The Gospel of Luke 9:1-9
2 Possible Translations into Haida
The Haida language is native to Alaska, and forms a language family of its own. Speakers of the Kaigani dialect lived on Dall and Wales Island, Alaska.
Speakers of the Northern, Central and Southern Haida lived on Graham Island, which was home to the Skidegate Mission.
The Gospel of Luke was first translated into the Haida language in 1899 by the translator John Henry Keen – a link to which I included in the Source List. I shall include Keen’s translations here, and in the concurrent verses, and occasionally comment upon the differences.
The main difference, of course is that I have translated all the Proper Nouns (e.g. John, Herod, Elijah), whilst Keen did not.
New Jeusalem Version.
1 He called the Twelve together and gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases,
2. and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.
3. He said to them, ‘Take nothing for the journey: neither staff, nor haversack, no bread, nor money; and do not have a spare tunic.
4. Whatever house you enter, stay there; and when you leave let your departure be from there.
5. As for those who do not welcome you, when you leave their town shake the dust from your feet as evidence against them.’
6. So they set out and went from village to village proclaiming the good news and healing everywhere.
7. Meanwhile Herod the tetrarch had heard about all that was going on; and he was puzzled, because some people were saying that John had risen from the dead,
8. others that Elijah had reappeared, still others that one of the ancient prophets had come back to life.
9. But Herod said, ‘John? I beheaded him. So who is there I hear such reports about?’ And he was anxious to see him.
My Haida Translation (2024):
1. Saahlaaŋaan tlaahl ’waag sdaŋ hlGgaygan ’waagyaan kaganaay ’waadluwaan hlGidg st’ii ŋíisdliyaa dagwiigaay sGaanuŋ hal gijuugan,
2. ’waagyaan ’laa hal xanjuud’wagan Saa Naŋ Iitlaagdaas gyaa tlaganhlaa kindayee isgyaan ga st’igagaas ’lagahlee.
3. ’laa suu’wagan: “K’yuwaay kulgw gam gin tl’aa ungaŋ’aŋ: gam sGaa t’ask’aay gam gwaahl gam gilg gam daalaa; ’waagyaan gam k’udaats’ chasdaŋ skyuu’iidaŋ.
4. ’waagyaan naay aa dalaŋ ists’aasdluu, na’aaŋ Gaa ’isgyaan dasd kaa’aŋ.
5. Dalaŋ gyaa ts’aanuu tl’aa k’uhldaasdluu, ’laanaa ist’i’iidsdluu tl’aa gyaa kaahlaaŋw daaŋ’wa – t’asgiit’uwaay hlGidg alaaŋ’wa.”
6. ’waagyaan tl’ t’adahldgan ’waagyaan ’laangaay Gii isdaalgan tliijiidaan gyaa xaat’gaayg kiŋ ’isgyaa ŋisdlaaw ishlgan
7. Dadlagiidg naŋ Stanslaagiidaas gyuud iijan gu sGaanuwaaw, ’waagyaan nang kihlguhlgan eehl hal sgahlalgan skinaagan Gidya’ahlGas k’ut’aalsd.
8. ga keeŋgeelaayaan Saaŋant’a; hl kalaad gyaa’aagaan tladluu xaat’aay naŋ gakilhlaas.
9. Dadlagiid kihlgulgan, “Kaj Gidy’ahlGasd Hl k’itl’gan; giisd iihlaaŋ Gideed uu gin Hl gudaŋgaŋ?” ’waagyaan ’laa kiŋgee hal diyaŋaan.
King James Version.
1. Then he called his twelve disciples together, and gave them power and authority over all devils, and to cure diseases.
2. And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick.
3. And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.
4. And whatsoever house ye enter into, there abide, and thence depart.
5. And whosoever will not receive you, when ye go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet for a testimony against them.
6. And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where.
7. Now Herod the tetrarch heard of all that was done by him: and he was perplexed, because that it was said of some, that John was risen from the dead;
8. And of some, that Elias has appeared; and of others, that one of the old prophets was risen again.
9. And Herod said, John have I beheaded: but who is this, of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see them.
Keen’s Haida Translation (1899).
1. Waigien ga tlāalth wau gu stunsgaī un il ai-ang-an, waigien hants dāung-a wautliwon un isgies, sti tla-ngīstlic un ishin dugwīa la g ail isdāwon.
2. Waigien Shanung-itlagadas gia kingdom-gai alth tla geu gu il gushū-awe un isgien, tl stis il tla-ngīstlāwe un ishin, la il kilistīidāwon.
3. Waigien hin la il shudāīwon, Dalung istīidsdlu lth gum gin isdangwong, tushka isgien, gwau-alth ishin, shibli ishin, dāla ishin lth gum isdang-wong; kōdats chi-stung ishin lth gum isdang-wong.
4. Waigien nuh ai dalung isdsasdlu lth, sta dalung istīidai keu ā nā-ung-wong.
5. Waigien gum dalung tl isdsadansdlu, tlis-tleuon ilnagai sta tlang-a dalung istīidsdlu lth, stang sta kōi-e gīidwong, tla hanltha witnessgagai una, waigien hin la il shudāwon.
6. Waigien il istīidāwon, waigien lana ai ilistalgung-āwon gien, gialthang las alth tla gen gu il gushu-āwon, waigien tlīidan tla il tl-ligulthūgang-an.
7. Waigien Herod nung tetrarchgas tliku gin edun wautliwon gudang-an; wigien il gudung-ai lthkwīd-euon-an, John kotal sta kālthū-ung tl īlthi shouon altha;
8. Elijah tl kang-ung tl īlthi ishn shouon; tlidlu ga prophetgagan swon kālthū-ung tl kulat ishin shouon.
9. John kuts wau sta lth shkiketlagun; gīshd edē tlon hin gin et lth gudung-gung? waigien hin Heron shouon. Waigien il kang-gai da la il gudang-an.
The story of the Church’s interactions with the Haida and neighbouring people is interesting. For example, it was the missionaries who insisted on services being held in Haida – the Haida themselves wanted them to be in English. I have thoughts on this, which I may discuss these elsewhere.
Sources:
Enrico, John, Haida Syntax (Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press 2003)
Lachler, Dr Jordan Dictionary of Alaskan Haida (Juneau: Sealaska Heritage Institute 2010)
Luke 9 | HAIDA Bible | YouVersion
The Gospel according to Saint Luke in Haida : Keen, J. H. (John Henry), translator : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive