Saramaccan New Testament (SRMWBT)

Overview

The Saramaccan New Testament, titled Gadu Buku, is a translation of the New Testament into Saramaccan, a creole language spoken by approximately 36,700 Maroon descendants in Suriname and French Guiana [1]. The Saramaccan people descend from enslaved Africans who escaped Dutch plantations in the 17th and 18th centuries and established independent communities along the upper Suriname and Saramacca rivers; their language reflects this history with vocabulary drawn approximately 50% from African sources (including Kikongo, Gbe languages, and Twi), 30% from English, and 20% from Portuguese [2]. SIL researchers, including Catherine Rountree, first came to Suriname in 1968 and worked for more than 30 years on language research, literacy, dictionaries, and translation among the Saramaccan; the New Testament translation project spanned from 1968 to 1998 [3][4]. The completed translation was copyrighted in 2009 by Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc. and the JESUS Film has also been produced in Saramaccan [5].

Language and People

Saramaccan (ISO 639-3: srm) is spoken by approximately 36,700 people in French Guiana and Suriname. [Glottolog: sara1340]

Publishing and Organizations

Published by Wycliffe Bible Translators USA.

References