In pictures: Farewell to 'Fiji's father'

1 of 10 Six days of funeral events have been taking place in Fiji for the country's former leader, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, who died at the age of 83.

2 of 10 Conch shells have been trumpeting continuously in Fiji since events began on Wednesday - and are only to fall silent only on Monday, after Ratu Mara's burial.

3 of 10 The body of Ratu Mara, considered to be the founding father of modern Fiji, had been lying in state at Government House in the capital, Suva, for two days.

4 of 10 A full Roman Catholic mass was held on Friday in a sports stadium.

5 of 10 The coffin's route was lined by thousands of people who sat in deference to Fijian tradition that dictates commoners cannot stand in the presence of a high chief.

6 of 10 Ratu Mara's coffin was followed by his relatives, soldiers in ceremonial tunics and club-carrying tribal warriors under the hot South Pacific sun.

7 of 10 Dignitaries from the Pacific region, as well as royalty from Tonga and New Zealand's Maori, joined ceremonies.

8 of 10 British envoy Sir William Heseltine (centre) also paid his last respects to Fiji's first prime minister after the end of British rule.

9 of 10 A 21-gun salute was fired as Mara's casket was carried away by boat from Suva to his native island of Lakeba before Monday's burial ceremony.

10 of 10 Fijians lined the Suva waterfront to watch the boat carry their late former president to his final resting place.