Huli Bible launch sows seeds of peace

Preparing a meal after the launch of the Huli Bible on November 23, 2002 in Tari. Papua New Guinea. Photo: Asia-Pacific Regional Service Center/David Thorne (PNG03DJ-7)

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea — The complete Bible in Huli, the language of about 100,000 residents of the southern highlands of Papua New Guinea, was launched on November 23. The launch represented the culmination of many years of dedicated work by a translation team which was made up of Huli people and was co-ordinated by New Zealanders Alan and Val Sinclair.

Huli people live in segregated clans which sometimes come into conflict with each other, but as many as 6,000 people put aside their differences to attend the launch in Tari. Mrs Sinclair, whose husband died just before the full Bible was published, described the atmosphere at the ceremony as “electric”.