- 1953-10-00 — The arrival of Knight of Bahá'u'lláh Edith Danielson in the Cook Islands. [BWNS265]
- 1970-04-21 —
The National Spiritual Assembly of Tonga and the Cook Islands was formed with its seat in Nuku'alofa. [BW15:275]
- For picture see BW15:146.
- 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.
- 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
- 1990-09-06 — The Bahá'í International Community opened a branch of its United Nations Office for the Pacific region in Suva, Fiji. [AWH76; BINS233:4–5; VV54]
- 1993-06-12 —
The Honourable Sir Julius Chan, KBE, Deputy Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea consulted with the Universal House of Justice on the future role of his country as an emerging nation and on the destiny of the Pacific region. [BINS297:9; BW93–4:78]
- For pictures see BINS297:9 and BW93–4:78
- 1997-03-24 — The nine member First Nations Travel Teaching Trip to the South Pacific, called "The Journey of Teech-ma" consisted of Canadian Bahá'ís from Kwakiutl, Nuu-Cha-Nuth, the Ojibway First Nations, a Yupik Bahá'í from Alaska and three non-Native Canadian friends. They shared their culture and their Faith with the Maori, other New Zealanders, the Aborigines and other Australians as well as the ne-Vanuatu peoples. See entry for 1994 (Summer). [SDSC370]
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