Matsés New Testament (MCFWBT)

Overview

New Testament in Matses (PE:mcf:Matses). The Matses (also known as Mayoruna) are a Panoan-speaking indigenous people of approximately 2,200 to 5,500 people living along the Bajo Yaquerana river and its tributaries in the Loreto department of Peru, with additional communities in Brazil [1][2]. The language is spoken across the Javari River basin along the Peru–Brazil border, and David Fleck has produced extensive grammatical research on it. The Matses made their first permanent peaceful contact with the outside world in 1969, when they accepted SIL linguists Harriet Fields and Hattie Kneeland into their communities [3][4]. Fields and Kneeland conducted extensive linguistic documentation, producing phonological descriptions, grammars, and text collections from approximately 1966 to 1981 [5]. The New Testament was published in April 1994 after over 30 years of translation work by a Wycliffe linguist [2][6]. Scripture memorization became widespread among the Matses, with community members memorizing entire books of the New Testament; one elder memorized fourteen books including Romans [3]. Each Matses community in Peru now has a self-sustaining church with local pastors [4]. The 2008 edition, titled "Esuquidistu Chuiquin Tantiamete," is a revision published by Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc., and Matses translators have continued working with Hattie Kneeland on further revision alongside Old Testament portions [3][7].

Language and People

Matsés (ISO 639-3: mcf) is spoken by approximately 6,500 people in Western Central Brazil. [Glottolog: mats1244]

Publishing and Organizations

Created by Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc. Published by Wycliffe Bible Translators USA. Translation type: Revision.

References