The Authentic Story of the Missionary Pose

No one knows for sure why it was named that way. The idea that missionaries were teaching people in subordinate territories is nothing more than a common myth. The term appeared in the 1950s and is possibly linked to translation errors in historical documents. Anthropologists mention in books about the Papuan tribe of Trobrianders that after the arrival of Christian missionaries, tribe members started displaying their emotions towards each other, such as kissing and hugging. Others criticized them for this, calling these new habits 'misinari si bubunela' (missionary fashion) - what these very missionaries showed them.