New Bible for Inuit of Labrador

HAPPY VALLEY-GOOSE BAY – Five thousand Inuit in Labrador now have a fresh translation of the Bible in their “heart” language. In January the Canadian Bible Society presented the Inuttut Heritage Bible to the Moravian Church in Labrador.

The Moravians began their work in Labrador in 1771. Among the tasks undertaken by the early missionaries was the translation of portions of the Bible into the native language. It was a slow process, beginning with collections of verses, and then the Gospel of John, followed by Luke. In 1821, fifty years after the establishment of the settlement, the British and Foreign Bible Society published the entire New Testament. Gradually all the books of the Old Testament were translated and published as well. Eventually there were ten separate bulky volumes, but never a complete text under one cover.

The New Testament was reissued in 1952, but because of errors and shifting word usage from two centuries ago, new work was needed.

In 2005, the Moravian Church and the Canadian Bible Society partnered to correct and edit the current Inuktitut Bible so that it could be printed in one volume. With the help of volunteers and seasoned translators the work began.

Translator Andrea Webb says, "We had to think of our children and grandchildren and those of us who are elders who have been working on the Bible walked away knowing we've done our part, and it's up to them. They can pick up the Bible from here and teach their children and keep the Bible alive...."

One translator, Sabina Hunter, says that the new Bible presents new opportunities to use God's Word in other aspects not just in church. “Certainly our local government has been using the Bible for swearing in and the Bible is also used for Moravian daily devotional readings.” Hunter notes that the new translation preserves the language.

Hart Wiens, CBS Director of Scripture Translation, attended the dedication ceremony and was moved by what he saw. "They came from communities all along the coast. When I greeted one elder, he took my hand and kept repeating, ‘I was not going to miss this!’ Later in the dedication service I noticed him again, lost in worship and moved to tears.... How blessed we are to be able to serve the Inuit people in a way that demonstrates how much God cares about them -- enough to communicate the message of His eternal love in their own language."

For over a century the Canadian Bible Society (CBS) has promoted and encouraged -- without doctrinal note or comment -- translation, publication and distribution of the Scriptures throughout Canada and the world. CBS distributes Scripture resources in English, French and 100 other languages.

--From a CBS press release