Biblia Raklungu — Atauran (Adabe) Scripture Portions (Timor-Leste)
Overview
Biblia Raklungu ("the Raklungu Bible") is scripture portions in the Atauran (Adabe) language of Atauro Island, Timor-Leste, published by Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc. (copyright ©2025) and available via YouVersion/Bible.com (ID 4251; abbreviation: BRKG). A related companion version (ADBWBT, ID 4427) is also on YouVersion. The Wycliffe Timor-Leste program serves multiple local languages; a companion app Biblia Timor-Leste covers several Timorese languages including Raklungu. This is among the first written scripture for this small island language, which was significantly misidentified in earlier linguistic literature.
Language and People
Atauran/Adabe (ISO 639-3: adb; speaker self-designation: Adabe; also called Raklungu [for the Macadade variety], Raklu-Un, Atauro, or incorrectly "Adabe Papuan") is an Austronesian language: Austronesian → Malayo-Polynesian → Central-Eastern Malayo-Polynesian → Timoric → Wetar-Galoli. It is closely related to Wetarese (from Wetar Island, Indonesia) and Galoli (another Timorese language). Four recognized varieties exist: Rasua (sucos Beloi and Biqueli), Raklungu (suco Macadade), Hresuk (suco Maquili), and Dadu'a (Manatuto Municipality, mainland Timor-Leste).
Historical misclassification note: The language was mistakenly described as a Papuan (non-Austronesian) language by Antonio de Almeida (1966) and this error was propagated in Wurm & Hattori's linguistic atlas (1981); the ISO code "adb" and the name "Adabe" both reflect this confused literature history. The language is firmly Austronesian.
The Atauran community inhabits Atauro Island (~25 km north of Dili, 105 km², ~9,274 residents per 2015 census), which became a separate municipality of Timor-Leste on January 1, 2022. The Dadu'a variety is also spoken in Manatuto Municipality on the mainland.
Estimated speakers: approximately 7,900–9,200 (Joshua Project 2023; UNESCO classifies the language as Vulnerable).
Historical Context
Atauro Island has a distinctive religious profile in predominantly Catholic Timor-Leste: many northern Atauro residents are Protestant, having been evangelized by a Dutch Calvinist mission from Alor Island (Indonesia) in the early 20th century. The island was under Portuguese colonial rule from 1884 and served as a place of political exile during the colonial period. Under Indonesian occupation (1975–1999), Atauro's inhabitants experienced the same violence and displacement as the mainland Timorese. Following independence (2002), the island's linguistic and cultural distinctiveness has been increasingly recognized.
Publishing and Organizations
Published by Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc. in partnership with Wycliffe Timor-Leste and local Atauran translation teams.