Wapishana Audio Bible Project Completed 

On September 2nd 2014, the village neighbouring Aishalton, Karaudarnau, located in the South Rupununi was the place where the Wapishana people reunited once again to hear the word of God in their language. They came from various communities to participate in the launching of the ‘proclaimer’ an electronic device that has a pre-recorded audio version of the New Testament Bible in their indigenous language.

This is the final step in a project that began in January 2014 the main aim of which was to produce an audio recording of the New Testament. At that time twelve readers, using Wapishana translations of the New Testament, began the sound recordings, at the Catholic Television studios in Georgetown. These recordings were completed at Easter. Further technical work on the project was done in the USA.

Last Tuesday’s event began at 1100 hrs with welcoming remarks by the touchoa of the host village for all those who to attended the day’s program. This was followed by an opening prayer. At this simple launching ceremony, there were members of the Guyana and Suriname Bible Society who came from Georgetown and Paramaribo. They were joined by members of the Wycliffe Missionaries who came from Lethem. They brought with them the ‘proclaimers’ to be handed over to the respective church leaders, from the Catholic and other Christian churches from the various villages in the south Rupununi.     

The proclaimers will be taken by the various church leaders from the different villages back to their communities to spread the word of God, this time in their native language. It says in Romans 10:17 “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the preaching of Christ”.

One member from the visiting team gave the participants the technical advice and instructions on how to use the proclaimer in their villages. He also stressed the need to read the New Testament Bible and listen to the ‘proclaimer’ simultaneously in order to assimilate the gospel message in the local language.   

Some villages were given two ‘proclaimers’ especially those where there are more than one Christian denomination like Aishalton. In this village one was given to the Catholic Church and another to the pastor of the Assemblies of God.   

In 2013 the Wycliffe missionaries and translators in the South Rupununi worked along with a number the local people, the Guyana and Suriname Bible Society and various Christian churches in the area to produce a Wapishana translation of the New Testament. This undertaking was completed and dedicated in November 2013.

This initiative provides the faithful of the South Rupununi with the opportunity to hear the Word of God being told in their native language by familiar voices from their communities in a dramatic form. Some imitating the voice of Jesus while some try to sound like other characters in the New Testament.

The brethren from Suriname also advised that the people should use the ‘proclaimer device’ in groups in their respective communities whether in the church or informally for as many as possible to participate.

They also proposed that each group should have a leader who will be responsible for recording experiences and testimonies from meetings when they listen to the readings of the New Testament in their language. They explained that those benefactors who sponsored the ‘proclaimer’ for the Wapishanas would like to know, how the audio version of the New Testament in the local language is making an impact on their lives in the south Rupununi.

The presenter gave one example from working with an Indigenous group in Suriname some time ago. Where after the audio version of the Bible in that Indigenous language was presented to that group, a young Indigenous woman after participating in the group, sharing and listening to the stories from the gospel had an experience in which the gospel story deeply touched her life and caused her to change profoundly. 

She related to the group that she used to steal from her boss. But when she heard about the wrongness of stealing in her own language on the proclaimer she stopped and went to confess to her boss. He for- gave her, accepted her honesty and even promoted her on the job!

Many of those attending the launching felt happy and encouraged listening to these testimonies and experiences about hearing the Bible in the native language and the impact it could have on the believers. They thought of it as an excellent tool to help in their ministry to their fellow Indigenous brethren, especially those who have given in to the weakness of drinking too much alcohol, unfaithfulness of husbands to wives, and sowing division in villages where unity, healing and transformation in people’s lives is needed.

The entire US$13,000 audio-recording project was sponsored by an international audio bible recording company called “Faith Comes By Hearing”.  It is run by a not-for- profit organization and has audio Bibles available in over 750 languages reaching more than 5.7 billion people in more than 190 countries.

Medino

Successful August Games in South Rupununi 2014

Last week from August 24th to 29th, the annual August Games were held in Marauranao Village, South Rupununi Region 9. The name Marauranao in Wapishana means ‘giant Armadillo’ which inhabited the area before the people took up residence there. This Amerindian village is predominantly Catholic like most other villages in the South Rupununi, although recently there are other Christian denominations also present.

The activities began with an interfaith religious ceremony with the other Christian dominations. After this, the event was declared open by the Touchoa Daniel Aguilar, of the host village.  During the opening ceremony it was good to have the presence of the hounourable Minister of Amerindian Affairs Mrs Pauline Sukhai who presented some trophies for the games.

The games kick started soon after with fe male football. It was great to see the fe- males in action, running like full speed, passing and tackling with great skill in the field. It confirmed that our female football players of the Rupununi are very talented and that they can play quality football.

 At the Annual August Games this year there were seven villages from the Wapis hana communities of the south Rupununi participating. Those villages were: Aishalton, Arwarwanao, Craudauranao, Shea, Arciwib, the host village Marauranao. For the first time there was also a contingent from the Wai- Wai country of Masakenery Guns, from the extreme deep south of Guyana.

There were various activities and games each day during the course of the week. Some took place simultaneously.

 The origin of the August Games in South Rupununi goes back to 1966. It was pioneered by, Mr. Toney James of Aishalton and Mr. Adrian Gomes of Mauraoranao village. They were held as a way of promoting the culture and traditions of the Wapishana peoples. The annual August games also serve to unite the people of the South Rupununi to build community, share and learn from one another. 

During the week’s activities the Touchoa and Village Council of the host village are responsible for the welfare of the visiting teams and others. They encourage and promote a sober atmosphere during the games.

 For the first time, also included in the week of activities, there were classes for reading in Wapishana as a form of promoting literacy and preserving the language for the children and adults.

On Friday, the week’s activities ended with a closing ceremony done by one of the organizers of the event.

 Trophies were presented to the various winners. The wining team was Aishalton which came away with most of the prizes and the trophy for the champion village at the August games. 

Medino Abraham