Each person is served once. The first person to receive the 'ava is the highest chief of the visiting party, and he is followed by the highest chief of the host party or village. The leading orator of the visiting party is then served followed by the leading orator of the village and so on. Objections are quickly raised if a chief or orator is "served out of turn" as it is considered an affront by the man who should have received the cup and serious disputes have frequently arisen as a result of careless or deliberately wrong distribution. The distribution of the 'ava requires tact and skill, depending on the circumstances and each particular ceremony, although it is also an honour to be served last. If the 'ava ceremony is part of a "matai" title bestowal ceremony, then it will be the new "matai" who is served first. The 'ava server, "tautu'ava", serves the cup to the person called, then steps back a respectful distance to wait until the person served has partaken of the beverage. On the 'ava cup being presented to a chief he takes it in his "right hand" and after a moment's pause, he spills a few drops onto the floor of the house on his "right side" at the same time speaking a few words in a low tone. Today these words have some Christian significance but in olden times were no doubt a form of prayer to one of the numerous gods. He then raises the cup and says Ia manuia which means be happy or prosperous. He then drinks a varying quantity of the 'ava and throws any remainder over his shoulder. He then hands the cup back to the "tautu'ava" who steps forward and returns to the refill the cup. Should the person served not desire to drink the 'ava he may take a mouthful and then spew it out, or he may merely touch the cup held in the hand of the bearer or he may take hold of the cup and holding it out in front of him address a few remarks to the assembly, finally exclaiming Ia manuia. In earlier days the orators always held the cup in "both hands" when it was presented to them. This custom is very often disregarded nowadays. In connection with the act of drinking the 'ava, when the recipient of the cup calls out "Ia manuia" the assembly reply – Ia manuia or Soifua, the latter word meaning 'may you live'.