- [Lucas] So we're at Iosepa.

(soft country music) This was settled by the Hawaiians and it's specifically the land that the LDS church gave them.

Utah was settled when the Mormons came from the east.

They thought of the Salt Lake Valley as almost like their promised land.

And then eventually missionaries were sent to Hawaii and they converted some Hawaiians and they came here to settle.

And that's how we ended up here in Iosepa.

- The Mormons came to the west to settle and create their temple and colonize their people.

And then the Hawaiians came here and then the people of the church sent them out here to Iosepa.

- They came here after converting to be close to the church and the church bought this land from a rancher and then moved them out here.

And then once they announced the building of the Laie Temple in the early 1900s, a lot of people started to go back home.

Stories say that when the last of the settlers left that they were crying.

Even though they were going back home they were sad to leave this place.

(soft country music) - What the Hawaiians did to come over here must've been a struggle 'cause it is pretty far away from the temple.

And so I feel like they were just kind of like, banished over here, just like, sent over here to the middle of nowhere.

- I think it was kind of a way to push them out because we're about like, 50 miles away from the temple.

For us nowadays it's not that long, it's only like an hour drive, but for people in the 1800s that's a long horse ride.

And like, I think it was almost kind of hidden from us because, at least speaking for myself, most Polynesians don't know about Iosepa.

And I think that's important to know because like, why was it hidden?

Why did they push us all the way out here away from everybody else?

- I grew up a pretty faithful member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

So we learned every summer at youth conference about the pioneers coming across the plains.

So I was really surprised that I didn't know about Iosepa and I didn't find out about it until many years later.

And I actually found it in a book about like, the 10 most interesting things in Utah, and Iosepa was one of them.

And I was immediately angry that I didn't know about it because I feel like if you grow up here and you are Pacific Islander, that you should know these kinds of things or someone should have brought me here before.

But I just felt really disconnected, like it was a secret, which is frustrating.

So I thought it was really important to teach it and my people of the Pacific class, at least just so that they're not surprised like I felt surprised.

And I think for so many people it is about not being seen.

And I think when you take history and you never see yourself in these stories, having a class where you can learn about your culture and the importance of it is important.

- Iosepa to me (hopeful music) it's like, a good learning experience to learn about like, why the Hawaiians were sent over here, to see like, how they lived, what we do to like, maintain here.

- I think it's important to know about Iosepa because it's part of our culture.

Lots of the Pacific Islands were either colonized or missionaries came and sort of converted a lot of our people.

So I think it's important to know about this place 'cause the reason this exists is because Hawaiians were converted to the LDS church.

- [Christine] But I think the way I felt when I was 14 and 15 learning about the pioneers coming over, I feel that same sense about the Polynesians who came here.

And even though like, I don't have a connection to people who settled here, who had to leave their families, the stuff that they had to do to get here to then live in the snow and then to face racism and then still making a community in which they can flourish and trade is inspiring.

I think as a Pacific Islander, we stand on their shoulders and what they've done here.

It warms my heart and soul knowing that people who look like me lived here in the 1800s and that our people are a part of Utah history.

(hopeful music) (pleasant music)