Culture and Religion
Religion ("Lotu") and Culture ("Aga'ifenua") are very close in Wallis. Everyday life is heavily influenced by Polynesian traditions and especially by the Roman Catholic Feasts. Each Village has its own Patron Saint. Each District has its Great Church. (the Chief Cathedral is Cathedral of Mata-Utu). Almost all the people are Roman Catholic ("Lotu Katolika"), and there are numerous religious buildings on the island.
At their arrival, Catholic missionaries were welcomed by the King Vaimua Lavelua then baptized "Soane-Patita Vaimua". Bishop Bataillon, become a very close relative of the Royal Families, as Private Councellar of the Queen Amelia, he established in 1847, the "Lano Seminary". (First Catholic Seminary of Oceania). Lano celebrated 150 years in 1997, the Anniversary was also attended by the Samoan, His Eminence Cardinal Pio Taofinu'u, who studied there in the 40's, and big delegation from Tonga, Samoa, Fiji and New-Caledonia.
Wallis and Futuna was Established as Apostolic Vicariate in November 11, 1935 and promoted as Diocese June 21, 1966.
In Wallis, culture is very important and is treasured by the inhabitants. Simple things such as traditional events like the kava ceremony, going to church, doing the plantation, knowing how to fish and other stuff are just important to the Wallisians.
Read more about this topic: Wallis (island)
Famous quotes containing the words culture and, culture and/or religion:
“With respect to a true culture and manhood, we are essentially provincial still, not metropolitan,—mere Jonathans. We are provincial, because we do not find at home our standards; because we do not worship truth, but the reflection of truth; because we are warped and narrowed by an exclusive devotion to trade and commerce and manufacturers and agriculture and the like, which are but means, and not the end.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“As the end of the century approaches, all our culture is like the culture of flies at the beginning of winter. Having lost their agility, dreamy and demented, they turn slowly about the window in the first icy mists of morning. They give themselves a last wash and brush-up, their ocellated eyes roll, and they fall down the curtains.”
—Jean Baudrillard (b. 1929)
“Ethics and religion differ herein; that the one is the system of human duties commencing from man; the other, from God. Religion includes the personality of God; Ethics does not.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)