Lahainaluna Seminary

Lahainaluna Seminary, founded in 1831 by the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, was the first school established west of the Rocky Mountains. Situated on the slopes above Lahaina, Maui, it quickly became a center of Christian learning for Native Hawaiian students. The mission was not simply to provide literacy, but to form pastors, teachers, and leaders who could guide their people in faith and wisdom.

For the first time, young Hawaiians were given structured Christian education in their own language. Lahainaluna became a hub where the Scriptures were studied deeply, hymns were composed, and sermons were crafted to reach the Hawaiian heart and mind. Graduates of the seminary went on to pastor churches across the islands, teach in village schools, and advise aliʻi in law and governance. Their leadership helped spread literacy, strengthened the role of the Hawaiian Bible, and established a shared spiritual foundation for the nation.

The seminary also launched Hawai‘i’s first printing press, producing textbooks, translations, and Ka Lama Hawaii, the islands’ first Hawaiian-language newspaper. These publications gave Hawaiians a voice in their own education, faith, and governance, ensuring that Christianity was rooted in local culture and leadership. One Lahainaluna student captured the spirit of the school when he wrote:

“We have learned to worship Jehovah, and to teach our people to turn from idols and follow the true God”

The influence of Lahainaluna stretched far beyond its campus. By shaping leaders from among the Hawaiian people themselves, it ensured that Christianity was not just introduced by outsiders, but deeply embraced and carried forward by Hawaiians, leaving a legacy that transformed both church and society.