Jonatana Napela
Encyclopedia
Jonatana Napela or Jonathan Hawaii Napela (first name also spelled Iohatana, full name Napelakapuonamahanaonaleleonalani) (1813–1879) was one of the earliest Latter-day Saint converts in Hawai'i. He helped translate the Book of Mormon
into Hawaiian
with George Q. Cannon
.
Napela was trained as a lawyer and served as a judge in Wailuku, Hawaii
when he met Cannon. After his conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints he was removed from his judgeship.
In the words of Andrew Jensen, Napela "did splendid missionary work for the Church." He was specifically sent on a mission in 1853, but as was common in the early church spent much of his time preaching the gospel. On one occasion Cannon and other American elders had prayed for good weather, but decided the weather would be poor and were on their way to hold the meeting in a building. Napela, who had been present when they prayed for good weather, was surprised at their lack of faith, and they followed his lead and held the meeting in a grove of trees.
Starting in January 1852 Napela begin working with Cannon on translating the Book of Mormon. Cannon would first render the text of a few pages in Hawaiian. Then he would discuss the meaning of the pages with Napela. Then Cannon would ask Napela to explain the meaning of the translation.
Napela was a vigorous preacher of Mormonism
in the islands, and was one of the men responsible for sending word to church headquarters that Walter M. Gibson
was leading the church astray. This led to Ezra T. Benson
, Lorenzo Snow
and Joseph F. Smith
traveling to Hawaii to excommunicate Gibson and put the church in order.
In 1866 Napela traveled to Salt Lake City.
In 1873, Napela's wife Kitty Richardson contracted leprosy
and he went with her to live at the Kalaupapa
Leper Colony on Molokai
. His wife was the only female of mixed Hawaiian and European descent admitted to the colony that year. Napela was appointed superintendent of the leper colony but soon ran into trouble with the board of health because of his unwillingness to enforce a rigid segregation
of lepers and non-lepers. For the rest of his life he presided over the Latter-day Saints at that location. He died of leprosy on August 6, 1879.
The Hawaiian Studies Center at Brigham Young University Hawaii
is named after Napela.
In 2010 the Roman Catholic Church presented the Polynesian Cultural Center
with a plaque commemorating Napela's cooperation with Saint Damien.
Book of Mormon
The Book of Mormon is a sacred text of the Latter Day Saint movement that adherents believe contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from approximately 2600 BC to AD 421. It was first published in March 1830 by Joseph Smith, Jr...
into Hawaiian
Hawaiian language
The Hawaiian language is a Polynesian language that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the state of Hawaii...
with George Q. Cannon
George Q. Cannon
George Quayle Cannon was an early member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and served in the First Presidency under four successive presidents of the church: Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, and Lorenzo Snow...
.
Life
Napela was born September 11, 1813 and educated at Lahainaluna School.Napela was trained as a lawyer and served as a judge in Wailuku, Hawaii
Wailuku, Hawaii
Wailuku is a census-designated place in Maui County, Hawaii, United States. The population was 12,296 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Maui County.Wailuku is located just west of Kahului, at the mouth of the Īao Valley...
when he met Cannon. After his conversion to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints he was removed from his judgeship.
In the words of Andrew Jensen, Napela "did splendid missionary work for the Church." He was specifically sent on a mission in 1853, but as was common in the early church spent much of his time preaching the gospel. On one occasion Cannon and other American elders had prayed for good weather, but decided the weather would be poor and were on their way to hold the meeting in a building. Napela, who had been present when they prayed for good weather, was surprised at their lack of faith, and they followed his lead and held the meeting in a grove of trees.
Starting in January 1852 Napela begin working with Cannon on translating the Book of Mormon. Cannon would first render the text of a few pages in Hawaiian. Then he would discuss the meaning of the pages with Napela. Then Cannon would ask Napela to explain the meaning of the translation.
Napela was a vigorous preacher of Mormonism
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
in the islands, and was one of the men responsible for sending word to church headquarters that Walter M. Gibson
Walter M. Gibson
Walter Murray Gibson was an American adventurer and a government minister in the Kingdom of Hawaii prior to the kingdom's 1887 constitution.-Life:...
was leading the church astray. This led to Ezra T. Benson
Ezra T. Benson
Ezra Taft Benson was as an apostle and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints .-Early life:Benson was born in Mendon, Massachusetts, the son of John Benson and...
, Lorenzo Snow
Lorenzo Snow
Lorenzo Snow was the fifth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1898 to his death. Snow was the last president of the LDS Church in the nineteenth century.-Family:...
and Joseph F. Smith
Joseph F. Smith
Joseph Fielding Smith, Sr. was the sixth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
traveling to Hawaii to excommunicate Gibson and put the church in order.
In 1866 Napela traveled to Salt Lake City.
In 1873, Napela's wife Kitty Richardson contracted leprosy
Leprosy
Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a chronic disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Named after physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, leprosy is primarily a granulomatous disease of the peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions...
and he went with her to live at the Kalaupapa
Kalaupapa, Hawaii
Kalaupapa is a small unincorporated community on the island of Molokai in the U.S. state of Hawaii, within Kalawao County.The village is located on the Kalaupapa peninsula at the base of the highest sea cliffs in the world, dropping about into the Pacific Ocean.- Volcanic origin :Kalaupapa...
Leper Colony on Molokai
Molokai
Molokai or Molokai is an island in the Hawaiian archipelago. It is 38 by 10 miles in size with a land area of , making it the fifth largest of the main Hawaiian Islands and the 27th largest island in the United States. It lies east of Oahu across the 25-mile wide Kaiwi Channel and north of...
. His wife was the only female of mixed Hawaiian and European descent admitted to the colony that year. Napela was appointed superintendent of the leper colony but soon ran into trouble with the board of health because of his unwillingness to enforce a rigid segregation
Isolation (health care)
In health care, isolation refers to various measures taken to prevent contagious diseases from being spread from a patient to other patients, health care workers, and visitors, or from others to a particular patient...
of lepers and non-lepers. For the rest of his life he presided over the Latter-day Saints at that location. He died of leprosy on August 6, 1879.
The Hawaiian Studies Center at Brigham Young University Hawaii
Brigham Young University Hawaii
Brigham Young University–Hawaii is a private university located in Laie, Hawaii. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ....
is named after Napela.
In 2010 the Roman Catholic Church presented the Polynesian Cultural Center
Polynesian Cultural Center
The Polynesian Cultural Center is a Polynesian-themed theme park or living museum located in Laie, on the northern shore of Oahu, Hawaii. Dedicated on October 12, 1963, the PCC occupies owned by nearby Brigham Young University–Hawaii....
with a plaque commemorating Napela's cooperation with Saint Damien.