June 15, 2024
A significant milestone for the Malinké community, the New Testament in Maningaxan was dedicated on June 14 by the Bible Society in Mali (the ‘Alliance Biblique du Mali’ – ABM). The ceremony was held in Tambaga, a village located 40 km from the town of Kita and 205 km from Bamako. It attracted approximately 1,150 attendees, including religious leaders, members and partners of the translation project, administrative officials, and village elders.
The dedication ceremony was a vibrant celebration marked by heartfelt prayers, songs, and dances from members of the Kita community, who expressed their deep gratitude to the Lord for the privilege of having the Word of God in their heart language. The ‘Ensemble Instrumental National Chrétien du Mali’ led the singing, uniting the community on this joyous occasion.
Symbolic Procession of the Word
Approximately 450,000 people stand to benefit from scriptures in the Malinké language – a community that has long had to rely on the Bambara language for Christian worship and preaching. While this is the language they have been using, many expressions in Bambara are confusing for Malinké-speaking people, and they have great difficulty understanding the “Bambaraphone.” This creates the misinterpretation, among the majority Muslim population as well, that Christianity is a religion that is associated with a foreign culture.
One of the most moving moments of the ceremony was the procession of the Word of God. Dressed in traditional outfits, to the sound of local percussion and with a few dance steps, the revisers reverently carried the New Testament and handed it over to the Translation Advisor. From there, it was passed to ABM General Secretary, Mr Jacques Dembélé, symbolizing the completion and delivery of this significant translation project.
To conclude the ceremony, Dembélé presented the participants with copies of the New Testament. This gesture underscored the commitment to ensuring that the scriptures are accessible and cherished by the community.
The Mayor and the Chief of the village of Tambaga expressed their profound delight in seeing the Holy Book available in the Malinké language. They highlighted the importance of this new translation as a valuable reading resource for the community and expressed hope that it would serve as a powerful tool for development in the region.
Dembélé echoed this sentiment in expressing his excitement at the future impact of this New Testament translation in Maningaxan:
“More than just a reading material, the NT is a part of the Bible translated from the original texts, to enable Malinké speakers to interact effectively with the Word of God. This opportunity for Malinké speakers will open the door to Bible-based knowledge. From now on, using this inexhaustible resource, the Malinké people will be able to interact, pray and praise God in a cultural context. It should be noted that this Holy Book is not only a reading document in the Maningaxan language, but also a real tool for socio-economic and religious development, which will have an impact on the whole region and Mali in general.”
Fruitful Collaboration
The successful translation of the New Testament into Maningaxan resulted from a remarkable collaboration guided by ABM – including the UBS Fellowship, the Catholic and Evangelical Churches, the Malinké communities, the Norwegian Protestant Mission (MPN), and SIL. This partnership exemplifies the unity and shared mission of bringing God’s Word to people in their heart language.
The dedication of the New Testament in Maningaxan marks a significant step forward in making the Bible available to all people in Mali. It is a testament to the dedication and collaborative spirit of those involved in the translation project. As the Malinké community embraces this new resource, ABM hopes it will deepen the community’s faith and contribute to their spiritual and communal growth.
With the launch of the New Testament, plans are already underway to begin translating the Old Testament and release a full Bible before 2030.
Testament to the Lord’s faithfulness throughout this translation project and its popularity through distribution, Dembélé shares that the only hurdle the Bible Society has is producing enough copies to meet demand:
“All those who are literate were eager to access it to discover the wonders of the Word of God. We’ve seen intellectuals, illiterate in their mother tongue, who wanted a copy of the New Testament for the love of culture. We have no more boxes in our store.
“If there’s an obstacle, it’s the insufficient number of copies made available to the churches. We have only been able to print 2,100 copies, for lack of funds. We are seeking support to reprint several copies by the end of 2024.”
Life and Faith in Mali
A landlocked nation in West Africa, Mali has recently experienced the combination of political instability, security challenges from extremist groups, a humanitarian crisis, and economic difficulties. Efforts to stabilize the country and promote development continue, but significant challenges remain.
Approximately 90-95% of Mali’s population adheres to Islam, primarily Sunni Islam. The region where Mali exists today was introduced to Islam in the 9th century. Approximately 2-5% of the population are Christian with a variety of faith traditions including Roman Catholics, Protestants, and Evangelicals. A small percentage of Malians adhere to traditional African religions, which involve the worship of ancestors, spirits, and natural elements.
