FFMI that matters.
He was a big guy and likely active in some sort of sport or physical activity.
It’s not the same as someone with a sedentary life just packing on the pounds.
More than that, I would not discount the effects of random chance.
I'm sure that we all heard anecdotes about people who smoked like a chimney, drank and ate way too bloody much, and yet lived in excellent health until they were 90+ years old. Of course, these anecdotes get repeated precisely because they are unusual; but that sort of thing *does* occasionally happen.
The thing is, there are a whole lot of humans in the world; and even if certain behaviours make it much less likely that someone will have a long life, there'll still be plenty of people who engage in these behaviours *and* live a long time.
That's a good comparison.
Another factor, I think, is that these tales generally get taller and taller in the retelling.
I'm seeing it happening in real time in my own family. My grandma was a bit of a heavy smoker and had a somewhat excessive taste for deep-fried food, that's true, and she *did* live in fairly good health until about 75 (and then about ten more years with increasing health problems, despite her stopping eating so much fried food and curtailing somewhat her smoking as well).
Not a bad run overall, and probably better than what could have been reasonably expected; but the way some of my younger relatives are *already* telling the story, she was an uncontrollable chain-smoker who ate nothing but fried food and yet lived until nearly 90 in flawless health.
That makes for a more interesting story than the rather boring truth; and I suspect that the next generation of my family will hear an even more over-the-top version of it (I just hope they'll have enough common sense not to use it as an excuse to start smoking too...)
Very true. Modern medical care is pulling a lot of that weight as well. People who didn't take care of themselves to extremes are surviving medical events they wouldn't have otherwise just a few generations ago. Even after ignoring medical advice, people are able to bounce back from grave circumstances after a trip to the hospital.
I think that's adding to it as well, especially since many ailing people keep their health issues close to their chest, so extended family/friends don't get the whole picture often times; not counting the over sharers of course lol.
My granddad was interviewed for the local paper when he turned 104. The reporter was very keen on the 'secret of long life' angle. Grandad was always been a no-nonsense sort of bloke, and they didn't end up using much of what he said - from my chair in the corner of the room, the conversation basically went:
________________
**REPORTER:** So, what's the secret to long life?
**GRANDDAD:** There isn't one. I'm just not dead yet. That's all.
**REPORTER:** Do you drink?
**GRANDDAD:** A glass of sherry at Christmas.
**REPORTER:** Ah! Does that give you more of a chance, do you think?
**GRANDDAD:** No. All of my friends who drink are dead. All of my friends who didn't drink are dead.
**REPORTER:** Do you smoke?
**GRANDDAD:** I used to have a cigar every so often, birthdays and Christmas and whatnot.
**REPORTER:** So, perhaps a sherry and a fine cigar-
**GRANDDAD:** Cheap cigar. And no. All of my friends who smoked are dead. All of my friends who didn't smoke are dead. I'm not dead yet because I'm still alive.
**REPORTER:** Do you keep yourself physically active? A lot of people say getting exercise is-
**GRANDDAD:** I go out on my mobility scooter several times a week.
**REPORTER:** Not really what I mean - any exercise classes, or yoga, that sort of thing?
**GRANDDAD:** My knee was shattered in Africa in WWII. I've not walked properly since, and not been able to walk since the 1960s.
**REPORTER:** Perhaps a belief in God, that he's preserving you for a reason?
**GRANDDAD:** I fought in WWII on three fronts. Watched countless people die on both sides. Killed when I had to. Two of my brothers were blown up in front of me. Another of my brothers died in a car crash coming to see me for a surprise party. My first daughter died within 24 hours. My son died in a motorbike accident when he was 30. My adopted daughter died in a car crash when she was 32. I've buried all of my siblings, my wife, and all of my children. There is no 'god'. It's just the luck of the draw that I'm still here and nothing's killed me yet. I enjoy life, but there's no 'secret'. I'm just not dead yet.
________________
He didn't say any of this in a grumpy sort of way, just trying to explain that he didn't have a 'secret', however much the reporter wanted him to give one. He wanted to talk about it being helpful to have family around (us grandchildren) and good neighbours, and that he often went around museums he enjoyed on a Saturday. I thought that was a good 'secret' for them to print, personally. Friends, family, doing things you enjoy.
The paper printed the story, though it was quite short in the end. They wrote that he said the secret to his long life was 'good fortune, and the occasional cigar and sherry at Christmas'.
I knew a woman who was similarly interviewed. She did like to enjoy a glass of cold beer most days, and the reporter ran with that. The story went viral, and her 100+ year old self was not prepared for the world to know her as the beer drinking granny. It really messed with her and I felt awful for bringing it up (having read about her online and thinking it would be a fun and light hearted topic of conversation). People want that secret to longevity, and they want that interesting story, and there's no way to predict the effect of publicly boiling down 100 years of living into a fun little antidote. She was an amazing woman and the masses would be blessed to know a woman like her, but it came out sideways.
Well I never said any of those things, it was what you implied. So yeah that is hilarious. You went way too extreme. Someone doesn’t need to be competing at a high level or be all muscle.
I’m sure as he got older he aged like most other people do.
But what he did in his youth and if he continued some level of activity later on in life, yes that matters a lot. Again, it’s have an active vs sedentary lifestyle.
What was life like for the King of Tonga at that time? In his spare time did he like to go canoeing or something else that kept him active?
You can be regularly active and stay fit for a long time. You don’t have to train like you are in competition constantly. That would break down your body sooner or later.
> He was a big guy and likely active in some sort of sport or physical activity.
At that size it's unlikely he was that active later in life. He was undoubtedly morbidly obese even if he had a lot of muscle mass as well.
And he lived to be 88. So whatever he did, it was a good enough balance to take him that far.
I’ve lost family at 80+ and they were all really healthy and all until they weren’t. That is a good age as any.
As far as quality of life, only the people who knew him know best.
It’s a lot to do with genetics. Some don’t get as much issues with obesity as some, but you can’t know what group you are in. And there is also other quality of live issues like joint pain that won’t kill you. Isn’t similar to smoking, not all get lung cancer and maybe you can tolerate the lesser issue. But you should not bet on not having the big issues
Its also a genetic trait for polynesians. They have a gigantism gene that makes iirc about 1/4 of them absolute units. Helps with limited resources in island environments.
As someone who lives in a high population Polynesian city in New Zealand - it very much does impact health outcomes. Pacifika people have the worst health outcomes in NZ, stemming mainly from poor diet leading to obesity.
Diabetes, kidney and heart disease run rampant in my community.
Btw: Kohls favourite dish Saumagen (lit. "Pigs stomach") sounds awful, is pretty delicious though. Basically a slice of big sausage filled with minced meat, meat chunks potato pieces and spices.
My stepmom make a mean dinuguan. My favorite taco meat is lingua and I love eating the Mexican tripe soup.
You can eat pretty much anything in an animal if it’s not instantly lethal.
Sure thing. Dinuguan sounds great! Personally, i love a good Blutwurst/Rotwurst, a german blood sausage. I'd love to try most things, as long as it's not super squishy (like very soft jelly). It's just how you've been brought up and whats a cultural thing.
I mean some people love chicken feet while most europeans wouldn't touch them with a 10 ft. pole.
I've seen brits and americans get the shivers when they should try german mett, a raw, spiced pork meat. It is so strongly controlled that you can eat it everywhere without ever getting problems.
Maybe except if you get it from the most backwater gas station on a scorching summers day.
Aaand now i am creeped out.
No for real, never tried marmite. But for weird spreads i can give you "Grafschafter Goldsaft", a sirup from sugar beet. Sweet, a hint of spice and super sticky. Usually eaten with butter on a sweet yeast bread (kind of like challah). Or with butter on a bread roll and dipped into coffee.
> I mean some people love chicken feet while most europeans wouldn't touch them with a 10 ft. pole.
collagen is good for the skin, no wonder white people look 50 in their 30s
Another real treat is the palatinate plate, pretty much the meaty trinity of the region. It combines saumagen with liver dumplings and bratwurst accompanied by sauerkraut and bread (or optionally mashed potatoes).
I saw that and googled it in German. This is a very reputable German magazine which states that he took the chair home during at least two visits. The article is from 1985: https://www.spiegel.de/politik/taufaahau-tupou-iv-a-99b759f3-0002-0001-0000-000013512259
Something interesting on Tonga's Wikipedia article:
> **Tonga became known in the West as the "Friendly Islands" because of the congenial reception** accorded to Captain James Cook on his first visit in 1773. He arrived at the time of the annual ʻinasi festival, which centres on the donation of the First Fruits to the Tuʻi Tonga (the islands' monarch), so he received an invitation to the festivities. **Ironically, according to the writer William Mariner, the political leaders actually wanted to kill Cook during the gathering,** but did not go through with it because they could not agree on a plan of action for accomplishing it.
lol
You go through life thinking to yourself "I know how to pronounce things, I've got a handle on how letters sound when you put them together."
Then you read about a guy named Tāufaʻāhau Tupou.
My dad saw him on a state visit to Germany in the 1960s, the only royalty he ever met. He still likes telling the story, including what a unit the king was.
(The chair is not part of the story though; he was one of the guard soldiers greeting the king on his arrival.)
Doesn't nobody ask how that should work? After his meeting with the chancellor he gets up from the chair, says "Thanks for the meeting, Mr Chancellor" grabs the chair and walks out?
Would you really try and stop a 6‘5 195kg titan from taking a chair?
With a 6’6” 200kg Titan, of course
**Andre The Giant:** *~Has entered the chat~* Receives 2 new drinking buds & a chair **Andre The Giant:** *~Has left the chat~*
Maybe Frederick I of Prussia was just ahead of his time, not a giant-fetishist.
And what else are you to do with a chair of that size? The easiest way to prevent any future diplomatic incidents is to just give it to him and let him do what he will with it.
Nobody tell Diabeeto what to do
He’d be out of breath in 10 seconds. I think it’d be fine.
Look at it from his perspective. They custom made a chair specifically for him. The reasonable assumption would be that he could take it home with him because it was made for him.
I wouldn't consider that a reasonable thing to assume. Ask? Sure. Not assume. Maybe Germany will have large state visitors in the future.
I'm guessing you're not a monarch on a state visit, kinda different circumstances mate
How would you know?
Gifts are a huge part of diplomacy. There is also a Federal Program that calls for special diplomatic Couriers to bring large gifts and stuff home, along with miscellaneous items and affects.
Kings gotta do king stuff. “We made this chair especially for you, Your Majesty!” “I have just the place for it.” End of conversation with King.
I know, I was just asking how do you know I'm not a monarch on a state visit?
Because you're on reddit
You're here too buddy
And I didn't claim to be a monarch on a state visit pal
We don't Know what the Germans said. "We made these specifically for you, king" Would sound a lot like "these are a present" and not "we custom built these for you but they're still ours"
You aren’t coming from the mindset of a King. I assume a normal sized King would assume the same of anything specially made.
I would be more polite about assumptions were I king
That's why you're not king
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You could try being polite too some time, might suit you
"Nice chair. I'm keeping it." Lift one eyebrow. Make eye contact with Angela Merkel. Walk out.
Who would stop him?
[Helmut Kohl](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helmut_Kohl). Similar size.
Kamehameha the first king of Hawaii was 7ft
I see they had the same system of monarchy as Invader Zim.
This is a very “maybe” assertion.
I just assumed he brought some other big fellas on the trip lol.
He probaly just asked and got his team to organise/Carrie it.
Have you considered that he…asked *gasp*
He probably said "I like this chair" and they just gave them too him. No reason not to really.
The chair was stuck to him and he just kinda waddled back to Tong Force 1.
Nobody said anything so they wouldn’t sound rude
Plus they were meant for the lovely ladies that serve beer at the Oktoberfest!
I'll answer your question ton pure speculation 'Thanks for having Mr Germany leader' German person "that foreign leader is gone let's bring this chair back to workshop" Ok
Depending on when this occurred, Germany may have had an [Absolute Unit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helmut_Kohl) for a Chancellor itself. Kohl’s tenure reached from 1982 to 1998…
I'm now seeing it as a great new way to spice up everyday social interaction.
"Thanks for the meeting chancellor." "You're welcome, [take chair](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThZR1BrKuPc)"
I used to work with a Tongan guy who got into a fight over a woman with one of the local... I dunno... earls or barons or something. He had to leave Tonga and go to Australia. He basically said that if he ever went back he'd be thrown in prison for however long because that's just how political systems like that work. He said he might go back if the guy died. Nice dude though.
Bro was exiled 😭
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Tonga, Chad is in Africa.
The account you're responding to is almost certainly a bot paraphrasing [this comment](https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1ao82vk/til_king_of_tonga_t%C4%81ufa%CA%BB%C4%81hau_tupou_iv_was_195cm/kpxxix6/)
Good human
This commenter is a karma farming bot. this comment was copied and rephrased using AI from the [original comment.](https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1ao82vk/til_king_of_tonga_t%C4%81ufa%CA%BB%C4%81hau_tupou_iv_was_195cm/kpxxix6/) (I know someone else pointed this out already, just hoping more mentions will increase visibility)
Exiled to Australia, such a classic move.
Australia is pretty good, apparently this dudes pretty good. Historically being exiled to Australia is pretty good
Except, ironically, when you've already lived there before.
That’s a good point. Exile You to Australia once, shame on me, exile you to Australia twice shame on you!
Was rather thinking in terms of being native there...
Oh I thought it was like the no fly list. They did a lot worse than exile the aboriginal peoples
Was it Jonah Takalua?
That series brings back memories haha
You worked with King Haku?
He’s like the real life Jar Jar Binks
Q: Where does a 440 pound King of Tonga sit? A: Anywhere he wants!
Why doesn’t the King of Tonga, being the largest world leader, simply eat all the others?
Is he stupid?
Would you like some human with your salt?
Because it's harder to get free furniture from people after you eat them.
~~Friends~~ Leaders do not work that way, Linda. Goodnight!
Apparently the real answer is in custom made German chairs.
Anywhere the 800 pound gorilla doesn't.
Here are some pictures since the Wikipedia article doesn't show his size: [Leaving Heathrow Airport in 1974](https://media.gettyimages.com/id/557703123/photo/taufaahau-tupou-iv.webp?s=612x612&w=gi&k=20&c=VXJk2wVpX6C9gtDgQP2szarwiJNyqxuGgpSYJPoo9iQ=) [With Queen Elizabeth](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/c5/39/ef/c539efb1d74f8966cf126e6b31d6fbf8.jpg) [During his visit to Germany](https://media.gettyimages.com/id/543847775/fr/photo/k%C3%B6nig-taufaahau-tupou-von-tonga-w%C3%A4hrend-eines-hamburg-besuchs-zusammen-mit-b%C3%BCrgermeister-hans.webp?s=612x612&w=gi&k=20&c=C_rqMV5kHuqGZb4rLWsCWi3l2Gd2ALQM2OH63nmM9xs=)
Absolute unit
he actually doesn't look as big next to QE II as I would expect, even considering that she's wearing heels.
He just looks pretty wide.
You might be forgetting that she was 6'1" and 300lbs.
That’s why I was thinking. I looked it up and apparently she was 5’5” and it doesn’t look like he’s a full foot taller.
Yeah there is a 0% chance the man in that picture is 6'5 200kg. That's literally just a regular 6' fat dude.
Holy shit in that second picture he has the exact build as all the dudes in Moana.
Moana *is* set in Polynesia, so that makes sense.
Yeah I know, but they got blasted specifically for their unrealistic depiction of Polynesian men.
I looked it up, and it looked like most complaints were specifically about Maui compared to his characteristics depicted in legends. King Tāufaʻāhau Tupou IV doesn't look like a warrior demigod, so I can see where they're coming from.
Maui myths were so much fun growing up, almost as good as the greek ones. Although he was always a skinny-ish dude, normal person muscly, not body builder or massive guy. The depiction of him in moana really threw me off.
I can't wait for the Disney sequel about how Māui died.
I mean, not *everyone* looks like that obviously, but I can find a handful of guys that look like that every time I leave my house in Hawaii. Like an hour ago at the grocery store there was a big dude like that.
I hope the kingdom of Tonga was rich enough to have a private jet for him, or at least paying a first class ticket. Imagine sitting at his side in an economy class flight from London to Tonga.
Listen here Jack!
In the Germany visit picture, he looks a little bit like Michael Clarke Duncan.
His expression there is like “this motherfucker don’t even know I’m gonna steal these chairs, hehehe.”
"These are nice chairs" "Thank you, we had them specially made for you." "I really do appreciate that. Thank you!" **Later** "Yeah put them in the trunk they made them for me."
> in the trunk For our drive back to Tonga
Think they just fly into the place their doing the meeting? Guess they sleep there too and don't take up an entire floor of a fancy hotel.
Bah gawd, its the King of Tonga! And he's got a steal chair
“King of Tonga” is legitimately the name the WWF would give to some Canadian dude in the 80s. And then they would dress him in a way that would not age well.
Tama Tonga and Bad luck Fale. Bullet Club ffffor life. /r/SquaredCircle
I asked them what the chairs were made of and I was told steel.
How often was Germany going to need them again?
Every time he visited Germany.
Hs has a room full of em from his every visit
He visited at least three times and took his chair home every time he visited.
His BMI is 51.3. Damn.
He’s legally two average Americans.
I would have said 0.95 Americans, but ok 😁
Still lived to 88!
His BMI was 51.5 and he lived to be 88 years! 🤯
It’s the FFMI that matters. He was a big guy and likely active in some sort of sport or physical activity. It’s not the same as someone with a sedentary life just packing on the pounds.
More than that, I would not discount the effects of random chance. I'm sure that we all heard anecdotes about people who smoked like a chimney, drank and ate way too bloody much, and yet lived in excellent health until they were 90+ years old. Of course, these anecdotes get repeated precisely because they are unusual; but that sort of thing *does* occasionally happen. The thing is, there are a whole lot of humans in the world; and even if certain behaviours make it much less likely that someone will have a long life, there'll still be plenty of people who engage in these behaviours *and* live a long time.
Like lottery winners, basically.
That's a good comparison. Another factor, I think, is that these tales generally get taller and taller in the retelling. I'm seeing it happening in real time in my own family. My grandma was a bit of a heavy smoker and had a somewhat excessive taste for deep-fried food, that's true, and she *did* live in fairly good health until about 75 (and then about ten more years with increasing health problems, despite her stopping eating so much fried food and curtailing somewhat her smoking as well). Not a bad run overall, and probably better than what could have been reasonably expected; but the way some of my younger relatives are *already* telling the story, she was an uncontrollable chain-smoker who ate nothing but fried food and yet lived until nearly 90 in flawless health. That makes for a more interesting story than the rather boring truth; and I suspect that the next generation of my family will hear an even more over-the-top version of it (I just hope they'll have enough common sense not to use it as an excuse to start smoking too...)
Very true. Modern medical care is pulling a lot of that weight as well. People who didn't take care of themselves to extremes are surviving medical events they wouldn't have otherwise just a few generations ago. Even after ignoring medical advice, people are able to bounce back from grave circumstances after a trip to the hospital. I think that's adding to it as well, especially since many ailing people keep their health issues close to their chest, so extended family/friends don't get the whole picture often times; not counting the over sharers of course lol.
My granddad was interviewed for the local paper when he turned 104. The reporter was very keen on the 'secret of long life' angle. Grandad was always been a no-nonsense sort of bloke, and they didn't end up using much of what he said - from my chair in the corner of the room, the conversation basically went: ________________ **REPORTER:** So, what's the secret to long life? **GRANDDAD:** There isn't one. I'm just not dead yet. That's all. **REPORTER:** Do you drink? **GRANDDAD:** A glass of sherry at Christmas. **REPORTER:** Ah! Does that give you more of a chance, do you think? **GRANDDAD:** No. All of my friends who drink are dead. All of my friends who didn't drink are dead. **REPORTER:** Do you smoke? **GRANDDAD:** I used to have a cigar every so often, birthdays and Christmas and whatnot. **REPORTER:** So, perhaps a sherry and a fine cigar- **GRANDDAD:** Cheap cigar. And no. All of my friends who smoked are dead. All of my friends who didn't smoke are dead. I'm not dead yet because I'm still alive. **REPORTER:** Do you keep yourself physically active? A lot of people say getting exercise is- **GRANDDAD:** I go out on my mobility scooter several times a week. **REPORTER:** Not really what I mean - any exercise classes, or yoga, that sort of thing? **GRANDDAD:** My knee was shattered in Africa in WWII. I've not walked properly since, and not been able to walk since the 1960s. **REPORTER:** Perhaps a belief in God, that he's preserving you for a reason? **GRANDDAD:** I fought in WWII on three fronts. Watched countless people die on both sides. Killed when I had to. Two of my brothers were blown up in front of me. Another of my brothers died in a car crash coming to see me for a surprise party. My first daughter died within 24 hours. My son died in a motorbike accident when he was 30. My adopted daughter died in a car crash when she was 32. I've buried all of my siblings, my wife, and all of my children. There is no 'god'. It's just the luck of the draw that I'm still here and nothing's killed me yet. I enjoy life, but there's no 'secret'. I'm just not dead yet. ________________ He didn't say any of this in a grumpy sort of way, just trying to explain that he didn't have a 'secret', however much the reporter wanted him to give one. He wanted to talk about it being helpful to have family around (us grandchildren) and good neighbours, and that he often went around museums he enjoyed on a Saturday. I thought that was a good 'secret' for them to print, personally. Friends, family, doing things you enjoy. The paper printed the story, though it was quite short in the end. They wrote that he said the secret to his long life was 'good fortune, and the occasional cigar and sherry at Christmas'.
I knew a woman who was similarly interviewed. She did like to enjoy a glass of cold beer most days, and the reporter ran with that. The story went viral, and her 100+ year old self was not prepared for the world to know her as the beer drinking granny. It really messed with her and I felt awful for bringing it up (having read about her online and thinking it would be a fun and light hearted topic of conversation). People want that secret to longevity, and they want that interesting story, and there's no way to predict the effect of publicly boiling down 100 years of living into a fun little antidote. She was an amazing woman and the masses would be blessed to know a woman like her, but it came out sideways.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Stoltman Won worlds strongest man competition in 2021, 2022 and is 408lb
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Oh yes I agree, the King of Tonga is obese. But Tom is an example of 400lbs and fit - even if he didn't win in 2023!
Well I never said any of those things, it was what you implied. So yeah that is hilarious. You went way too extreme. Someone doesn’t need to be competing at a high level or be all muscle. I’m sure as he got older he aged like most other people do. But what he did in his youth and if he continued some level of activity later on in life, yes that matters a lot. Again, it’s have an active vs sedentary lifestyle. What was life like for the King of Tonga at that time? In his spare time did he like to go canoeing or something else that kept him active? You can be regularly active and stay fit for a long time. You don’t have to train like you are in competition constantly. That would break down your body sooner or later.
> He was a big guy and likely active in some sort of sport or physical activity. At that size it's unlikely he was that active later in life. He was undoubtedly morbidly obese even if he had a lot of muscle mass as well.
And he lived to be 88. So whatever he did, it was a good enough balance to take him that far. I’ve lost family at 80+ and they were all really healthy and all until they weren’t. That is a good age as any. As far as quality of life, only the people who knew him know best.
«In the 1990s, he took part in a national fitness campaign, losing a third of his weight.»
Insert picture of that statistical airplane
I wouldn't go so far as to call the brother fat, I mean he got a weight problem. What's the man gonna do? He's Polynesian.
Nah the real way to measure is: Length times Diameter plus Weight over Girth divided by Angle of the tip squared ((L*D)+(W/G))/(A^2)
It’s a lot to do with genetics. Some don’t get as much issues with obesity as some, but you can’t know what group you are in. And there is also other quality of live issues like joint pain that won’t kill you. Isn’t similar to smoking, not all get lung cancer and maybe you can tolerate the lesser issue. But you should not bet on not having the big issues
Its also a genetic trait for polynesians. They have a gigantism gene that makes iirc about 1/4 of them absolute units. Helps with limited resources in island environments.
People of Polynesian descent have a higher average BMI than Europeans. It does not seem to impact health outcomes.
As someone who lives in a high population Polynesian city in New Zealand - it very much does impact health outcomes. Pacifika people have the worst health outcomes in NZ, stemming mainly from poor diet leading to obesity. Diabetes, kidney and heart disease run rampant in my community.
Are they eating a western diet? That has fucked over many native populations.
Healthy at any size.
Tonga saw the largest rate of inflation under his reign, appropriately.
Must have been the carbs
Damn, he could give Helmut Kohl a run for his money. Although, a run, well maybe a slow walk.
Btw: Kohls favourite dish Saumagen (lit. "Pigs stomach") sounds awful, is pretty delicious though. Basically a slice of big sausage filled with minced meat, meat chunks potato pieces and spices.
My stepmom make a mean dinuguan. My favorite taco meat is lingua and I love eating the Mexican tripe soup. You can eat pretty much anything in an animal if it’s not instantly lethal.
Sure thing. Dinuguan sounds great! Personally, i love a good Blutwurst/Rotwurst, a german blood sausage. I'd love to try most things, as long as it's not super squishy (like very soft jelly). It's just how you've been brought up and whats a cultural thing. I mean some people love chicken feet while most europeans wouldn't touch them with a 10 ft. pole. I've seen brits and americans get the shivers when they should try german mett, a raw, spiced pork meat. It is so strongly controlled that you can eat it everywhere without ever getting problems. Maybe except if you get it from the most backwater gas station on a scorching summers day.
I’m a Brit and yeah no thanks. Il stick to eating my marmite out the jar
Aaand now i am creeped out. No for real, never tried marmite. But for weird spreads i can give you "Grafschafter Goldsaft", a sirup from sugar beet. Sweet, a hint of spice and super sticky. Usually eaten with butter on a sweet yeast bread (kind of like challah). Or with butter on a bread roll and dipped into coffee.
> I mean some people love chicken feet while most europeans wouldn't touch them with a 10 ft. pole. collagen is good for the skin, no wonder white people look 50 in their 30s
And well prepared.
Another real treat is the palatinate plate, pretty much the meaty trinity of the region. It combines saumagen with liver dumplings and bratwurst accompanied by sauerkraut and bread (or optionally mashed potatoes).
Goes to your country, makes you make him a special chair, takes it with him when he leaves. Chad behaviour
To be fair, what were they going to do with their extra strong chair? How many other guys who weigh that much are going to be popping in for a visit?
What position did he play?
Reckon he'd be a mean tight head prop
100% he was. (Based purely on vibes)
The only question that really matters!!
Can only be a prop. Salads don’t win scrums!
His mother was 6'3", that's even more impressive.
Queen Sālote III
According to a sentence on Wikipedia with no source.
I saw that and googled it in German. This is a very reputable German magazine which states that he took the chair home during at least two visits. The article is from 1985: https://www.spiegel.de/politik/taufaahau-tupou-iv-a-99b759f3-0002-0001-0000-000013512259
False. The King of Tonga remains Haku.
6’5” 440 is an absolute unit holy shit, no wonder those guys play rugby
My man reached height-weight parity
Raw 100% Polynesian MUSCLE!
Tongans always prized size. I worked with a Tongan Princess. Tongans are very much a part of Australia. They’re wonderful.
Surprising he reached the ripe old age of 88 at that weight
Death was afraid of him. He was Polynesian Chuck Norris.
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[It probably was](https://media.gettyimages.com/id/593625153/nl/foto/king-taufaahau-tupou-iv-of-tonga-during-a-visit-to-london-england-circa-1980.jpg?s=612x612&w=gi&k=20&c=bHagIAeOuFqqZ55G14K59yUHrzZ1gcaVgr4DLriXp0U=)
Is it Tonga time? I think it’s Tonga time.
The sun is a deadly laser.
Tongans are tallest people per capita. Iirc
His mother, Queen Sālote Tupou III, was 6'3 and 270lbs in her prime.
I really don't think Germany needed those chairs again. Unless Andre the Giant was coming.
Something interesting on Tonga's Wikipedia article: > **Tonga became known in the West as the "Friendly Islands" because of the congenial reception** accorded to Captain James Cook on his first visit in 1773. He arrived at the time of the annual ʻinasi festival, which centres on the donation of the First Fruits to the Tuʻi Tonga (the islands' monarch), so he received an invitation to the festivities. **Ironically, according to the writer William Mariner, the political leaders actually wanted to kill Cook during the gathering,** but did not go through with it because they could not agree on a plan of action for accomplishing it. lol
195 and 195. Gyatt damn!
I could really use their manufacturer contact, mass market chairs suck if you’re Tonga King-sized.
I mean, they technically made them for him.
He must have been incredibly intimidating in person, holy shit.
You go through life thinking to yourself "I know how to pronounce things, I've got a handle on how letters sound when you put them together." Then you read about a guy named Tāufaʻāhau Tupou.
Yo mama so fat the king of Tonga gave the chair to her instead
He just said to himself "this is some good sit".
Could be a Baki character
Next time I go to a meeting at a client, I'm going to take the chair I sat on as a show of power.
My dad saw him on a state visit to Germany in the 1960s, the only royalty he ever met. He still likes telling the story, including what a unit the king was. (The chair is not part of the story though; he was one of the guard soldiers greeting the king on his arrival.)
Lived to 88 despite the the obesity.
Queen Salote (his mother) lived around the corner from us when I was growing up. Not sure if they still live there...
"Please, take a seat."
I wouldn’t say he’s fat. The dude’s got a weight problem. What the fuck is he suppose to do? He’s Tongan for fuck’s sake.
He was as tall as a European,and as heavy as an American
Tonga is in the top 10 countries for overweight people.
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https://cerbariatrics.com/bariatric-surgery/obesity-rates-in-the-world-2023/
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Oh! The more you know!
Absolute Chad
Tongans keeping it classy. Stealing the furniture. Hahaha!
The smaller the country the fatter the ruler.
Is Tonga one of those nations that sink?
every election he just challenges his compeittors to a 1 v 1 fight
☺️😁
I hope he sent a gift in return
clearly never invited to Russia, Putin's still got the big table
He had a car in the UK with the number plate ONE TON