Mormonism, the Maori and Cultural Authenticity

Abstract

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints launched a sustained mission to the New Zealand Maori beginning in the 1880s. By the turn of the century, the church counted nearly a 10th of the total Maori population as members. This article explores the ways in which Mormonism provided interested Maori with an unusually rich, culturally compatible resource for shaping and proclaiming their identity. The heart of that resource was the Book of Mormon, a Latter-day Saint volume of scripture which was read to broaden and deepen the perceived connection between the Maori and ancient Israel. The article also examines the way in which Maori prophecies were understood to anticipate the arrival of Mormonism and thereby sanction its acceptance. As a result, there was a clear sense that in becoming Mormon one was not abandoning Maori culture to become a brown Pakeha (European). The history of Mormon-Maori interaction offers a compelling case study in how culture conjunctures can yield an authentic hybrid.