Pacific Islanders and Mormonism

Three of the major groups of islands in the Pacific Ocean.

Pacific Islanders have a particular place in the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Its first non-English-speaking mission was in the region in 1844,[1]: 85 [2]: 55  less than twenty years after the church's founding,[1]: 84  and there are currently six temples among the Pacific Island regions of Polynesia, Melanesia, and Micronesia.[1]: 83  In 2015 the Latter-day Saint population in the area was increasing in percentage and absolute numbers.[1]: 83 

Since the 1850s Mormon leaders have identified Polynesian islands with the "islands of the sea" marked in their scriptures for missionary activity, and taught that the people there were descendants of Israelite people from the faith's canonized Book of Mormon.[a] There are numerous notable adherents of the church, and LDS missionary efforts in the region were highlighted in the film The Other Side of Heaven. The church began operating schools in the Pacific Islands in 1850,[2]: 59  and currently owns and runs Brigham Young University–Hawaii (BYU–Hawaii) and the nearby Polynesian Cultural Center.[2]: 61  The Book of Mormon has been translated into numerous local languages of the region since 1855.[2]: 56 

History

Entrance to the Polynesian Cultural Center.

The Pacific islands were one of the first areas to be evangelized after Europe and North America, notably Hawaii, which fell under American influence and was annexed by the United States in 1898. The LDS Church began sending missionaries to the region in 1844,[1]: 85 [2]: 55  and 75 years later the Laie Hawaii Temple became the first LDS temple outside the continental United States in 1919. In 1955, the church partially lifted some of its temple and priesthood racial restrictions and began allowing Melanesian women and men access to all temple ceremonies (called ordinances), and Melanesian men and boys to be ordained to the priesthood.[citation needed] The church allowed Pacific Islanders to hold the priesthood, and president of the church David O. McKay stated that native Fijians and Australian Aboriginals could also be ordained to the priesthood.[citation needed] Later that year BYU–Hawaii was established.[citation needed]

Hagoth

In addition to the LDS Church's stories about people sailing to the New World, there is also the story of Hagoth, who it is said to have sailed from the Americas to Polynesia.[citation needed] The stories of Lehi and Jared are generally accepted, that of Hagoth is more ambiguous and not universally supported by practising church members, and not at all by non-members of the church.[citation needed] Non-scriptural sources suggest that Hagoth led an expedition, sailing into the Pacific Ocean from the Americas. Leaders of the LDS Church[5] and LDS scholars have stated that the peoples of the Pacific Islands, including Hawaii, Polynesia, and New Zealand, are descendants of the Nephite Hagoth and his supposed followers.[citation needed] According to the Book of Mormon, the Nephites were descendants of Israel. Many members of the LDS Church in Polynesia have come to believe that Hagoth is their ancestor.[6][7]

Folklore

Tāwhiao

Some of the folklore that exists in the relationship of the LDS Church and Pacific Islanders include:

  • Polynesian leader Tāwhiao accurately predicted the site of the 1958 Hamilton New Zealand Temple before his death in 1894;[8]: 125 
  • [Māori people|Māori]] prophets or chieftains, including Paora Te Potangaroa and Tāwhiao, predicted the coming of Latter-day Saint missionaries to New Zealand;[9][10][8]: 107–126 [5]
  • During the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Japanese aircraft pilots attempted to bomb or strafe the church's Laie Hawaii Temple, but were prevented due to a mechanical failures or unseen protective force.[8]: 166  An LDS-source stated that the Japanese pilot who attempted to bomb or strafe the Laie Hawaii Temple was converted to the LDS Church after he saw a picture of the temple in the possession of Latter-day Saint missionaries in Japan.[8]: 168 

Temples

Although there is a sparse population, and great distances to travel, the Oceania region has a number of church temples due to the significant numbers of members in many countries. There are also temples in the Philippines and Australia.

Map Country Image Temple Location Status / Dedication date Floor area
  Closed
Fiji Suva Fiji Temple Suva, Fiji June 18, 2000 12,755 sq ft
1,185.0 m2
French Polynesia Papeete Tahiti Temple Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia October 27, 1983 12,150 sq ft
1,129 m2
Hawaii Kona Hawaii Temple Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, U.S. Closed for renovation 10,700 sq ft
990 m2
Laie Hawaii Temple Laie, Hawaii, United States November 27, 1919 42,100 sq ft
3,910 m2
New Zealand Hamilton New Zealand Temple Hamilton, New Zealand April 20, 1958 45,251 sq ft
4,204.0 m2
Samoa Apia Samoa Temple Apia, Samoa August 5, 1983 18,691 sq ft
1,736.5 m2
Apia Samoa Temple (original) Apia, Samoa Destroyed 14,560 sq ft
1,353 m2
Tonga Nuku'alofa Tonga Temple Nukuʻalofa, Tonga August 9, 1983 21,184 sq ft
1,968.1 m2

Demographics

Book of Mormon translations

The branches of the Oceanic languages Orange is the Admiralties languages and Yapese, yellow-orange is St. Matthias, green is Western Oceanic, violet is Temotu, and the rest are Central-Eastern: dark red Southeast Solomons, blue Southern Oceanic, pink Micronesian, and ocher Fijian-Polynesian.

Portrayals in media

Notable Pacific Islander Latter-day Saints

Jonah Lomu

LDS Church members from indigenous groups:

Political Figures

Artists

Athletes

Valerie Adams (right) in 2017, after her investiture as a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit by the governor-general, Dame Patsy Reddy
Tony Finau

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Sources:[1]: 85–86, 93 [3]: 39–40, 44–46 [4]: 91–97 

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Morris, Paul (May 1, 2015). "Polynesians and Mormonism". Nova Religio. 18 (4). University of California Press. doi:10.1525/nr.2015.18.4.83. ISSN 1092-6690.
  2. ^ a b c d e Britsch, R. Lanier (April 1, 1980). "The Expansion of Mormonism in the South Pacific" (PDF). Dialogue. 13 (1). University of Illinois Press. doi:10.2307/45224817. ISSN 0012-2157.
  3. ^ Neilson, Reid L. (2008). "Joseph Smith's Legacy in Latin America and the Pacific" (PDF). Global Mormonism in the 21st Century. Brigham Young University. ISBN 978-0-8425-2696-8 – via Internet Archive.
  4. ^ Clement, Russell T. (December 1980). "Polynesian Origins: More Word on the Mormon Perspective" (PDF). Dialogue. 13 (4). University of Illinois Press. doi:10.2307/45224944. ISSN 0012-2157.
  5. ^ a b Britsch, R. Lanier (June 1981). "Maori Traditions and the Mormon Church". New Era.
  6. ^ "A Worldwide Look at the Book of Mormon". Liahona. LDS Church. December 2000.
  7. ^ Perrin, Kathleen C. (June 1994). "Tahitian Pearls". Liahona. LDS Church.
  8. ^ a b c d Underwood, Grand, ed. (2000). Voyages of Faith: Explorations in Mormon Pacific History. Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press. ISBN 0-8425-2480-0.
  9. ^ Cowley, Matthew (September 1950). "Maori Chief Predicts Coming of L.D.S. Missionaries". Improvement Era. Vol. 53, no. 9. pp. 696–698, 754–756 – via Internet Archive.
  10. ^ Cowley, Matthew (1954). Rudd, Glen L. (ed.). Matthew Cowley Speaks: Discourses of Elder Matthew Cowley of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book). pp. 200–205.
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