Missionary Day (french: Arrivée de l'Évangile) is an official holiday in

French Polynesia )Territorial motto: ( en, "Great Tahiti of the Golden Haze") , anthem = , song_type = Regional anthem , song = " Ia Ora 'O Tahiti Nui" , image_map = French Polynesia on the globe (French Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of Frenc ...

, an overseas collectivity of

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. It is celebrated annually on 5 March, to mark the arrival of the

London Missionary Society The London Missionary Society was an interdenominational evangelical missionary society formed in England in 1795 at the instigation of Welsh Congregationalist minister Edward Williams. It was largely Reformed in outlook, with Congregational miss ...

(LMS) missionaries in 1797 when their ship '' Duff'' landed at

Matavai Bay Matavai Bay is a bay on the north coast of Tahiti, the largest island in the Windward group of French Polynesia. It is in the commune of Mahina, approximately 8 km east of the capital Pape'ete. Early European voyages The bay was visited by ...

. It is a non-working holiday.

History

On 5 March 1797, British Protestant missionaries from the

landed at

, in Mahina, Tahiti, on board '' Duff''. Despite early setbacks in the mission, the LMS missionaries were able to convert the reigning king

Pōmare II Pōmare II (c. 1782 – December 7, 1821) (fully Tu Tunuieaiteatua Pōmare II or in modern orthography Tū Tū-nui-ʻēʻa-i-te-atua Pōmare II; historically misspelled as Tu Tunuiea'aite-a-tua), was the second king of Tahiti between 1782 and 182 ...

, who sought to use the new religion to consolidate his own power over the other chiefs of the island. The king was formally baptized on 16 May 1819, and the rest of the

kingdom of Tahiti The Kingdom of Tahiti was a monarchy founded by paramount chief Pōmare I, who, with the aid of British missionaries and traders, and European weaponry, unified the islands of Tahiti, Moʻorea, Teti‘aroa, and Mehetia. The kingdom eventually ...

followed. Protestantism gained a strong following with the Tahitian people through the patronage of the

Pōmare Dynasty The Pōmare dynasty was the reigning family of the Kingdom of Tahiti between the unification of the islands by Pōmare I in 1788 and Pōmare V's cession of the kingdom to France in 1880. Their influence once spanned most of the Society Islands, ...

and other chiefly families of the neighboring

Society Islands The Society Islands (french: Îles de la Société, officially ''Archipel de la Société;'' ty, Tōtaiete mā) are an archipelago located in the South Pacific Ocean. Politically, they are part of French Polynesia, an overseas country of the F ...

. Even when Tahiti became a French protectorate in 1843 and was annexed in 1880, Protestantism remained the dominant religion among the natives. The holiday was established on 1 February 1978.

Celebrations

The parishes of the Maohi Protestant Church hold organized celebrations and worship services. The holiday is also marked by cultural shows, public concerts and other events of cultural significance. Traditionally, the arrival of the first missionaries in 1797 is re-enacted at the Willy Bambridge Stadium complex in

Papeete Papeete (Tahitian language, Tahitian: ''Papeete'', pronounced ) is the capital city of French Polynesia, an overseas collectivity of the France, French Republic in the Pacific Ocean. The Communes of France, commune of Papeete is located on the isl ...

Tahiti Tahiti (; Tahitian ; ; previously also known as Otaheite) is the largest island of the Windward group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia. It is located in the central part of the Pacific Ocean and the nearest major landmass is Austr ...

, as well as on

Afareaitu Āfareaitu is an associated commune on the island of Moorea, in French Polynesia. It is part of the commune Moorea-Maiao Moorea-Maiao is a commune of French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. The commune is in the a ...

Moorea Moorea ( or ; Tahitian: ), also spelled Moorea, is a volcanic island in French Polynesia. It is one of the Windward Islands, a group that is part of the Society Islands, northwest of Tahiti. The name comes from the Tahitian word , meaning " ...

. The commune of Arue commemorates the festival by laying wreaths at the graves of the first Christian king Pōmare II and

Henry Nott Henry Nott (1774–1844) was a British Protestant Christian missionary who lived and worked in Tahiti, in the Society Islands in Polynesia. Life Nott was one of the first missionaries sent out by the London Missionary Society, arriving in Tahiti a ...

, a member of the first company of missionaries who translated the Bible into the Tahitian language.

References

Annual events in France March observances Tahitian culture French Polynesian culture 1978 establishments in French Polynesia {{FrenchPolynesia-stub

History

Celebrations

See also

References