South Africa: Publication of the first children's bible in a local language

In Durban, South Africa, a group of lay people have worked to translate the children’s bible into a local language. The isiZulu translation will go on sale next month. This is the first translation into one of the eleven local languages.

Oct 21, 2015

VATICAN CITY: Tuesday 20 Oct. The Synod on the Family has been a time in which the universal Catholic Church reviews how it supports and nurtures family life. This support and nurturing happens in many ways in different parts of the world.

In Durban, South Africa, a group of lay people have worked to translate the children’s bible into a local language. The isiZulu translation will go on sale next month. This is the first translation into one of the eleven local languages.

Fr. Russell Pollitt, SJ, spoke to the director of Mariannhill Mission Press, Mr Rob Reidlinger, who is heading up this project.

Mariannhill Mission Press was founded by Abbot Francis Pfanner who arrived in South Africa over 133 years ago. Pfanner established a Trappist Monastery in Mariannhill, close to present day Durban, on the east coast of the country. He brought a printing press with him and, within two years, had translated and printed the first isiZulu Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Reidlinger said that he and his wife had noticed how a collection of English children’s bibles had nurtured the faith of their own children. They noticed that there was no equivalent in local languages.

“We hear people saying we must look after the family, nurture the faith and pray for vocations, but if tools such as children’s picture bibles are not available in local languages, how do we achieve this? That’s what got a couple of us laity at the press thinking about this and pushing for this project,” Reidlinger said. The project is being supported by the bosses and owners of the press – the Missionaries of Mariannhill.

Mariannhill bought the rights to reproduce the children’s bible from Our Sunday Visitor. “They had exactly what we were looking for, beautiful illustrations that covered the story of salvation from creation all the way through to the New Jerusalem,” Reidlinger said. There are 67 stories in the isiZulu bible and 208 full colour pages of pictures. The pictures are important because they are what toddlers relate to as parents read them the stories or parts thereof. Children can also just sit and look at the pictures. “They are very engaging pictures,” Reidlinger said.

The press will print 10 000 isiZulu copies to begin with and hope that, from the sale of these, they will generate enough money to translate the text into another local language – isiXhosa.

The translation has been a very challenging problem. We had to find the right people, who had the necessary theological training, but also people who could communicate well and reach down to the level of children without becoming too theoretical. The translation has been the toughest part of the project and what the press has spent most of its time and money on.

The bishops of South Africa have supported the translation. “There has been phenomenal support from our bishops,” Reidlinger said. They have recommended people for translation; they have written messages of support and encouragement. Cardinal Wilfrid Napier, OFM, of Durban, has also visited numerous times to see how the project is progressing. Reidlinger said that they have received pre-orders from bishops before the books have actually been printed!

The bible will be ready for distribution on 15 November 2015.--Vatican Radio

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