----- Laurie F. Maffly-Kipp (2008)
At the Iosepa Cemetery there was a plaque that had the following statement: "Here lie honored Polynesian pioneers who have sealed their testimonies in dust that God lives, Jesus is the Christ, all the presidents of the Church are Prophets of God, and the Church of Jesus Christ is true."
When one begins to explore the influences that Mormonism has had on the Native Hawaiians (including other Polynesian groups) and their way of life, it is impossible to ignore the past. The rich histories of Mormonism in Hawaii stem all the way back to 1850 when the first missionaries set foot on the islands. Along the way these histories have been passed down through oral and written tradition. In preparation for my visit, I had the opportunity to read three books that I found to be both historical and informative resources on the studies of Mormonism in Hawaii. R. Lanier Britsch’s book, Moramona: The Mormons in Hawaii, gives a very detailed history of the first missionaries that were sent to Hawaii. Also discussed are the trials behind the founding and establishment of Laie as the site for the LDS Temple, Brigham Young University Hawaii and the Polynesian Cultural Center. Joseph F. Smith suggested Laie as the gathering place, but follow through came from Brigham Young, the President of the Mormon Church at the time. Throughout the book, Brigham Young is a huge influence on the settlement, mission, and the structure of the church in Hawaii. Only through his written directions and verbal instructions were missionaries sent to Hawaii to work with the lost tribe of Israel.
Being that Young never traveled to Hawaii to supervise the establishment of the Zion in paradise, he counted on a number of missionaries to direct the saints in Hawaii. George Q. Cannon was one of the first missionaries to serve in Hawaii, and he played a major role in the advancement of Mormonism in Hawaii. Cannon’s accomplishments are referenced in all three books. He was able to develop lasting relationships with the locals while maintaining the overall objectives of the Mormon Church’s missionary goals. Utah missionaries (Cannon included) dedicated themselves to building a new Zion in ‘paradise’ and created remarkable stories of struggle and triumph while working alongside the Native Hawaiians. Some of the difficulties that they had to overcome were language barriers, economic growth, land ownership, and traditional practices that do not coincide with the Mormon religious beliefs. This book gives an in-depth historical look into these religious beliefs, personal beliefs and social conflicts that plagued these pioneers in the beginning. Of all of these three books, I found Britsch’s book to be the most useful in connecting the people with time, space and history.
The second piece of literature I found interesting is the book edited by Grant Underwood titled, Voyages of Faith: Explorations in Mormon Pacific History. This book contains a wide array of essays that examine the interactions Native Hawaiians, Mormon leaders, missionaries, and members had in building the “Kingdom of God” in Hawaii. The essays range from a detailed history on the establishment of the Church College (now named BYU Hawaii) to a summary of each of the presidents of the Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) and the role they played in advancing this center of entertainment. Also discussed were religious tools used to stimulate visitors to investigate the Mormon Church and its beliefs. This book links faith and traditions together and parallels how they intermix with each other over time. Traditional dance and song and style of dress has changed in some ways, but remained the same in others. Vernice Wineera writes in her essay, The Polynesian Cultural Center, “Polynesian Saints feel a depth of connection, a sense of belonging as members of the LDS Church.” She continues, “The Book of Mormon sustains Polynesian identity as a covenant people of the Lord. In this way, Polynesian Church members feel confirmed in their heritage by birth, by blood, and by blessing.” Throughout this book the faith that these authors have in the Mormon Church is eminent, and at the same time their connection to their heritage is strong and continues to be used to define their role in Mormonism.
There are 79 graves in the cemetery.
Even though Britsch’s and Underwood’s books are one sided, because the authors of the essays are Mormon insiders, the historical past that is shared is eye opening. These two books gave me an in-depth look at how faith and culture are interweaved throughout traditions and religious beliefs. These traditions and religious beliefs can be traced back to The Book of Mormon and the announcement of Cannon’s revelation that Native Hawaiians are descendants of Lehi--hence belonging to the lineage of Israel through the tales of Hagoth, a Nephite explorer who is believed to have traveled to the Pacific Islands as has been speculated by some Native Hawaiians, Mormon Leaders, and scholars. The testimonies of the Polynesians and Native Hawaiians who believe they are descendants of Hagoth continue to be strengthened by these types of connections.
Finally, Proclamation to the People: Nineteenth-Century Mormonism and the Pacific Basin Frontier is a collection of essays by Laurie Maffly –Kipp, Reid Neilson and others, which provides the reader with a theological overview of Mormonism in the Pacific Basin. The writers explore the meaning of Mormon settlements and movements and how Mormon missionary efforts parallel and contrast with other religious groups’ missionary efforts. What I enjoyed about this book is the combination of insider and outsider scholarly work. The essays in this book vary from tales of missionary work in Hawaii to the migration of Polynesian populations to America and their conversion to Mormonism.
I would strongly encourage anyone who is planning to do research on Mormonism in the Pacific Basin to review these three books. They have provided me with historical overview of influences that Mormonism has had on the Pacific Basin.
Photo Below: President Gordon B. Hinckley and his wife attended the 100th Anniversary of Iosepa.
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