Mormon Life - Polynesia tag

Vai's View: Much aloha, Junior Seau

Mon, 07 May 2012 11:25:00 -0600

source: MormonTimes.com

My heart is heavy and broken.

News of Junior Seau's death first filled my BlackBerry from mutual friends before it was confirmed by my station producers and ESPN.

We weren't buddy-buddy, though he famously called everyone "Buddy." We were good friends and we had dinner together whenever he came to Philly to play the Eagles and I'd see him whenever I was in San Diego, but we didn't call each other weekly or email. Now and then we'd text each other.

87–88: Pacific Island Mormon Identities

Fri, 06 Apr 2012 09:28:00 -0600

source: mormonmatters.org

This two-part episode features a fascinating, dynamic, and soaring discussion that takes us into the experiences, cultures, and elements of the worldviews of Latter-day Saints from Pacific Island nations. We learn pieces of the history of two of these nations as it relates to the LDS Church taking hold there, what elements resonate with those who are from the “islands of the sea” (D&C 1:1; 2 Nephi 29:11), and the ways that Mormonism integrates into the daily lives of, especially, Maori and Tongan Saints–including places where Polynesian culture does not allow white Mormon practices and ways of seeing to penetrate, such as with the ceremonial use of kava, notions of family and various power dynamics within families, and funeral practices. In letting us into their lives and perspectives, the panelists also take us deep into the experience of forming identities shaped by both Polynesian and white cultures, which also allows us to see very clearly how there truly are no “neutral” spaces–how “whiteness” carries values and perspectives that are often invisible if not explored through the comparative process. In this Mormon Matters episode, we are privileged to have powerful and open yet charitable guides into these (often wonderfully evocative) tensions.

Scripture power in Tahiti

Mon, 25 Apr 2011 12:01:00 -0600

source: lds.org

Mormon Life says: When two Tahitian teens gave the scriptures a chance, their lives changed. Why would a teen choose to spend two hours every Thursday night studying the scriptures with his mom? A year ago Rooma Terooatea of Tahiti probably would have wondered the same thing.

Now he might ask why a teen would choose not to.

During three years of seminary, Rooma had never really paid attention when his teachers assigned scriptures to read for the next lesson. “I didn’t want to read them,” he says. “The scriptures really didn’t jump out at me.”

But he wondered why Church leaders in his ward and stake always used the scriptures in their talks and lessons. He watched his leaders. He noticed how easy it was for his stake president to quote from the scriptures.

So when the Faaa Tahiti Stake divided the seminary students into teams to hold scripture mastery competitions throughout his last year of seminary, Rooma decided to give the scriptures a chance.

Polynesian culture offers barriers, blessings

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 12:15:00 -0700

source: deseretnews.com

Editor's note: This is the first of a two-part series exploring the cultural barriers and blessings in the Polynesian culture.

Taboo.

It is Tonga's sole contribution to the English language. Taken from the Tongan word "Tapu," meaning "restricted" or "sacred." Technically, we could also claim "tattoo," though it's an amalgamation of a Polynesian word — Tahitians called it "tattau," Samoans' "tatau" and Tongans' "ta ta tau," all meaning "to mark."

I think it's interesting that both words, taboo and tattoo, apply to our bodies. We view the human body as sacred, to be restricted from others and even ourselves, from sexual touching or arousal in ways that are taboo. As Latter-day Saints, we are counseled by modern prophets to avoid marking our bodies with tattoos or body piercings.

British sailors exploring the South Pacific in the 18th century were enamored with the tattoos that adorned chiefs and warriors throughout Polynesia. Thus began a history of sailors and tattooing in foreign ports that exits today. In the last 10 to 20 years, the art has become more mainstreamed in American culture. I see it on shoulders, ankles, wrists and calves in our pews on Sundays, and that's just in Relief Society. I concede that here in the East or any place with new converts, we must be understanding of alternative lifestyles before conversion. But more often than I'd like, I see tattoos on returned missionaries and some women who grew up in the church.

Papua New Guinea saints sacrifice to be sealed

Wed, 01 Dec 2010 00:02:00 -0700

by Debbie Gardner
source: MormonLife.com

Some canoed for four days from remote villages. Several came from Daru, an island close to the Papua New Guinea mainland. Many had never seen a large town before, and very few had ever visited the city of Port Moresby. Certainly none had seen a western city the size of Sydney.

This group of LDS members was united in one thing: to visit a temple of the Lord and to participate in and receive eternal ordinances.

The group of forty Church members from various parts of New Guinea gathered together in Port Moresby to travel as a group to visit the Sydney Temple. Elder Dirk Smibert, an Area Seventy responsible for Papua New Guinea, made arrangements for the flights from the island and the sleeping accommodation at temple housing in Carlingford for all of the families. Local Relief Societies supplied warm clothing for the Papua New Guinea members as well as familiar food for their meals.

“We were glad to have such delicious taro root, tapioca and raw fish fixed for us by Australian-based Pacific islanders,” commented Brother Tete, one of the 40-strong group. “Our food was delicious and very much appreciated.”

For most of the group, this was their first time out of the country, and several were greatly surprised by things most take for granted, such as plumbing, nappies, tunnels and the abundance of food and clothing.

“We are very blessed to have Saints from Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands coming to the Sydney Temple to receive their saving ordinances”, said Elder Smibert.

It was a sacrifice for the members to make this journey to the temple, but one for which they are eternally grateful.

The changing face of Mormonism in the Pacific

Tue, 30 Nov 2010 09:30:00 -0700

source: pacific.scoop.co.nz

There was a time when the term Mormon meant “American missionaries, or Polynesian church” to many people in this part of the world. But such perceptions are old news.

Mormon missionaries in the Pacific now come from all over the world, not just the United States. And while there are many Polynesian members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the South Pacific and elsewhere, Mormon congregations are becoming increasingly diverse.

A visitor to Auckland’s Albany Ward on any given Sunday may sit next to a Korean family, with a European New Zealander family behind them, and a South African couple in the pew in front There are Indian, Samoan, Tongan, Maori, British, Chinese and many more ethnicities represented in Mormon wards across the Pacific region.