The Connexion: the Mormon Church and the Maori People

Abstract

The principal object of this thesis is to examine the connexion between the Mormon Church and the Maori people and culture since 1881, when Latter-day Saint mission work among the Maoris began. It is a fundamental tenet of the thesis that from this date to the present day, there has been a basic and inevitable change in the nature of the connexion. Up to the end of World War II, the change was slow and uneven, but since then the pace of change has been accelerated, this being reflected in significant administrative modifications in the Churchs local organization. Accordingly, the thesis has been divided into two phases: Identification with Maoritanga, and Retreat from Maoritanga During the first phase, the Church accepted and even incorporated aspects of Maoritanga into its comprehensive religious, socio-economic programme. Less desirable aspects of Maoritanga were tolerated while it was expedient to do so.

Aberration by Maori adherents were often treated with considerable latitude. A real degree of flexibility was the keynote of the Churchs policy at this time. Apparent striking similarities between Maori and Mormon religious beliefs, the Mormon promise of a glorious future for the Maori children of Israel and the Churchs identification with Maoritanga were the bases of Latter-day Saints success among certain Maori groups. During this phase, the Mormon Church in New Zealand was strongest numerically amongst the Maori section of the population and was largely confined to certain rural pockets in the North Island. Indeed most Europeans regarded it as another peculiarly Maori faith and were reluctant to associate with it.