Yukpa New Testament — CLAN 2018 Edition (YUPCLA)

Overview

The Yukpa New Testament is a translation of the New Testament into Yukpa (Venezuelan variety), a Cariban language of the Sierra de Perijá, produced in 2018 by the Asociación Civil, Capacitación Lingüística, Antropológica y Alfabetización Nativa (CLAN). CLAN is a Venezuelan organization dedicated to linguistic documentation, alphabetization, and cultural strengthening among indigenous peoples. The translation is available with both read and listen formats. [1]

Language and People

Yukpa (ISO 639-3: yup), also known as Carib Motilón, Northern Motilón, and Macoíta, is a Cariban language spoken by approximately 3,000 people in Zulia State, Venezuela, and an additional 3,000 across the border in the Cesar and Norte de Santander departments of Colombia. [2] The Yukpa inhabit the Serranía de Perijá mountain range between Colombia and Venezuela, in communities along the Palmar and Tucuco rivers. They are a distinct group from the Barí (Motilone) people, despite sharing the highland border region.

The Venezuelan Yukpa have faced significant challenges in recent decades, including land displacement and humanitarian crises, with groups relocating across the border into Colombia. Their language belongs to the Cariban family and is unrelated to surrounding Arawakan and Chibchan languages.

Translation and Publisher

CLAN (Capacitación Lingüística, Antropológica y Alfabetización Nativa) has worked with Yukpa communities in Venezuela on language documentation and Scripture translation. A distinct Yukpa audio-visual edition produced by FDPM ("Yukpa, Colombian") is also available covering the Colombian side of the Yukpa speech community. Translation team member María Isabel, who joined in 2018, is noted as coordinating work on exegetical drafts, team reviews, and discipleship of indigenous Yukpa congregations. [1]

References