Miyawa — Miya (Vune mi) Scripture Portions
Overview
Miyawa is the Gospel of Mark in the Miya (Vune mi) language of Bauchi State, Nigeria, published in 2023 by The Seed Company in partnership with the Language Developers and Bible Translators Association (LDBTA; copyright ©2023 LDBTA) and available via YouVersion/Bible.com (ID 3630). "Miyawa" is the Miya name for their language (literally "the Miya mouth/language"). The language is also known by the Ethnologue primary name "Vune mi" (from the speakers' own "Vɨna Mii" — "mouth of Miy/Miya"). This translation is the first scripture in Miya, produced through LDBTA — a Nigerian grassroots organization working across 14+ languages in Bauchi and Jigawa states.
Language and People
Miya (ISO 639-3: mkf; Ethnologue primary name: Vune mi; speaker autonym: Miyawa or Miyanci) is an Afro-Asiatic language: Afro-Asiatic → Chadic → West Chadic → North Bauchi group (also called Warji languages). The North Bauchi group includes nine related languages: Diri, Pa'a, Kariya, Mburku, Tsagu, Siri, Jimbu, Warji, and Miya. This places Miya in the same broad Chadic branch as Hausa — but in a much smaller, distinct subgroup.
The Miya-speaking community lives in Ganjuwa Local Government Area, Bauchi State, northeastern Nigeria — primarily in Miya Town and surrounding farming villages.
Estimated speakers: approximately 70,000 (Joshua Project, 2025; earlier Ethnologue 1995 figure: ~30,000 — substantial population growth explains the difference). The language is classified as vigorous (EGIDS 6a).
Translation History
Earlier scripture work was done by the Luke Partnership International (a joint Seed Company and Jesus Film Project initiative), which produced the Gospel of Luke in Miya along with other North Bauchi languages. After Luke Partnership concluded, the Language Developers and Bible Translators Association (LDBTA) — formally established in 2015 — continued in partnership with The Seed Company from June 2016 onward. The Gospel of Mark was completed and published in 2023. The Jesus Film is also available in Miya.
Publishing and Organizations
Published by The Seed Company in partnership with the Language Developers and Bible Translators Association (LDBTA), a Nigerian grassroots organization working with 14+ minority languages in northeastern Nigeria. The Seed Company provides consulting and distribution support; LDBTA leads the translation.