New Testament is ‘something special and precious’ for Ethiopia’s Gumuz people

An elderly Gumuz man. Ethiopia. Photo: Thor Bjarne Bore (ETH04DJ-2.JPG)

ETHIOPIA — The tiny six-seater aircraft that landed amid the heat and dust of a remote location in western Ethiopia on February 15 brought not just honoured visitors to the local Gumuz people who crowded round to welcome its arrival. More importantly, it brought them the New Testament in their own language, something they had been eagerly anticipating for many years.

Ethiopia has a long history of Bible translation. Indeed, parts of the Bible were translated into Ge’ez (an ancient Semitic language which is no longer commonly spoken but remains the liturgical language of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church) as early as AD 350, and the entire Bible was available in Ge’ez by around AD 600.

In a country which has 83 spoken languages, though, many Ethiopians have had to wait much longer for the Bible to be translated into their mother tongue. For the Gumuz people, who are believed to number around 600,000, it has been a particularly long wait.

For generations, the Gumuz people were seen as inferior to the neighbouring highland Oromo people and were often used as slaves. Although relations between the two groups are now improving, Oromo language and culture remain dominant. Particularly in areas where settlements and church congregations are mixed, Gumuz is in a weak position, especially because literacy among Gumuz-speakers is lower than the Ethiopian average of around 36 per cent. In church, preachers generally read from the Bible in Amharic, the country’s principal modern language.

Tears in their eyes

The celebrations which accompanied the launch of the Gumuz New Testament were the culmination of a project which was launched by the Norwegian Missionary Society and the Bible Society of Ethiopia as long ago as 1986. With anticipation having grown over the years, it was not surprising that some of those who attended the launch had tears in their eyes as they heard God’s Word being read in their own language for the first time.

A mother and child attending the launch of the Gumuz New Testament on February 15, 2004. Ethiopia. Photo: Thor Bjarne Bore (ETH04DJ-3.JPG)

“At the ceremony some verses from the Gospels were read in Gumuz,” writes Haile Eyesus, a Translation Consultant with the Bible Society. “I asked an elderly man how he felt when he listened to the Gospel read in his language. His reply was given with moist eyes. ‘I have been waiting so long for this day,’ he said. ‘Sometimes I wondered whether I would live to see it. I praise God for making it possible for me to see the completion of the New Testament’.”

Even before the official launch ceremony, members of the Gumuz community were starting to experience the joy of reading the Scriptures in their own language. Three incidents reported by Mirjam Syltebø, a nurse with the Norwegian Missionary Society, give an insight into their reactions:

l “I met an old man in the village of Karsa. We sat in his hut and I showed him the Gumuz New Testament and read some passages to him. ‘Think about this,’ he said. ‘It is possible to write these words in Gumuz!’ He held the New Testament and tried to read it himself. ‘Here are some words that the young people have forgotten,’ he exclaimed as he continued reading. ‘Yes, this is how we speak. Gumuz is a strong language! I have often thought that the Gumuz people had been put to one side by God and that other people are better, with a better language. But now I see the Holy Book written in Gumuz, I can see that it is a powerful language!’”

l “I went for a vaccination trip to a village called Dagufa. It was Christmas Eve, and I planned to stay overnight in the village, in the home of one of the church elders. I had brought with me one copy of the Gumuz New Testament that was going to be launched in February. As we gathered in front of his hut to drink coffee, I showed it to them.

“The people were very excited and happy. The church elder and one of the young boys started to read. I helped them with the pronunciation of some of the Gumuz letters, and we sat reading for many hours.

“The evening came, and we continued talking as we sat in front of the hut under the dark Ethiopian sky with all the bright stars above. The church elder was begging me to give the book to him. ‘Now we will read Gumuz in church,’ he said. I gave it to him and rejoiced with them in being able to read God’s Word in their mother tongue.

The Word

“I have been waiting so long for this day... Sometimes I wondered whether I would live to see it. I praise God for making it possible for me to see the completion of the New Testament.”

“There, on Christmas Eve, the people in Dagufa could read the Gospel in their own language for the first time. The Word had come and dwelt among them.”

l “Another time I went to Salbo for an awareness-raising session on HIV/AIDS, family planning and the building of latrines. I called the people together under the large tree in the middle of the village. While we were waiting for everyone to arrive, one of the young Christians read from the Gumuz New Testament.

“This is now a great attraction in the village, with everybody regarding it as something special and precious. The young boy read for a long time before I could begin my session, and this was not the only awareness-raising that took place that day!”

February 15 was “indeed a memorable day” for the Gumuz people, writes Mr Eyesus. But what about the long-term impact of the Gumuz New Testament? There are positive developments within the Gumuz church, reports the Rev Gunvor Hofseth, also with the Norwegian Missionary Society, and the Gumuz New Testament will contribute to these. Rev Hofseth also tells of how the Gumuz New Testament will assist in boosting literacy levels:

Growing church

A choir singing at the launch of the Gumuz New Testament on February 15, 2004. Ethiopia. Photo: Thor Bjarne Bore (ETH04DJ-5.JPG)

“The Gumuz church is growing, and Gumuz believers are now bringing their New Testaments to church. There are around 35 meeting places, some with the 50 members required for recognition as a congregation. Church growth is mainly among the young people. Students are attracted to Christianity as a new way of life. One pastor is also meeting with older people in Gumuz communities to encourage them to follow Jesus. 30 have recently said they are willing to join a class.

Literacy training

“There is a need for more literacy training. This can involve getting those who can read to help those who can’t, for example in women’s meetings. Some of those who have had literacy training need practice to become fluent readers. Several letters in the Gumuz alphabet are different from standard Ethiopic script, but those who learned Amharic reading in school catch on quickly.”

With the Gumuz people finally having gained direct access to God’s Word, the Bible Society is looking forward to many more success stories. “Praise be to God for this day and many similar days to come!” concludes Mr Eyesus. (WR 388/15 - 10/11.04)