Lilian Alá'í
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2 July 1929
Lilian 'Alá'í | |
|---|---|
 Photo of Lilian 'Alá'í | |
| Born | Lilian Elizabeth Wyss 2 July 1929 Queensland |
| Died | 20 April 2023 (aged 93) |
| Occupation | religious leader |
| Known for | Member of the Bahá'í Faith in Australia with the title of Knight of Baháʼu'lláh |
Lilian Elizabeth Alá'í (née Wyss) (2 July 1929 – 20 April 2023) was an Australian Bahá'í woman with the title of Knight of Baháʼu'lláh. She served the Bahá'í Faith for nearly eighty years, with approximately fifty-seven of those years dedicated to serving in Western Samoa and American Samoa. The title Knight of Baháʼu'lláh was given by Shoghi Effendi, Guardian of the Baháʼí Faith from 1921 to 1957, to Baháʼís who opened new territories as part of his goal-oriented ten-year Baháʼí teaching plans.[1]
'Alá'í learned about the Bahá'í Faith from school friends at an early age, and then became a Bahá'í in 1944. She first served the Bahá'í Faith through pioneering and teaching the Bahá'í Faith in Europe from 1947 to 1952. Returning to Australia at the request of Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Faith from 1921 to 1957, 'Alá'í assisted the Australian Bahá’í Community teaching the Bahá'í Faith in various states in 1953. She then served on the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Australia and New Zealand, before resigning to pioneer as the first Bahá'í in Western Samoa in 1954 as part of the global Ten Year Crusade, as a Knight of Baháʼu'lláh. 'Alá'í served the Bahá’í Faith in various administrative capacities in Western Samoa (Independent State of Samoa) and American Samoa until 2010, before returning again to Australia.
Introduction to the Teachings of the Bahá'í Faith
Australian-born 'Alá'í and her brother Frank Wyss (1927–2007), while living in Tahmoor in rural New South Wales, heard of the Bahá'í Faith from their fellow students (who were siblings) at Bowral High School during the years of World War II.[2] 'Alá'í and her brother Frank both accepted the Bahá'í Faith at the Yerrinbool Bahá'í School on different days in 1944.[1][3] In a letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Faith on 10 December 1944, 'Alá'í and her brother were referred to as “enlightened youth” by the Guardian, and welcomed into the Bahá'í Faith.[4]
Serving the Bahá'í Faith in Europe
'Alá'í's parents were Swiss immigrants[2] and as such it was decided that 'Alá'í would spend time with her relatives in Switzerland when she completed her education.[1] 'Alá'í, while based in Switzerland from 1947 to 1952, travelled extensively throughout Europe, which was emerging from the impacts of World War II.[5][6] In December 1949, 'Alá'í offered her services to the European Teaching Committee to pioneer for the Bahá'í Faith in Europe, and this was approved by Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Faith, in a letter addressed to 'Alá'í on 25 January 1950.[4] 'Alá'í subsequently pioneered in Norway in 1950 for 6 months.[1][7] In May 1952, 'Alá'í wrote to the Guardian, requesting to pioneer in Africa.[1] In a letter addressed to 'Alá'í from Shoghi Effendi the Guardian of the Faith on 4 June 1952, the Guardian appealed to 'Alá'í to return to Australia and serve the Bahá'í Faith in the country of her birth, in order that the Australian Bahá'í community not fail in its teaching goals.[4] 'Alá'í was one of the keynote speakers at the European Teaching Conference and Summer School in Luxembourg, organised by the European Teaching Committee in August–September 1952.[8] 'Alá'í returned to Australia as requested, after serving the Faith in Europe, arriving in Sydney in December 1952.[9]
Serving the Bahá'í Faith in Australia
Upon returning to Australia, 'Alá'í was requested by the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Australia and New Zealand to visit Bahá'í communities in four states in Australia and assist with their teaching campaigns.[1][10] In February and March 1953, she spoke at a range of public venues about her experiences in Europe from 1947 to 1952, and also about the established principles of the Bahá'í Faith, including gender equality, the unity of humanity, elimination of racism and prejudice, universal education, elimination of the extremes of wealth and poverty, harmony of science and religion, progressive revelation, and the independent investigation of truth.[10][11] Her public addresses at the time were enhanced through her presentation of colour slides of European countries.[5][11] 'Alá'í was by all accounts an accomplished, inspiring, and energising speaker, and was described by the media at the time as “charming, vitally alive and keenly intellectual”.[12] In April 1953, 'Alá'í was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Australia and New Zealand.[1][13] Her term with this national governing body was truncated however through the appeal of Shogi Effendi, the Guardian of the Faith, for Bahá'ís worldwide to pioneer to new territories as part of the Ten Year Crusade 1953–1963. Of the nine members of the National Spiritual Assembly at the time, 'Alá'í was one of six to decide to resign from the Assembly and pioneer to new territories.[2][3] The response by these Australian Bahá'ís far exceeded the response of any other national governing body in the world. A letter addressed to 'Alá'í on behalf of Shoghi Effendi on 19 July 1953 recommended that in spite of important work with teaching and administration on the National Assembly, “pioneer work far more urgent at present”, strongly encouraging pioneering service in the Pacific Islands.[4] It also emphasised that those Bahá'ís who were willing to undertake this commitment without delay would be “inscribed on the roll of honour”. 'Alá'í was officially inscribed on this Roll of Honour as a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh for Samoa Islands in March 1954.[14]
Pioneering as a Bahá'í and Settlement in Samoa Islands
After an initial attempt to pioneer to the Solomon Islands was unsuccessful, 'Alá'í decided to pioneer to Samoa.[1] On the journey from Australia towards Samoa, 'Alá'í attended a Bahá'í Summer School in Auckland, New Zealand, where she met her future husband Suhayl 'Alá'í.[1][15][16] On 14 January 1954, 'Alá'í arrived at Apia, Western Samoa, and was named a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh in the Roll of Honour by Shoghi Effendi, a title awarded to Bahá'ís who opened up new territories to the Bahá'í Faith during the Ten Year Crusade.[2][17][18][19] 'Alá'í was successful in securing employment the day after arrival.[1] However, in the first few months, she also experienced health challenges.[2][1] 'Alá'í and Suhayl 'Alá'í married in Suva, Fiji in November 1954, with the wedding ceremony arranged by the Local Spiritual Assembly of Bahá'ís of Suva.[1] This was the first Bahá'í marriage in the South Pacific.[16][20] The wedding itself was notable for the cultural diversity and distances travelled, by the bride, groom, and guests.[21][22] The couple then moved back to Apia, Western Samoa, and over the years two children were born and raised in Western Samoa.[16] The parents of Suhayl 'Alá'í and his two younger siblings also pioneered as Bahá'ís in Apia, Western Samoa, but at the suggestion of the Guardian of the Faith, Shoghi Effendi, later pioneered to Hastings, New Zealand.[23] In 1959, 'Alá'í, her husband and their two children permanently moved to American Samoa to pioneer and keep this territory open to the Faith.[1][24] Their third child was born and raised in American Samoa, and they later established a business there.[2]