Nana Amat’u was loved by her people. She was an amazing scholar, and whatever good thing she had, she wanted her people to have, too. How so?
She was well-educated, so she made sure all the other women around her were, too. When she began teaching her people, she wanted to create opportunities for other women to teach as well!
But soon there was a BIG problem.
She was able to practice her religion the traditional way, but many of her people in rural areas couldn’t – because white colonizers were forcing many of them to worship in the European way. They were whitewashing and destroying her culture! She had to respond.
In 1830, she formed a group of women to go into rural areas and help the locals learn to read and practice their religion for themselves. She listened to them about the needs of their people, and these “yan-taru,” as they were called, helped transform their lives.
But Amat’u wasn’t finished fighting these racists.
She was also a prolific writer whose works are still used in education and worship worldwide! Our culture is under constant attack by racist revisionists and appropriators. Asmat’u used her talents to protect and uplift our culture. How will you use your gifts to uplift our people?