Siwu 2008 Edition (AKPWBT)

Overview

The Siwu 2008 Edition is a New Testament translation produced by Wycliffe Bible Translators in partnership with the Ghana Institute of Linguistics, Literacy and Bible Translation (GILLBT). [1] This publication contains the New Testament only. Siwu (ISO 639-3: akp) is a Ghana Togo Mountain language of the Kwa branch of Niger-Congo, spoken in the mountainous central part of Ghana's Volta Region; speakers call themselves the Mawu and their land Kawu, with two main dialect communities: Akpafu (five towns on the west side of the Akpafu range) and Lolobi (three towns on the east side). [2][3] A phonological and morphosyntactic sketch of the language was published at GILLBT: Ring, J.A. (ed.), 2002, Language Structures of Siwu (Akpafu-Lolobi), Tamale: GILLBT; and Ring, J.A., Stephen Bosco Addae & John Atsu, 2002, The Sounds of Siwu: a Phonological Description, Tamale: GILLBT. [3] The translation committee was deliberately constituted with a chairman from Lolobi and a vice-chair from Akpafu, requiring the two communities — which had been separated from one another for over a hundred years — to collaborate on the work. [1] When the New Testament was dedicated in 2009, both communities attended the celebration despite heavy rain throughout the day; the event was described by Reverend Stephen Addai, a member of the translation team, as "very historic." [1] The vernacular title of the New Testament is Ɣaa Inyi Ɣɛtɛ Siwu. The copyright date of 2008 reflects the completion of the translation text, while the public dedication took place in 2009. [1][2] Wycliffe has described the translation project as a story of restoration, noting that the shared work of translation brought the long-separated Akpafu and Lolobi communities together. [1][4]

Language and People

Siwu (ISO 639-3: akp) is spoken by approximately 71,900 people in Ghana. [Glottolog: siwu1238]

Publishing and Organizations

Published by Wycliffe Bible Translators USA. Translation type: First.

References