26/04/2022
KALENJIN BIBLE TRANSLATIONS
By Kipkemoi Araap Korir--Mombilen
Before the coming of Christianity, the Kalenjin people were monotheistic with their traditional religion which had a lot of similarities with the rules and regulation found in the book of Leviticus for instance; do not lie, do not steal, do not pervert justice or show partiality, circumcision and many others (Leviticus 19:11-16).
This similarity in cultural practices made the Kalenjin adoption of Christianity seamless. But to understand the bible a huge task of translating it had to be done.
Many people were involved in translating the bible including but not limited to; Douglas A. Mutai, Jason A. Munai, Samuel A. Kimnyigei, Reuben A. Seroney, Elijah Cheruiyot, Ezekiel Kiprop Araap Birech, Erasto Araap Sio, Daniel Araap Salatt, Daniel Tomkou, Ronald Chumum, Elijah Nyeris, Joseph Murupus, Alston Toroitich, Francis Nalelio , Zablon Ruto, Jeremiah Birir, Cheboi Ngelechei, Rev Saina, Simeon Tarno Edwin Suter and my neighbor Jeremiah Kipyab.
History
By 18th and 19th Century, Protestant missionaries were coming to East Africa. Among the first missionaries to East Africa and who contributed to translation was Dr Johann Ludwig Krapf as well as his wife Rosina Dietrich and with Johann Rebmann who was in their company.
Krapf’s understood the centrality and importance of scripture translation into the vernacular language in his missionary enterprise "in recognition of scholarship in language, and translation work in Ethiopia, the University of Tubingen in Germany awarded him a doctorate on 1844”.
However, Krapf’s actual translation work on the ground lacked depth, and his translation was poor, hurried, unnatural, inaccurate, unclear against the basic qualities of Bible translation "at heart the three-prime consideration for Bible translation quality are, in modern language; Accuracy, Naturalness, and Clarity". However, this was a good start that led to the desire for the translation of the Bible.
The Kipsigis New Testament - Bukuit Ne Tilil
It is widely known that a journey of a thousand miles begins with a step, that how the Kalenjin Bible translation began with the gospel of Mark being translated into Kipsigis dialect in 1912 by O.H. Scouten of the Lumbwa Industrial Mission and published by the BFBS, London.
A.M. Anderson of the AIM embarked on the translation of the entire New Testament into Kipsigis, starting with Romans which was published in 1929. 1 & 2 Timothy in 1930 and 1931 and the Gospels followed this in 1932. Earl J. Anderson took over from where his father left off and revised the already translated books while translating the rest. By 1953, the entire New Testament had been completed. Earl Anderson was assisted by Douglas A. Mutai, Jason A. Munai and Paulo Claroigin.
The Nandi New Testament Bible - Arorutiet Ne Leel
Although the Nandi Bible translation started after the Kipsigis Bible, it was completed earlier than the Kipsigis Bible, and there is no reason given for this. By 1926, the first Nandi Bible portion of the gospel of John was translated.
This was followed by Romans in 1929 and Matthew in 1931. It’s worth noting that in both the Kipsigis and The Nandi Bible translation was done under the leadership missionaries of the AIM who among others included Marie Hansen, Frances and George McCreary, A.M. Anderson and Signe Kristensen.
Together with a new team composed of Stuart M Bryson of the Church Missionary Society (Australia) assisted by some Kenyans led by Samuel A. Gimnyegei, Reuben A. Seroney and Elijah A. Chepkwony the first Church leaders in the Kalenjin community revised the above portions and translated the remaining books of the New Testament. After the commitment and patience of these translators, in 1935 the New Testament in Nandi was completed and published by the Central Press at Sydney, Australia.
The current Kalenjin Bible - Bukuit Ne Tilil
Thereafter, the Kalenjin Bible translation began in 1951 through a committee which was formed with Earl Anderson as its chairman. Other people in this translation committee included; Frances J. Mumford of the AIM together with Ezekiel A. Birech (the late Bishop of the AIC in Kenya) as well as Erasto A. Sio and Daniel A. Salatt.
Seven years later, Mojola states that the book of Genesis was published in 1958, Mark in 1960, John in 1963, Matthew in 1965, Luke in 1966, Acts to Revelation in 1968, and the Old Testament in 1969. With the completion of the complete Kalenjin Bible, the Nandi and the Kipsigis New Testament Bible was not used frequently.
This made this translation not reprinted. However, “the Bible Society of Kenya has reported that it has recently received inquiries from church leaders for the reprinting of the 1939 Nandi Bible”.
The Pokot Bible translation - Pipilia
The Pokot dialect already had its first scripture portion of Ruth and was published in 1936 by the AIM at Kijabe. Within the same year, and the Gospel of Mark was published.
The portions of Matthew, Acts and Romans were published in 1963. Mojola explains that, “The current ongoing Pokoot common-language translation was initiated in the late 1970s when it was acknowledged that orthographical problems, as well as those affecting naturalness and clarity, meant that the existing Pokoot New Testament was neither fully accepted by the churches nor fully readable and intelligible in the Pokoot speaking area" .
The Pokot New Testament Bible was completed by 1986 this time round the translation team was composed of native speakers only. Among those translators are; Daniel Tomkou (Anglican), Ronald Chumum (AIC), Elijah Nyeris (Lutheran), Joseph Murupus (Reformed) and Alston Toroitich (Reformed) and Francis Nalelio (Anglican)
The Sabaot Bible translation - Biibilya Nyee Tilil
Bible Translation and Literacy (BTL) started in 1981 the translation work of the Sabaot scriptures, and it's now ongoing. The gospel of Mark was the first portion to be published in this language in 1987. Thereafter, the Gospel of Luke was translated in 1990. In 1992, some selected epistles of Paul, James and John were dedicated for public use.
The complete NT in Sabaot was reviewed in 1994 thereafter it was eventually published and released on the 14th December 1997 in Kapsokwony - Mt Elgon in Sabaot. After the completion of the New Testament, the BTL is now in the process of translating the Old Testament. In praise of BTL and SIL Mojola by saying “This project may be said to be the model SIL/BTL projects in East Africa”.
The Marakwet Bible translation - Araruut Nyoo Reel
According to Pr. Edwin Suter, a BTL representative in the Marakwet region, the Marakwet New Testament Bible was translated by the help of BTL and SIL, and it was dedicated in 21st February 2009. One of the factors leading to The Marakwet Bible translation is the revision of some words. Some words were omitted like "Jehovah" which was ambiguous according to the Catholics, and they included the word "Iryin” removing ‘yain’ which means the creator. Hence, Catholics have fully embraced the Marakwet Bible.
Cultural factors
Apart from the revision of some words, the complexity of intercultural communication is also a factor that was considered in the Kalenjin Bible translation. To illustrate this point, some words in the Tugen community are obscene in Pokot and Nandi language, e.g. "Tarit" which is a bird in Tugen but means testicles of a male in Pokot language. Similarly, “busiek” is maize flour in Tugen but it is a female private part in Pokot and Nandi language.
In addition, the two communities have rich proverbs that mean totally different things. This is why Hesselgrave proposes to missionaries which is also applicable to Bible translation that with "minimal intrusion of his own cultural understanding, he must encode the message in the culturally relevant form in the target culture so that the respondents will understand as much as possible of the original message".
Still, in the issue of culture and translation, Stine explains, "Christianity has become so culturally specific that it is incommunicable cross-culturally".
