Hawai'i Creole English New Testament (HWCPGN)

Overview

The Hawai'i Creole English New Testament, known as Da Jesus Book, is a translation of the New Testament into Hawai'i Pidgin (Hawai'i Creole English), a creole language spoken by approximately 600,000 people in the Hawaiian Islands [1][2]. The translation project was initiated in 1986 by retired Cornell University linguistics professor Joseph Grimes during a teaching sabbatical at the University of Hawai'i, and he subsequently enlisted 26 native Hawai'i Pidgin speakers for the effort [1][3]. The team of local translators worked from the original Greek text with the assistance of Wycliffe Bible Translators, also consulting English translations and commentaries from the United Bible Societies [3]. The Gospel of Matthew was published separately in 1997, and the complete New Testament was published by Wycliffe Bible Translators in 2000 [1][3]. Da Jesus Book was formally dedicated in Hawai'i in June 2001, and by October 2003 it was in its fourth printing, having sold over 85,000 copies and appearing on the Hawai'i bestseller list 16 times [3]. Grimes and Rev. Earl Morihara later led translation of the Old Testament, culminating in the publication of the complete Hawai'i Pidgin Bible, Da Good An Spesho Book, in 2020 [4].

Language and People

Hawai'i Creole English (ISO 639-3: hwc) is spoken by approximately 600,000 people in United States of America, Alaska and Hawaii. [Glottolog: hawa1247]

Publishing and Organizations

Published by WBT, Orlando, FL. Translation type: First.

References