Christianity, Colonialism and Indigenous History in French Polynesia: Advance Into Past

In an increasingly modernised French Polynesian society, some Christians have been tackling contemporary social issues and repatriate traditional indigenous values . Pursuing the past in the present means grappling with ongoing existential issues as an indigenous people, such as the dismantling of the kinship community, the decline of domestic agriculture and the loss of indigenous cultural heritage. Māòhi Christians strive to reconnect with a perceived Indigenous, sacred past within a present they consider to be alienating. This book illustrates how indigenous Christians perceive social change and how their historical perceptions inform the creation of their own Christianity.

Mai Misaki is an Assistant Professor of anthropology at Kyoto University. She has researched extensively in topics such as the role of colonial oppression in indigenous cultural heritage and political and religious sovereignty in French Polynesia.