Zapoteco de Santa Ana del Valle New Testament — UNTI Edition (ZABUNT)

Overview

The UNTI edition of the Zapoteco de Santa Ana del Valle New Testament is a Scripture translation targeting the Santa Ana del Valle variety of Western Tlacolula Valley Zapotec, produced by UNTI (a Bible translation organization active in Oaxacan indigenous languages). This edition is distinct from the earlier ZABWBT translation (Xtiidx Dios cun ditsa, 1995), which was produced by Wycliffe Bible Translators for the San Juan Guelavía dialect of the same Western Tlacolula Valley Zapotec language group (ISO 639-3: zab). Both translations serve communities within the same broadly defined ISO code, but address the distinct dialectal features of Santa Ana del Valle versus San Juan Guelavía.

Language and People

Western Tlacolula Valley Zapotec (ISO 639-3: zab) is spoken by approximately 28,000 people across the Tlacolula Valley east of Oaxaca City, Oaxaca, Mexico. The language encompasses the speech of several communities including San Juan Guelavía, Santa Ana del Valle, Teotitlán del Valle, and neighboring villages. While these communities share a broadly common ISO code, their speech varieties differ noticeably, and translation projects have typically targeted individual village varieties. Santa Ana del Valle is particularly known as a weaving community with a strong preservation of Zapotec cultural practices. [1]

Audio Bible portions in Zapoteco de Santa Ana del Valle — including the books of Jonah, Ruth, and Mark — are available through MegaVoice/Faith Comes By Hearing.

Relationship to Existing Coverage

The ZABWBT entry covers the 1995 Wycliffe New Testament for San Juan Guelavía Zapotec (Xtiidx Dios cun ditsa), which remains available on YouVersion and through Scripture Earth. The ZABUNT entry represents UNTI's separate translation work specifically for the Santa Ana del Valle speech community within the same language group.

References