Bhasa Buli — Buli Scripture Portions (Indonesia)
Overview
Bhasa Buli ("the Buli Language [Scripture]") is Matthew, Mark, and Luke (3 books) in the Buli language of Halmahera Island, North Maluku Province, Indonesia, published by The Seed Company (copyright ©2026) and available via YouVersion/Bible.com (ID 4641; abbreviation: BZQ). This is the first written scripture in Buli. Most Buli inhabitants are Christian (predominantly Protestant), with approximately one-third Muslim, making this translation a significant resource for local Christian communities. The Seed Company has partnered with local church networks in North Maluku to produce scripture for several of the region's minority languages.
Language and People
Buli (ISO 639-3: bzq; also written Boeli; two dialects: Buli and Wayamli) is an Austronesian language: Austronesian → Malayo-Polynesian → Central Malayo-Polynesian → South Halmahera–West New Guinea → South Halmahera (Central-Eastern South Halmahera subgroup). Buli is closely related to Maba (mfq), Patani (ptn), Sawai, and other South Halmahera varieties. The South Halmahera languages are Austronesian (not Papuan) despite being geographically adjacent to the non-Austronesian North Halmahera family.
The Buli community inhabits Maba District (including Buli Village and surrounds), East Halmahera Regency, North Maluku Province — on the northern shore of Buli Bay in southern Halmahera. The Buli Bay (Teluk Buli) is named for this community.
Estimated speakers: approximately 2,500–3,500 (Ethnologue 2024: ~2,500 census 2000; Joshua Project: ~3,500; the language is classified EGIDS 6b — Threatened, with declining young first-language speakers).
Historical Context
Halmahera was the center of the historic Ternate and Tidore Sultantes — which controlled the lucrative Maluku spice trade (cloves and nutmeg) and were among the most powerful polities in the 15th–17th century Indonesian archipelago. The competition for control of Halmahera's spice trade drew Portuguese, Spanish, and Dutch colonial powers; the Dutch VOC ultimately dominated the islands from 1663 onward. The Buli people, speaking a non-Austronesian language, represent the indigenous inhabitants who pre-date both the Austronesian migrations and the Sultanate expansion.
Publishing and Organizations
Published by The Seed Company (Arlington, Texas), affiliated with Wycliffe Bible Translators, in partnership with local North Maluku church translation teams.