Bahá'í Library Online
. . . .
.

Search for tag "Indigenous people"

from the chronology

date event locations tags see also
1940 Dec Eduardo Gonzales, a university student, accepted the Faith and became the first native Bahá’í of Ecuador. He was accepted as a Bahá'í on the occasion of his 21st birthday on the 15th of October 1943. Eduardo (Les) Gonzalez performed outstanding service for the Cause both as an itinerant teacher abroad and pioneer to Spain and Venezuela. Sadly, in later years he became a Covenant-breaker and had to be ex-communicated.
  • He was not formally registered until his twenty–first birthday on 15 October 1941. . [Heroes of God: History of the Bahá'í Faith in Ecuador, 1940-1979 p4; 8; 24]
  • Ecuador Eduardo Gonzales; First believers by background; Indigenous people
    1959. 7 May Donald Corbin, a pioneer to Grenada Island, made a trip to Dominica specifically to try to reach the Carib Indians. [BN No 343 September 1959 p10-11] Dominica; Grenada Pioneer; Donald Corbin; Indigenous people
    1961 21 – 25 Feb The first Indian congress of Bolivia was held in Oruro, with Indians participating. [BW13:268] Oruro; Bolivia Conferences; Indigenous people
    1961 23 Jun Fred Murray, early Indigenous believer and member of the Minen tribe (Mirning Yirkala) to become a Bahá’í, enrolled. In 1963 he attended the World Congress in London. [BW14:369]
  • See the article A Tribute to Fred Murray by June Perkins.
  • Australia Fred Murray; Aboriginal people; Indigenous people; June Perkins
    1962 31 Dec The first indigenous local spiritual assembly in Venezuela was formed among the Yaruro Indians of Apure state in the village of Agua Linda. Agua Linda; Venezuela Local Spiritual Assembly; Indigenous people
    1965 (In the year) Nils and Sigrid Rutfjäll, the first Samer (Lapps) to become Bahá’ís, enrolled in northern Norway. [BW5:483] Sapmi (Lapland); Norway First believers by background; Indigenous people; Sami people
    1975 (In the year) The first all-Quechua Bahá'í Conference was held in Cusco, Peru, attended by Bahá’ís from Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador. [BW16p445]
  • This conference was attended by Rúhíyyih Khánum and some of her companions on the Green Light Expedition. [BW16p439]
  • The supreme deity of the Incas, Ilya-Tiqsi Viracocha Pachayachachiq (“Ancient Foundation, Lord, Teacher”), was incarnated and dwelled among men as the Inca prophet of God. Viracocha promised to return one day and that hope has been realized. [Indigenous Messengers of God by Christopher Buck and Kevin Locke p13; Native Messengers of God in Canada?: A Test Case for Bahá'í Universalism by Christopher Buck]
  • Cuzco; Peru Quechua; Conferences, Bahai; Conferences, International; First conferences; Native Americans; Native American messengers; Indigenous people; Viracocha; Amatul-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum; Amatul-Baha Ruhiyyih Khanum, Journeys of; Green Light Expedition
    1982 19 – 20 Jun The teaching project Camino Del Sol (Trail of Light), comprising indigenous believers from North America, was formed on the Navajo Reservation in Arizona, United States. [BW18:239]
  • The team traveled through Central and South America in a programme of cultural exchange. [BW18:172]
  • For a report of the project and pictures see BW18:239–45 and BW19:74–6.
  • Arizona; United States Indigenous people; Native Americans; Navajo (Dine)
    1987 6 – 8 Feb Maori women held the first National Women’s Hui in the tribal area of Ngati Tuwaretoa, New Zealand. [BINS163:8] Ngati Tuwaretoa; New Zealand Maoris; Firsts, Other; Indigenous people
    1990 Ridván The first indigenous local spiritual assembly of Amazonas State, Brazil, was formed among the Mura tribe in Beruri. [BINS223:71] Beruri; Amazonas State; Brazil Indigenous people; Local Spiritual Assembly; Firsts, Other
    1990 Ridván Maureen Nakekea and Marao Teem were elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of Kiribati, the first indigenous women to be elected to the institution. [BINS224:7] Kiribati; Oceania National Spiritual Assembly; Indigenous people; Women; Islands; Firsts, Other
    1990 Ridván For the first time, two Bush Negro women delegates attended the national convention of Surinam. [BINS226:6] Suriname Indigenous people; Conventions, National; Firsts, Other
    1993 Oct The Australian Bahá'í community and the Arrente Aboriginal tribe co-sponsored an intercultural celebration of indigenous peoples, ‘Heart of Australia Calling' in Alice Springs to mark UN International Year for the World's Indigenous Peoples. [BW93–4:90] Alice Springs; Australia Indigenous people
    1994 (Summer) A Maoris teaching team visited British Columbia. The visit was reciprocated by The Journey of Teech-ma, the First Nations Travel Teaching Trip to the South Pacific. See entry for 24 March, 1997. [SDSC370] British Columbia; Canada; Australia; New Zealand First Nations; Maoris; Indigenous people; Travel teaching
    1997. 24 Mar - 16 May 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] New Zealand; Australia; Vanuatu; Canada First Nations; Travel Teaching; Pacific; Maoris; Aboriginal people; Indigenous people
    2007 Aug-Sep In memory of Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum and because the Native people had such a special place in her heart and that of the Guardian, Violette and 'Ali Nakhjanání travelled throughout North America during the months of August and September visiting aboriginal believers. They visited Vancouver, Anchorage, Juneau before going to South Dakota, Montana, Arizona and Atlanta, Georgia where they spoke with 450 African-American believers. They visited the temple in Wilmette and then the Eskasoni First Nation in Nova Scotia.
  • The primary purpose of their visit was to meet with and encourage the aboriginal believers and to remind the of their responsibility and high destiny in the Faith. [CBN Vol 20 No 3 Winter 2007/2008 p23-25]
  • First Nations; Vancouver; Anchorage; Juneau; Canada; South Dakota; Montana; Arizona; Atlanta; Wilmette; United States Violette Nakhjavani; Ali Nakhjavani; Teaching; Indigenous people; Native Americans
    2007 13 Sep The General Assembly of the United Nations adopted the resolution entitled United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. [United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples]
  • The vote was passed by a majority of 144 states in favour, 4 votes against (Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States) and 11 abstentions (Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Burundi, Colombia, Georgia, Kenya, Nigeria, Russian Federation, Samoa and Ukraine). Since that time, the four countries voting against have reversed their position and now support the Declaration. [Division for Social Policy and Development Indigenous Peoples website]
  • In November 2010, Canada issued a Statement of Support endorsing the principles of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
  • In November 2015, the Prime Minister of Canada asked the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs and other ministers, in the mandate letters, to implement the declaration.
  • In May 2016, the Minister of Indigenous and Northern Affairs announced Canada was now a full supporter, without qualification, of the declaration.
  • For an Historical Overview of the resolution see Division for Social Policy and Development Indigenous Peoples website.
  • The text of the Resolution A/RES/61/295 has been published in a number of languages and is also available in an "Adolescent-Friendly Version of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples".
  • New York UN; United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; Indigenous people
    2013 20 Sep Deloria Bighorn, chairperson of the National Spiritual Bahá'ís of Canada, presented, on behalf of the Bahá'í Community of Canada, a submission to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission at the BC National Event held in Vancouver from September 18th to the 21st. The formal presentation followed a panel organized by the Canadian Bahá'í Community and Reconciliation Canada. The previous week 250 people listened to Chief Doug White, Chief Dr. Robert Joseph, and Dr. Paulette Regan from the Commission discussing the challenge of reconciliation. [T&R website, CBN 24 September, CBN 9 February, 2018, BWNS1248]
  • For the text see Submission of the Bahá’í Community of Canada to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission or download PDF.
  • The Bahá'í community also produced a short film, The Path Home, which it screened in Ottawa in association with the final national gathering.
  • Vancouver; Canada Native Americans; Indigenous people; Reconciliation; Human rights; Documentaries; BWNS; film; The Path Home (film)

    from the chronology of Canada

    date event locations tags see also
    1994 (Summer) A Maoris teaching team visited British Columbia, Canada. The visit was reciprocated by The Journey of Teech-ma, the First Nations Travel Teaching Trip to the South Pacific. See entry for 24 March, 1997. [SDSC370] British Columbia; Canada First Nations; Maoris; Indigenous people; Travel teaching
    1997. 24 Mar - 16 May 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] New Zealand; Australia; Vanuatu; Canada First Nations; Travel Teaching; Pacific; Maoris; Aboriginal people; Indigenous people
    2013 20 Sep Deloria Bighorn, chairperson of the National Spiritual Bahá'ís of Canada, presented, on behalf of the Bahá'í Community of Canada, a submission to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission at the BC National Event held in Vancouver from September 18th to the 21st. The formal presentation followed a panel organized by the Canadian Bahá'í Community and Reconciliation Canada. The previous week 250 people listened to Chief Doug White, Chief Dr. Robert Joseph, and Dr. Paulette Regan from the Commission discussing the challenge of reconciliation. [T&R website, CBN 24 September, CBN 9 February, 2018, BWNS1248]
  • For the text see Submission of the Bahá’í Community of Canada to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission or download PDF.
  • The Bahá'í community also produced a short film, The Path Home, which it screened in Ottawa in association with the final national gathering.
  • Vancouver, BC Native Americans; Indigenous people; Reconciliation; Cultural diversity; Human rights; Documentaries; film; The Path Home

    from the main catalogue

    1. A-de-rih-wa-nie-ton On-kwe-on-we Neh-ha: A Message to the Iroquois Indians, by National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canada (1956). Three items: 2021 cover letter from the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Canada, the 1956 message to the Iroquois Indians in Mohawk and English, and a biography of the translator, "Charles A. Cooke, Mohawk Scholar," by Marius Barbeau. [about]
    2. 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Prophecy "Indians Will Enlighten the World", by Christopher Buck and Kevin Locke (2019). Slide-show overview of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá's prophecy "these Indians will enlighten the whole world." [about]
    3. Aboriginal and Indigenous People, Teaching Among, by Shoghi Effendi, in Compilation of Compilations, Volume 3 (2000). Importance and scope of the teaching work among the masses of various countries and their aboriginal and indigenous inhabitants. [about]
    4. American Indians and the Bahá'í Faith: Ten-Part Comprehensive Bibliography (2017). An extensive bibliography about references to Native Americans in Baha’i sacred writings, in writings by Baha’i authors, in Baha’i periodicals, and in other Baha’i media. [about]
    5. Australian Bahá'í Studies: Vol. 2 (2000). The complete issue of volume 2. Some papers were delivered at the 18th annual ABS conference "The Creative Inspiration: Arts and Culture in the Bahá’í Faith" (Melbourne, September 1999). [about]
    6. Bioprospecting and Indigenous Knowledge in Australia: Implications of Valuing Indigenous Spiritual Knowledge, by John Hunter and Chris Jones (2006). Co-authored/painted paper by Aboriginal and 'Western' authors primarily focusing on spiritual issues in law. [about]
    7. Building Intercultural Community: Insights from Indigenous Bahá'í History, by Chelsea Horton, in Journal of Bahá'í Studies, 26:3 (2016). Bridging Bahá'í communities with Indigenous populations in Canada and the United States was not easy, and was especially fraught for native believers, who also confronted tensions of intercultural understanding and sometimes outright racism. [about]
    8. Compilation on the Indians of the Western Hemisphere, by Bahá'u'lláh and Abdu'l-Bahá (2017). [about]
    9. Creating an Inclusive Narrative, by Australian Bahá'í Community (2020). Culmination of a series of nationwide round tables, conveying the vision of Australians to foster a socially cohesive society. [about]
    10. Diné Becoming Baha'i: Through the Lens of Ancient Prophecies, by Linda S. Covey (2011). Some Diné (Navajo) convert to the Bahá'í Faith because it fulfills their ancient prophecies, its institutions provide autonomy and empower the Diné people, and Bahá'í values of cultural diversity allow Diné to practice their traditional ways. [about]
    11. Encouragement, Challenges, Healing, and Progress: The Bahá'í Faith in Indigenous Communities, by Alfred Kahn, in Journal of Bahá'í Studies, 26:3 (2016). On the challenges of community-building among Indigenous people, written from the perspective of a childhood spent among Bahá'í pioneers on Native American land, and on reconciling traditional views with global Bahá'í teachings. [about]
    12. Faith and Works: Maoris and the Baha'i Faith (1995). The transcript of an interview with two New Zealand Bahá'ís, Huti Toataua and Hedi Moani, aired by the New Zealand National Radio show "Faith and Works" (May, 1995) on "the growing relationship between the Maori community and the Bahá'í Faith." [about]
    13. From The Editor's Desk, by Linda S. Covey and Roshan Danesh, in Journal of Bahá'í Studies, 26:3 (2016). Introduction to this issue's articles on the unique potentials of the indigenous population of America, recovery from the residential schools, eradicating prejudice, and the intersection between the Bahá’í Faith and native peoples. [about]
    14. Importance of and Guidance on Translating the Bahá'í Writings into Indigenous and Other Languages (n.d.). Compilation of one passage from Abdu'l-Bahá and fourteen excerpts from letters written by or on behalf of the Universal House of Justice. [about]
    15. Indigenous Messengers of God, by Christopher Buck and Kevin Locke (2014). 68 essays on Native American theology and history from the perspective of Bahá'í teachings. [about]
    16. Indigenous Messengers of God, by Christopher Buck and Kevin Locke (2021). PowerPoint for Zoom presentation “Divine Teachers of the Americas” by Kevin Locke, hosted by Green Acre Baha’i School, October 2021. [about]
    17. Indigenous Messengers of God: In Honor of Kevin Locke (1954-2022), by Christopher Buck (2022). Biographies and photos of Kevin and Patricia Locke and tributes to them; themes of respect for spiritual traditions, prophecies, and the destiny of indigenous peoples. [about]
    18. Indigenous rights and women's rights in the Samoan Bahá'í community, by Maureen Sier, in Bahá'í Studies Review, 9 (1999). [about]
    19. List of Articles on BahaiTeachings.org, by Christopher Buck (2020). List of online essays and articles by Christopher Buck since 2014. [about]
    20. Lonely road to native title determination, A, by Walter Waia, in Australian Bahá'í Studies, vol. 2 (2000). A personal account of the Saibai Island Native Title Claim: a story of an Indigenous Australian who "walked a learning road to fulfill his obligations to his family, his clan and to the community." [about]
    21. Materials Provided by the Bahá'í World Centre on Gender in the Writings, and Matters of Translation, by Abdu'l-Bahá and Shoghi Effendi (2002). A collection of letters about gender pronouns in Writings, a compilation concerning the translations of Shoghi Effendi, the literary style of translation, and guidance on translating the Writings into indigenous languages. [about]
    22. Men and the Baha'i Faith: The role of indigenous men in the early Baha'i community in the British Isles, by Lil Osborn (2016). Includes slide-show included when presenting the paper at the Bahá'í Studies Seminar, Kellogg College, Oxford (July 2016). [about]
    23. Message to the Indian and Eskimo Bahá'ís of the Western Hemisphere, by Ruhiyyih (Mary Maxwell) Khanum (1969). An overview of the Bahá'í Faith, written to the native Inuit and First Nations peoples of North America. [about]
    24. Messengers of God in North America, Revisited: An Exegesis of 'Abdu'l-Bahá's Tablet to Amír Khán, by Christopher Buck and Donald Addison, in Online Journal of Bahá'í Studies, 1 (2007). The indigenous peoples of the Americas have their own claim to wisdom tradition, which derive from Messengers of God to First Nations. This principle is anchored in the Tablet to Amír Khán Áhan. [about]
    25. Monotheistic Religion in Africa: The Example of the Swazi People, by Margaret Pemberton-Pigott and Crispin Pemberton-Pigott, in Bahá'í Faith and the World's Religions (2005). Similarities between the Bahá'í Faith and the ancient traditional beliefs of the Swazi people of Southern Africa. [about]
    26. Native American and Other Indigenous Messengers of God, by Patricia Locke (1993). God did not neglect the millions of indigenous peoples of the Western hemisphere; over the centuries, many messengers were sent to Indian nations to bring them divine theologies. Includes compilation of stories about Native prophets and prophecies. [about]
    27. Native American Vision and the Teachings of 'Abdu'l-Baha, by Paula Bidwell (2011). Presentation addressing issues of concern to Native Americans, cast in the light of statements of Abdu'l-Bahá from his 1912 visit to the United States. [about]
    28. Native Bahá'ís: Bios of past and contemporary Bahá'ís of native ancestry (2014). Links to photographs and information from the 1910s to the present about Native Bahá'ís, both from the United States, Canada, Hawaii, and Alaska, and indigenous Bahá'ís elsewhere around the world. [about]
    29. Navajo Tradition, The: Transition to the Bahá'í Faith, by Linda S. Covey, in Images, imaginations, and beyond: proceedings of the 8th Native American Symposium, November 2009, ed. Mark B. Spencer (2010). Examines three reasons behind the conversion of some Navajo to Bahá'í in the early 1960s: fulfillment of prophecy, cultural empowerment and autonomy, and protection of traditional practices. [about]
    30. New Skin For An Old Drum, A: Changing Contexts of Yukon Aboriginal Bahá'í Storytelling, by Lynn Echevarria-Howe, in Northern Review, 29 (2008). On the construction of the religious self through the storytelling processes of Yukon Aboriginal Bahá’ís: how do people put together stories to construct their contemporary Bahá’í identity? [about]
    31. Outpost of a World Religion: The Bahá'í Faith in Australia 1920-1947, by Graham Hassall, in Journal of Religious History, 16:3 (1991). An updated version of a paper published in two places. [about]
    32. Path of Beauty, The: The Literary Life of Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum, by Sandra Lynn Hutchison, in World Order, 31:2 (1999). An extensive review of the varied literary works of Ruhiyyih Khanum – poems, plays, ethical guidance, practical guidelines for Baha’i pioneering and teaching, inspirational essays, literary and scriptural commentary, biography, and even a film script. [about]
    33. Perfection and Refinement: Towards an Aesthetics of the Bab, by Moojan Momen, in Lights of Irfan, 12 (2011). The writings of the Bab have implications for the "plastic" arts; significance for native traditions; relevance to the performing arts; and the concept of refinement which comes across in both the person and the writings of the Báb. [about]
    34. Personal Journey toward Reconciliation, A, by Patricia Verge, in Journal of Bahá'í Studies, 26:3 (2016). On the author's spiritual journey and how it has been entwined with First Nations people; tensions between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Bahá'ís; pioneering to the Nakoda community; and the importance of learning, listening, and personal transformation. [about]
    35. Prevención de Discriminaciones y Protección a las Minorías, 1988, by Bahá'í International Community (1988). [about]
    36. Prevención de Discriminaciones y Protección a las Minorías, 1989, by Bahá'í International Community (1989). [about]
    37. Return of the Dreamtime, by Pym Trueman, in The Family: Our Hopes and Challenges (1995). Brief history of Christianity and missionary work in Samoa and Australia, and how native Samoan customs and beliefs were changed or lost. [about]
    38. Return to Tyendinaga: The Story of Jim and Melba Loft, Bahá'í Pioneers, by Evelyn Loft Watts and Patricia Verge: Review, by Lee Brown (2013). History of the first Aboriginal believers in Canada, who moved from Michigan to pioneer in the Tyendinaga First Nation in Ontario in 1948. [about]
    39. Scholarship from an Aboriginal Perspective, by Diana Rose Yoka, in Bahá'í Studies in Australasia vol. 3 (1996). Scholarship can be demonstrated in our daily lives, through how we interact with each other and put Bahá'u'lláh's admonitions into action; it is not limited to the written word: to have meaning it needs to include experiential learning. [about]
    40. Signs of God on Earth, by Ruhiyyih (Mary Maxwell) Khanum (1963). Talk presented at the First Bahá'í World Congress in London, 1963, about pioneering, teaching indigenous people, and about her memories of the Guardian. [about]
    41. Something Regal: Uncle Fred Murray Extracts from a compilation of tributes, photographs and stories, by June Perkins, in Australian Bahá'í Studies, vol. 2 (2000). Stories about and pictures of Fred Murray, an early Indigenous Baha’i. [about]
    42. Special Report on Baha'i Burial vs. Maori Custom, by National Spiritual Assembly of New Zealand (1989). Special report about reconciling Bahá'í burial laws with local maori customs where they conflict; includes guidance from the Universal House of Justice. [about]
    43. Thinking Through Images: Kastom and the Coming of the Baha'is to Northern New Ireland, Papua New Guinea, by Graeme Were, in Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, 11 (2005). Anthropological study on the Bahá'í Faith in the Nalik area of New Ireland, New Guinea, especially the Nalik people's belief in harnessing ancestral power using transformative imagery. [about]
    44. Universities as the Gatekeepers of the Intellectual Property of Indigenous People's Medical Knowledge, by Chris Jones Kavelin, in Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, Volume 37 (2008). While this article is inspired by Bahá'í principles, it has no mention of the Bahá'í Faith. [about]
    45. Why Indigenous Peoples Are Distinctive, by Sue Podger, in Bahá'í Studies in Australasia vol. 3 (1996). The Bahá'í Faith supplies the direction to follow in the healing of the planet and its peoples. Do indigenous peoples have a special role in bringing about change in mankind's relationship to reality? [about]
     
    See all tags, sorted numerically or alphabetically.

    See all locations, sorted numerically or alphabetically.

    Home Site Map Forum Links Copyright About Contact
    .
    . .