- 1920-00-00 —
Hyde and Clara Dunn arrived in Samoa enroute to Australia, the first Bahá'ís to visit the islands.
- For a history of the development of the Faith in Australia and in New Zealand, from 1920 when the Hydes arrived until 1947 when the National Spiritual Assembly initiated a systematic teaching campaign, see Outpost of a World Religion: The Bahá'í Faith in Australia, 1920-1947 by Graham Hassall in Bahá'ís in the West SBBH Vol 14 pp201-226.
- It is also available on Bahai-Library.com.
- 1954-01-14 — Lilian E. Wyss arrived in Apia from Australia and was named a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh for the Samoa Islands. [BW13:455]
- 1955-00-02 —
The first indigenous Samoan to become a Bahá'í, Sa'ialala Tamasese, enrolled.
- He was a member of one of the three royal families of Samoa. [BINS, No. 100, 1 MARCH 1979, p. 1]
- 1955-12-00 — The first Samoan woman to become a Bahá'í, Mrs Lotoa Refiti (later Lotoa Rock), enrolled. [Koala News, No. 22, February 1956]
- 1957-04-21 — The first Local Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Apia, Western Samoa was formed. The members were: Lilian Ala'i, Ghodsieh Ala'i, Nemat Ala'i, To'alima Sa'ialala, Lotoa Rock, Emanuel Rock, William I Laing, Sa'ialala Tamasese, and Suhayl A Ala'i. [CBN No99 April, 1958 p5]
- 1959-04-21 —
The Regional Spiritual Assembly of the South Pacific Islands was formed with its seat in Suva, Fiji. [BN No 267 MY 1953 P1]
- Its area of jurisdiction comprised of ten island groups: Samoa, Fiji, New Caledonia, New Hebrides, Loyalty Islands, Gilbert and Ellice Islands, Marshall Islands, Cook Islands, Solomon Islands, and Tonga. [BW13:308]
- For the letter of the Custodians to the national convention see MC151–5.
- In 1963 the Universal House of Justice announced that the Assembly was to be dissolved and succeeded by a National Spiritual Assembly of the South Pacific Ocean, and a National Spiritual Assembly of the South West Pacific Ocean, with the new Assemblies being formed the following year.
- 1968-02-19 —
His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II of Western Samoa, the first reigning monarch to become a Bahá'í, wrote to the Universal House of Justice confirming his acceptance of the Faith. [BW15:180–3]
- See Bahá'í Chronicles for the story of his enrollment.
- 1969-12-29 —
The First Pacific Area Bahá'í Youth Conference took place in Apia, Western Samoa. [BW15:329–30]
- For picture see BW15:330.
- 1970-04-21 —
The National Spiritual Assembly of Samoa was formed with its seat in Apia. [BW15:274]
- For picture see BW15:146.
- 1975-11-00 — The land for the Samoan House of Worship was purchased on a site overlooking Apia. [BW18:104]
- 1976-09-12 — His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II of Western Samoa visited the resting place of Shoghi Effendi. [BW17:69; VV22]
- 1977-04-01 — The first National Bahá'í Children's Conference of Samoa took place. [BW17:211]
- 1979-01-27 —
In Samoa, His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II and Hand of the Cause of God Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum laid the cornerstone of the first Bahá'í House of Worship of the Pacific Islands. [BW17:188, 371; VV36]
- For the text of the address delivered by His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II see BW17:372.
- For excerpts from the address of Hand of the Cause of God Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum see BW17:373.
- For pictures see BW17:374.
- 1980-09-03 — Building work began on the Samoan House of Worship. [BW18:104]
- 1984-08-30 —
An International Teaching Conference was held to coincide with the dedication of the House of Worship at Apia, Western Samoa. [BW19:548–54; VV64]
- For a report of the conference see BW19:548–54.
- For the message of the Universal House of Justice see BW19:555–6.
- For pictures see BW19:475, 547–57 and VV64.
- 1984-09-01 —
The House of Worship in Apia, Western Samoa, the Mother Temple of the Pacific, was dedicated in the presence of Hand of the Cause of God Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum, Hand of the Cause Dr Ugo Giachery, His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II and more than a thousand Bahá'ís from 45 countries. [BW19:100–1; VV64]
- The architect has utilized the form of the Samoan file roof and the open plan of the fale itself in conceptualizing the design of the Temple. The white mosaic tiled dome rests atop nine pairs of buttresses clad in granite of a soft red tone. The nine ribs of mirrored glass, the graceful arch windows and the wide expanse of glazing over each portal seemingly draw the light through the structure itself. Modern techniques have allowed the dome to be built in this manner, providing an iridescent effect when lit at night. The shell of the dome and the internal structure are of a white, rendered concrete, bushhammered to a soft texture and accented with distinctive native ifilele wood joinery and a warm red quarry tile floor finish. The main hall seats 500 and a cantilevered mezzanine level rings the perimeter providing additional seating for 200 including the choir. [from the pamphlet distributed to guests]
- For a report of the dedication see BW19:552–3.
- For the text of the address of His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II see BW19:556.
- For pictures see BW19:553 and VV64.
- Marble for the House of Worship was cut and chiseled by Margraf, a firm from Chiampo, Italy formerly known as Industria Marmi Vincentini. [BWNS1223]
Specifics
Location: Apia, Samoa (9km south of the city)
Foundation Stone: Laid by Malietoa Tanumafili II and Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum on 27 January 1979. She placed a small casket of Dust from the Shrine of Bahá'u'lláh in a niche in a stone.
Period: 1980-1984
Site Dedication:1 September 1984
Architect:Husayn Amanat
Seating: 500 - 700
Dimensions:Top of the dome to ground: 28m (92ft), Top of the dome to basement floor: 31m (102ft), Height of the dome: 19m (62ft), Width of the dome: 27M (88ft)
Cost: $6.5m
Dependencies:
References: BW16p488-489, BW17p371-374, BW18p104, 585-588, BW19p547-557
- 1988-12-00 — The Government of Western Samoa published a Christmas issue of four stamps of religious buildings, among them the Bahá'í House of Worship in Samoa. [BINS196:8]
- 1989-07-05 —
Dr Ugo Giachery (b. 13 May, 1896, Palermo, Sicily), Hand of the Cause of God, passed away while on a visit to Western Samoa. [BINS204:1; VV123]
- He died while visiting Samoa and was interred on the mountainside at Tiapapata, Apia, in view of the Pacific Ocean. His funeral service was attended by by His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II, the Prime Minister of Samoa, four Ministers of Cabinet, four Counsellors, five Auxiliary Board members, representatives of six national communities of the Pacific, and over two hundred believers from many parts of the country. [LoF241)
- For the cable of the Universal House of Justice see BINS204:1.
- Shoghi Effendi had appointed him among the first contingent on the 24th of December, 1951. [MoCxxiii]
- Wikipedia
- For a short biography see LoF223-242.
- See Bahá'í Chronicles.
- 1992-11-23 —
The Second World Congress was held in New York City to commemorate the centenary of the passing of Bahá'u'lláh and the completion of the Six Year Plan. It was attended by some 28,000 Bahá'ís from some 180 countries. [BBD240; VV136-141; BW92-93p95-102, 136]
- Nine auxiliary conferences were held in Buenos Aires, Sydney, New Delhi, Nairobi, Panama City, Bucharest, Moscow, Apia and Singapore. [BINS283:3-4]
- For pictures see [BINS283:9-10], [BW92-3p100] and [VV136-141]
- "New York will become a blessed spot from which the call to steadfastness in the Covenant and Testament of God will go forth to every part of the world." - 'Abdu'l-Bahá [AWH77-8 90-1 105-6]
- On the 25th of November a concert was held in Carnegie Hall as a birthday tribute to Dizzy Gillespie called "Celebrating the Bahá'í Vision of World Peace". [VV141]
- On the 26th of November Bahá'ís around the world were linked together by a live satellite broadcast serving the second Bahá'í World Congress, the nine auxiliary conferences and the Bahá'í World Centre and it was received by those with access to satellite dish antennas. [BINS283:1–5, 8; BINS286:10; BINS287:4]
- For the message of the Universal House of Justice read on the satellite link see BW92–3:37–4.
- For accounts of personal experiences by some of the attendees see In the Eyes of His Beloved Servants: The Second Bahá'í World Congress and Holy Year by J. Michael Kafes.
- The film, 'Abdu'l-Bahá: Mission to America, made by Elizabeth Martin, was prepared for the World Congress program and also used in the Theme Pavilion. [HNWE45]
- 1994-00-00 — His Highness King Malietoa Tanumafili II of Samoa received The Kitáb-i-Aqdas from Tongan Bahá'ís Sohrab and Soheyla Bolouri. [BINS314:9]
- 2007-05-11 — The passing of His Highness Susuga Malietoa Tanumafili II, the Samoan head of state. He was one of the longest reigning monarchs in the world and had been head of state since independence from New Zealand in 1962. [BWNS543; Bahá'í Chronicles]
- 2014-04-21 —
The release of the film Samoa: Yesterday, Today, & Tomorrow on the sixtieth anniversary of the Faith in that country. The film was directed and produced by Ken Zemke, edited and written by Tara Jabbari, and narrated by Fuma Tuiletufuga.
- The first Bahá'ís to visit the islands were Hyde and Clara Dunn who stopped over in Samoa enroute to Australia sometime in 1920.
- On the 14th of January 1954 Lilian Wyss arrived in Apia from Australia and was named a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh for the Samoa Islands. [BW13:455]
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