Bible translations into Athabaskan languages facts for kids
The Athabaskan language family is a group of languages spoken by many Indigenous peoples in North America. These languages are divided into three main groups: Northern Athabaskan, Pacific Coast Athabaskan, and Southern Athabaskan. It's amazing to know that the entire Bible has been translated into two Athabaskan languages. Also, the New Testament (the second part of the Bible) has been translated into five more. Even more languages have parts of the Bible available.
Contents
Bible Translations in Northern Athabaskan Languages
The Northern Athabaskan group includes many languages spoken across Canada and Alaska.
Beaver/Tsattine Language
The Gospel of Mark, a book from the Bible, was translated into the Beaver language by Alfred C. Garrioch in 1886. Later, in 1976, Marshal and Jean Holdstock created a new version of Mark's gospel.
Carrier Language
The Wycliffe Bible Translators worked with the Carrier Bible Translation Committee to translate the entire New Testament into the Nak'albun/Dzinhubun dialect of the Carrier language. This was published in 1995. They also made an updated version in 2011. Another group, Henry and Barbara Hilderbrandt, translated Mark's gospel into the Northern Carrier/Babine dialect in 1978.
Dene Suline/Chipewyan Language
In the Dene Suline language, spoken in central Canada, William West Kirkby translated the Gospels (the first four books of the New Testament) in 1878. The complete New Testament followed in 1881.
Deg Xinag Language
In 1896, parts of the Bible, including the Lord's Prayer, were translated into Deg Xinag. John Wight Chapman, Paul Hasyan, and Isaac Fisher worked on these translations. They were included in an Anglican prayer book.
Dogrib Language
The New Testament and the book of Genesis have been translated into the Dogrib language. Teams from Wycliffe Bible Translators have been working on this project since the 1960s. Jaap and Morine Feenstra, along with Vic and Anita Monus, led the effort. The full New Testament in Dogrib was finished and celebrated in 2003.
Gwich'in Language
The Gwich'in language, spoken in Canada, saw its first Bible translations in 1874. Archdeacon Robert McDonald translated the Gospels and some letters. By 1884, he had translated the whole New Testament. He continued working on the Old Testament, completing the first five books (the Pentateuch) by 1891. The entire Bible was ready for printing by 1897, and the first copies were shipped in 1899. Later, in 2011, Wycliffe Bible Translators produced a modern translation of the New Testament.
Koyukon Language
Several people worked on translating parts of the Bible into Koyukon, but many of these early translations were never officially published. David and Kay Henry of Wycliffe Bible Translators published parts of John, Mark, and Galatians in the Central Koyukon dialect in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Slavey/Hare Language
William C. Bompas translated parts of the Bible into Slavey. His translation of the first letter of John was published in 1855, and Mark's gospel came out in 1874. The four Gospels were published together in 1883. The rest of the New Testament was published in 1891. Later, in the 1970s, the Canadian Bible Society published new translations of John and Mark by Philip G. Howard.
Tahltan Language
T. Thorman translated some Bible passages into Tahltan. These were never published, but a handwritten notebook with his work exists in the Archives of British Columbia.
Upper Tanana Language
The Upper Tanana language is another Athabaskan language. The Gospel of Mark was published in Upper Tanana in 1966 by the American Bible Society. Paul Milanowski and Donald Joe, both from Wycliffe Bible Translators, worked on this. Paul and Trudy Milanowski also translated other New Testament letters, which were published in the early 1970s.
Chilcotin Language
The Gospel of Mark and the book of Genesis have been translated into the Chilcotin language.
Bible Translations in Southern Athabaskan Languages
The Southern Athabaskan group includes languages like Apache and Navajo, spoken in the Southwestern United States.
Jicarilla Apache Language
In 1965, Wycliffe Bible Translators published a book for the Jicarilla Apache people. This book included hymns and various Bible verses.
Western Apache Language
In 1958, some books of the New Testament, like John and James, were translated into Western Apache. After translating the Navajo Bible, Faye Edgerton learned Apache. She worked with Faith Hill and several Apache speakers, including Celena Perry, Britton Goode, Johnson Ethelbah, and Happy Moses. Together, they translated the entire New Testament into the Western Apache language. This important translation was finished in 1966.
The Navajo language is one of the most widely spoken Native American languages. The first parts of the Bible were translated into Navajo by Leonard P. Brink, a missionary. His translations of Genesis and Mark were published in 1910. By 1917, the American Bible Society published a collection of various Bible portions in one book called God Bîzad.
A lot more work began in 1944 when Faye Edgerton joined Wycliffe Bible Translators. She and Geronimo Martin updated older translations and completed most of the New Testament. The full New Testament was published in 1956 and became very popular among the Navajo people. The complete Bible, called Diyin God Bizaad (which means "Holy God's Word"), was first printed in 1985. A revised version came out in 2000. Navajo was the sixth Native American language to have the entire Bible translated into it.
See also
- Bible translations into Native American languages
