Hawaii’s Bahá’ís gathered at their national center in Nu’uanu Valley in Honolulu from April 25-26 to elect the 63rd National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the Hawaiian Islands. The nine-member governing body for the Hawai`i Bahá’í community was first elected in 1964.
“Bahá’í communities throughout the world have a unique approach to governance,” said U’ileiuluwehi Pimental from Hawai`i Island, who was re-elected to serve on the National Spiritual Assembly. “We do not have clergy. Local Bahá’í communities are administered by elected councils of nine members, called Local Spiritual Assemblies. National Spiritual Assemblies are elected to serve the community at the national level. We do not have nominations or engage in electioneering. After prayer and reflection, electors vote for any adult Bahá’í in their jurisdiction who they feel is best suited to serve in this capacity. At our annual National Convention, we see how effective a non-partisan approach to elections can be.”
“Thirty-eight delegates elected by members of local communities from six islands gathered at our National Convention to elect the National Spiritual Assembly and consulted about ways in which Bahá’ís can contribute to the betterment of communities across Hawai`i,” said Pimental.
National Spiritual Assembly members include:
From Hawaiʻi Island cluster: Uʻileiuluwehi Pimental, Robert Losey, Melina Rajaei
From Nā Moku Pili cluster (Lānaʻi, Molokaʻi and Maui): Curtis Jamison, Heidi Mathison, Nicholas Okamoto
From O‘ahu cluster: Frank Hernandez, Antonio Puga, Clara Whippy
Participants in the 2026 Hawai`i Bahá’í National Convention
The Bahá’í Faith, which originated in Persia (Iran) in 1844, was first introduced to Hawaiʻi in 1901 by Ms. Agnes Baldwin Alexander. Bahá’ís now live throughout the islands. Members of the nineteen Local Spiritual Assemblies in Hawai`i were elected by members of their communities on April 21.
An important topic of consultation at this year’s convention was the participation of 13 Bahá’ís from the Hawaiian Islands in a recent Regional Bahá’í Institutional Gathering at the Bahá’í House of Worship in Apia, Samoa. Over 250 Bahá’ís from 11 Pacific Island countries participated.
“In Apia, we had profound, insightful conversations based on direct experience of the efforts of the Bahá’ís to join with others to build vibrant communities in their localities,” said Pimental, who attended the gathering in Samoa. “The first steps often involve engaging in elevated, hopeful conversations, which take place against the background of rancor and difficult circumstances so many people are facing in these troubling times. Much of our National Convention consultation was focused on how to enhance processes that build capacities in communities to elevate conversations about the strengths and needs of families.”
A special guest at the National Convention was Mrs. Jaimee Lolo, a Bahá’í from New Zealand, representing the Continental Board of Counsellors for the Bahá’ís of Australasia. In her comments she highlighted insights from the annual 2026 message from the international governing Bahá’i body, the Universal House of Justice. She observed that the message emphasized the need to deepen and broaden conversations and activities, especially for children and youth, as Bahá’ís collaborate with people of all faiths in efforts to strengthen communities for the betterment of all.
Special guest Mrs. Jaimee Lolo from Aotearoa shared her mana’o with the convention.
The message sent from the delegates of the 63rd National Hawai`i Bahá’i Convention to the Universal House of Justice expressed the concern of the delegates for the status of the oppressed Bahá’í community in Iran. The message ended with this observation: “We are keenly aware of our blessed spiritual and cultural heritage, and the incredible diversity of our Nation which makes Hawai`i unique, and remember the Friends in Iran with both concern for their unrelenting struggles and gratitude for their sacrifice, and pray that our service will bring joy to their hearts.”
For more information contact Clara Whippy, Assistant Secretary of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of the Hawaiian Islands, at (808) 595-3314, [email protected]), or Ed Young, Hawai`i Bahá’í Office of Public Affairs, at (808) 223-6343 ([email protected])