Protestants in Tuvalu- Tuvalu is one of the most heavily Protestant nations in the world. In 2019, over 92% of the population belonged to a Protestant denomination. [1]
The Congregational Christian Church of Tuvalu, (Tuvaluan: Te Ekalesia Kelisiano Tuvalu, EKT), is the de facto state church of Tuvalu, the only established church in the Reformed tradition in the world. [2] Its adherents comprise about 86% of the 11,500 inhabitants of the archipelago, [3] and theologically it is part of the Reformed tradition. [4]
Christianity first came to Tuvalu in 1861 when Elekana, a deacon of a Congregational church in Manihiki, Cook Islands became caught in a storm and drifted for eight weeks before landing at Nukulaelae. [5] [6] Elekana began proselytising Christianity. He was trained at Malua Theological College, a London Missionary Society school in Samoa, before beginning his work in establishing the Church of Tuvalu. In 1865, the Rev A. W. Murray of the London Missionary Society – a Protestant congregationalist missionary society – arrived as the first European missionary where he too proselytised among the inhabitants of Tuvalu.
By 1878, Christianity was well-established with preachers on each island. At the end of the 19th century, the ministers of what became the Church of Tuvalu were predominantly Samoans, who influenced the development of the Tuvaluan language and the music of Tuvalu. [5] [7]
In 1969, the EKT acquired its independence from the LMS, since which time it has sent some missionaries to serve Tuvaluan migrants in Fiji, New Zealand, Hawaii, Australia, and the Marshall Islands. [8]
The second largest religious group in Tuvalu is the Brethren Church whose followers make up 3% of the population. [3]
Other denominations include the Seventh-day Adventist Church, Baptists, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Assemblies of God, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. [3]
The first inhabitants of Tuvalu were Polynesians, so the origins of the people of Tuvalu can be traced to the spread of humans out of Southeast Asia, from Taiwan, via Melanesia and across the Pacific islands of Polynesia.
Tuvaluan, often called Tuvalu, is a Polynesian language closely related to the Ellicean group spoken in Tuvalu. It is more or less distantly related to all other Polynesian languages, such as Hawaiian, Māori, Tahitian, Samoan, Tokelauan and Tongan, and most closely related to the languages spoken on the Polynesian Outliers in Micronesia and Northern and Central Melanesia. Tuvaluan has borrowed considerably from Samoan, the language of Christian missionaries in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Vaitupu is the largest atoll of the nation of Tuvalu. It is located at 7.48 degrees south and 178.83 degrees east. There are 1,061 people living on 5.6 square kilometres with the main village being Asau.
The traditional music of Tuvalu consists of dances, including fatele, fakanau and fakaseasea. The influence of the Samoan missionaries sent to Tuvalu by the London Missionary Society from the 1860s resulted in the suppression of songs about the traditional religions or magic and many songs were lost. As the influence of the missionaries diminished in the 20th century the traditional dances were revived and the siva dance tradition from Samoa also became popular.
Nanumanga or Nanumaga is a reef island and a district of the Oceanian island nation of Tuvalu. It has a surface area of about 3 km2 with a population of 491.
Niutao is a reef island in the northern part of Tuvalu. It is one of the nine districts (islands) of Tuvalu. It is also one of the three districts that consist of only one island — not counting the three islets inside the closed lagoon. Niutao has a population of 582.
Nukulaelae is an atoll that is part of the nation of Tuvalu, and it has a population of 300. The largest settlement is Pepesala on Fangaua islet with a population of 300 people. It has the form of an oval and consists of at least 15 islets. The inhabited islet is Fangaua, which is 1.5 kilometres (0.93 mi) long and 50 to 200 metres wide. The easternmost point of Tuvalu is Niuoko islet. The Nukulaelae Conservation Area covers the eastern end of the lagoon. A baseline survey of marine life in the conservation zone was conducted in 2010.
The Congregational Christian Church of Tuvalu, commonly the Church of Tuvalu, is a Christian church which is the state church of Tuvalu, although this status merely entitles it to "the privilege of performing special services on major national events"; its adherents comprise about 86% of the 11,600 inhabitants of the archipelago.
The Kiribati Uniting Church (KUC) is a united Protestant Christian denomination in Kiribati. With approximately 25,000 members, and 136 congregations, the KUC is the second-largest religious group in Kiribati and accounts for approximately 21 percent of the population of the country.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Tuvalu:
Christianity is the predominant religion in Tuvalu, with Calvinism being the single largest denomination.
The Congregational Christian Church Samoa (CCCS) is an international evangelical Christian Church originally established in Samoa by missionaries of the London Missionary Society.
The Congregational Christian Church of American Samoa - CCCAS is a theologically Calvinist and Congregational denomination in American Samoa.
The fatele or faatele is a traditional dance song of Tuvalu. Dancing songs are the most common type of traditional Tuvaluan song, with other traditional dance styles including fakanau and fakaseasea.
The Kiribati Protestant Church (KPC) and earlier, the Gilbert Islands Protestant Church, is a Protestant Christian denomination in Kiribati. With approximately 10,000 members, and 136 congregations, the KPC was the second-largest religious group in Kiribati before creation of the new Kiribati Uniting Church and accounts now for approximately 8 percent of the population of the country.
The Reformed Congregational LMS Samoan Church(Samoan: Ekalesia LMS Toefuata'ina Samoa) is a global Christian Denomination based in Samoa, Australia, New Zealand and the United States of America. It traces its origins to Protestant and Congregationalist doctrines, while its core is firmly grounded in the Samoan language, culture, and tradition. The motto of the Church is Fa'afaigofie, Fa'ataugofie, Fa'asa'oloto.
Elekana was the first person to introduce Christianity to the Pacific islanders in what is now called Tuvalu. He was born in the Cook Islands in the 19th century, although the dates of his birth and death are unknown.
Saloa Tauia was a Tuvaluan politician who served as Speaker of Parliament from August 2002 until his death in February 2003.
Kitiona Tausi was elected to the Parliament of Tuvalu in the 2022 by-election to represent the Nanumanga electorate; However he was not re-elected in the 2024 Tuvaluan general election.
Dr. Maina Talia is a Tuvaluan politician and is known for his work as a climate activist.