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Abbot ”’Emmanuel Rougier”’ was born on 26 August 1864 at [[La Chomette]] and died on 16 December 1932 at [[Tahiti]]. |
Abbot ”’Emmanuel Rougier”’ was born on 26 August 1864 at [[La Chomette]] and died on 16 December 1932 at [[Tahiti]]. |
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== Biography == |
== Biography == |
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Rougier’s parents were Benoit and Louise.<ref>{{Cite web |last=etiva |date=2016-05-14 |title=Travel book – Emmanuel Rougier, the missionary billionaire of Tahiti and Christmas |url=https://www.voyagence.com/travel-book-emmanuel-rougier-the-missionary-billionaire-of-tahiti-and-christmas/?lang=en |access-date=2025-10-15 |website=Voyagence |language=en-US}}</ref> Rougier was ordained a priest in 1888. In June 1888 he accompanied Bishop Vidal (who would become the Vicor Apostolic of Fiji) to Fiji. They arrived at Fiji on the ship ”Caledonian” on 26 August 1888.<ref name=”:0″ /> |
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The arrival of the Catholics was seen as competition by the Methodist missionaries already in Fiji.<ref name=”:0″ /> Rougier became a very active missionary but also often came into conflict with the hierarchy of the church. |
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In 1901, when Rougier was based at the Catholic mission station at Naililili on the Rewa River delta, the high chief the Tui Namosi Matanitobua of the large village of Namosi sought his help. The chief had removed his people from the Methodist church after his wife had a disagreement with the Fijian Methodist preacher at [[Namosi District|Namosi]]. It was reported that more than 2000 people in the Namosi district followed their chief and converted to Catholicism. This incident earned Father Rougier the nickname “Poacher Rougier”.<ref name=”:0″ /> |
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Rougier designed the cathedral at Naililili. The church had 25 stained glass windows brought from France, a big clock, and bronze bells. The church was opened at Easter 1905, and blessed by Rougier on 6 May 1906.<ref name=”:0″ /> |
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He inherited a colossal fortune from a New Caledonian convict which he kept for his own benefit. He notably bought the Fanning and Washington Islands which he sold in 1907 in order to acquire Christmas Island (now known as [[Kiritimati]], the main island of [[Kiribati]].) where he founded a coconut plantation employing many Tahitians .
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Excluded from the Society of Mary ( Marist Brothers ) in 1909, he embraced his destiny as a businessman (even going so far as to traffic alcohol during the American prohibition) and settled in Tahiti from where he managed his affairs and became an important player in the political and economic life of the colony. A wealthy colonist, he lived in his very beautiful property of Taaone in Pirae . He was interested in ethnography and was one of the first presidents of the Society of Oceanian Studies . In 1925, Father Rougier, who was ill, entrusted the administration of Christmas Island to his nephew Paul-Emmanuel Rougier. |
Excluded from the Society of Mary ( Marist Brothers ) in 1909, he embraced his destiny as a businessman (even going so far as to traffic alcohol during the American prohibition) and settled in Tahiti from where he managed his affairs and became an important player in the political and economic life of the colony. A wealthy colonist, he lived in his very beautiful property of Taaone in Pirae . He was interested in ethnography and was one of the first presidents of the Society of Oceanian Studies . In 1925, Father Rougier, who was ill, entrusted the administration of Christmas Island to his nephew Paul-Emmanuel Rougier. |
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Latest revision as of 06:02, 15 October 2025
Abbot Pierre Joseph[1] Emmanuel Rougier (known as Emmanuel) was born on 26 August 1864 at La Chomette, France and died on 16 December 1932 at Tahiti.
Rougier’s parents were Benoit and Louise.[2] Rougier was ordained a priest in 1888. In June 1888 he accompanied Bishop Vidal (who would become the Vicor Apostolic of Fiji) to Fiji. They arrived at Fiji on the ship Caledonian on 26 August 1888.[1]
The arrival of the Catholics was seen as competition by the Methodist missionaries already in Fiji.[1] Rougier became a very active missionary but also often came into conflict with the hierarchy of the church.
In 1901, when Rougier was based at the Catholic mission station at Naililili on the Rewa River delta, the high chief the Tui Namosi Matanitobua of the large village of Namosi sought his help. The chief had removed his people from the Methodist church after his wife had a disagreement with the Fijian Methodist preacher at Namosi. It was reported that more than 2000 people in the Namosi district followed their chief and converted to Catholicism. This incident earned Father Rougier the nickname “Poacher Rougier”.[1]
Rougier designed the cathedral at Naililili. The church had 25 stained glass windows brought from France, a big clock, and bronze bells. The church was opened at Easter 1905, and blessed by Rougier on 6 May 1906.[1]
He inherited a colossal fortune from a New Caledonian convict which he kept for his own benefit. He notably bought the Fanning and Washington Islands which he sold in 1907 in order to acquire Christmas Island (now known as Kiritimati, the main island of Kiribati.) where he founded a coconut plantation employing many Tahitians .
Excluded from the Society of Mary ( Marist Brothers ) in 1909, he embraced his destiny as a businessman (even going so far as to traffic alcohol during the American prohibition) and settled in Tahiti from where he managed his affairs and became an important player in the political and economic life of the colony. A wealthy colonist, he lived in his very beautiful property of Taaone in Pirae . He was interested in ethnography and was one of the first presidents of the Society of Oceanian Studies . In 1925, Father Rougier, who was ill, entrusted the administration of Christmas Island to his nephew Paul-Emmanuel Rougier.
In August 1932, the navigator Fred Rebell stopped on the island during his solo crossing of the Pacific Ocean. He was the guest of Paul Rougier, “an elegant Frenchman sporting a Flemish goatee.” Paul Rougier showed him a prosperous copra farm employing around a hundred Tahitian workers on more than 500,000 coconut trees for an annual production of more than 6,000 tonnes.
- Christian Beslu, L‘île Christmas et l‘abbé Rougier, Bulletin de la Société des Études Océaniennes, n° 276, Mars-Juin 1998, (voir ici)
- Paul Boulagnon, Emmanuel Rougier – Des Isles d’Auvergne à l’Océanie, Éditions du Roure, 2002 ISBN 2-906278-39-4 (voir ici)
- Numa Broc, Dictionnaire des Explorateurs français du 19th century, T.4, Océanie, CTHS, 2003, p. 346
