Elekana

Elekana or Erikana was a Christian deacon in the London Missionary Society who brought Christianity to Tuvalu after being blown off course and travelling over 1,500 nautical miles from Manihiki to Nukulaelae in 1861. He was active in Tuvalu until being removed in 1870. Little else is known about his life.

Personal life Elekana or Erikana was from Manihiki. The date of birth and death of Elekana is unknown and most of his biographical details are disputed. Maretu, a missionary who arrived in the Cook Islands in 1839, made Elekana a deacon in the Cook Island London Missionary Society (LMS)

Elekana was the father of a son named Tavita. Tavita later worked as a Christian missionary before being murdered in the Gulf of Papua in 1887. Tavita's son Teina Materua was adopted by his missionary partner Ruatoka.

Career Initially travelling between Manihiki and Rakahanga, the canoe carrying Elekana, Tavita, Tuitolu, Parana, Ninoko, and Larilari was blown off course by a storm and traversed the ocean for eight weeks. On 10 May 1861, their canoe made shore on Matamotu, an islet of Nukulaelae, after travelling over 1,500 nautical miles.

Elekana started to proselytize to the Ellice Islands (now Tuvalu) and left to go for to the Malua Theological College in Samoa in order to properly minister as he was not ordained yet. He went to Funafuti on his way to Samoa and was well received. He received his training and reported to the LMS that he needed missionaries for these islands. Reverend A.W. Murray was assigned to go with Elekana in May 1865.

Murray and Elekana visited five islands Elekana converted around 300 people on Nukulaelae. The LMS replaced Elekana with Sapolu in 1870, due to Elekana interfering in local politics. Celebrations were conducted for the anniversary of Elekana's arrival in 1961 and 1986. As of 2020, there are 11,500 Christians in Tuvalu.