The New Testament in Wala (LGLWBT)

Overview

The New Testament in the Wala language of the Solomon Islands. Wala (also known as Langalanga) is a North Malaitan Oceanic language of the Austronesian family, spoken by approximately 6,980 people on Malaita Island in the Solomon Islands [1][2]. The translation was produced by the Solomon Islands Translation Advisory Group (SITAG), a partner of Wycliffe Bible Translators that was formed in 1978 when SIL International was invited to assist local language development projects [3][4]. The completed New Testament was published in 2008 by Wycliffe Bible Translators with the vernacular title "Alafuuna Fa'alu Ala Saena 'I Wala" [4]. Wala speaker Pio Osifera has described the significance of having Scripture in his own language, saying that reading the Bible in English is "like going into a house built on stilts," whereas reading it in Wala is "like going into a house built on the ground" [5]. As of 2010, the Wala New Testament was among twenty-two Bible translations completed in local Solomon Islands languages [5].

Language and People

Wala (ISO 639-3: lgl) is spoken by approximately 6,980 people in Solomon Islands. [Glottolog: wala1266]

Publishing and Organizations

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

References