Next week marks the 200th anniversary of the arrival of the second wave of American Protestant missionaries in Hawaiʻi. Twelve companies made their way from New England between 1820 and 1848.
They are credited with several lasting positive impacts on our islands. But many Hawaiians still blame missionaries for influencing the ban of their native language and cultural traditions like hula in the late 1800s.
The Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Archives on Oʻahu seeks to foster a greater understanding of the impact of missionaries on Hawaiʻi's history.
"The missionaries do get a bad rap and I think it's unfortunate because they did have so many positive, long-lasting contributions that the Hawaiian aliʻi really, you know, collaborated with them on," said Erin Shapiro, the museum’s executive director.
"Yes, the missionaries did come to spread the messages of Christianity, but also, it's important to keep in mind that they were really the most educated group in America at the time. And so when they arrived here, they actually found that the interest was truly in education," Shapiro said.
By 1853, an estimated 75% of all people in the Hawaiian Kingdom over the age of 16 were literate, she said, adding that missionaries also contributed to music compositions like "Hawaiʻi Aloha."
"As an institution, our goal is really to be accessible, inclusive, and to be open to everybody. We're here in spirit of the original missionaries to also be educators, to be here for the community, to serve in that capacity," Shapiro told The Conversation.
The bicentennial celebration runs from April 25 to 28 on Oʻahu and via Zoom, and from May 4 to May 7 on Maui. Click here to learn more.
This interview aired on The Conversation on April 20, 2023. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
