Bahá’í World Community

South Pacific 1972

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In 1972-73 I undertook a trip around the world visiting Bahá’í communities, starting in the South Pacific.

An article about the trip was published in The Bahá’í World Vol. XV. Here are my travel teacher reports for the South Pacific.
And here is my expense report for this first part of the trip. Organizing this trip required considerable correspondence,
which you can view here for 1972-23 and here for 1973. And here are my letters home and to/from friends.

In 2023 I shared some stories from that trip in a Zoom series organized by Jennifer Wiebers (0h52):

Click to jump to:  Tonga  Fiji  Funafuti  Tarawa  Nauru  Ponape

Tahiti and Moorea 16-19 November 1972

View of Moorea from Tahiti. On Moorea, Silon Tchan Lo repairing cars, the Sailhacs at home, and views of the island. On Tihiti, Terii Pae and his family (my hosts).

American Samoa and Western Samoa (now Independent Samoa) 19-21 November 1972

In American Samoa, a game of volleyball and the Alá’í’s house. In Western Samoa, Lietu and his wife, scenery, and Phil Beattie (a Canadian), Farzbod and Taefe.

Some music from Western Samoa:
 
 

Tonga 23-24 November 1972

Mosese Hokafonu with some friends in the Hazira; Mele Taufalele and family; the Hazira and a meeting there; Mele Taufalele washing clothes; Mele Taufalele, Bob Dutton and Paea Fifita; a meeting in the Hazira; a unity feast; Mosese Hokafonu with his daughter; and at the airport saying goodbye to the visitor.

Traditional music from the unity feast:
 
 

Fiji 23-27 November 1972

Young Bahá’í teachers and locals in Volivoli village.

Their music:
 
 

Funafuti (Tuvalu) 28 November – 2 December 1972

Scenery, and Dr. Tiliga Pulusi with his family. Dr. Tiliga’s son, Peniva T Pulusi, shown in the last picture at the age of 6, is currently the Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of Tuvalu.

Tarawa (Kiribati) 2-7 December 1972

In Betio: some children, Masipei and John Thurston at John’s home, views of Betio. In Bikenibeu: the seaside home of a Bahá’í, scenery, the National Bahá’í Center, the Hazira with Masipei and his family, the Bahá’í Maneaba and its caretaker, Masipei and the caretaker, and the caretaker with his family.

Alláh-u-Abhá
 
 

A portion of a Bahá’í prayer chanted in the old traditional style of the Gilbert Islands
 

Nauru 7-11 December 1972

View from the hotel, the Location housing development, Areke Bakava and his wife, and Metai Roboam.

Ponape (now Pohnpei) 11-14 December 1972

A scenic walk to visit Bahá’ís in Nan Uh with Sus, views of the ocean near Kolonia, the Nanmwarki of Uh arriving at the Ponape airport, Virginia Breaks at her home in Kolonia, and a water fountain for travelers.