First Scripture in the Western-Fiji iTaukei Language Celebrated

More than 300 people converged at the Nailaga Methodist Church on Sunday 4th December 2016 to witness the launching of the “Tuxutuxu Vina sa Vola xo Marixa – ena Tata vaxa-Ba” (Gospel according to Mark in the Koronubu-Ba language). Receiving the first scripture booklet in the Western-Fiji itaukei language at this historical occasion was the prominent chief of the province, the Gone Marama na Tui Ba, Adi Laite Koroirua. She thanked the Bible Society and everyone who worked tirelessly on this special project. It is the first of its kind and more books of the New Testament will be translated and published in the coming years. The support from the ‘vanua’ and the Churches in Nailaga Ba was tremendous. Many people showed a lot of excitement about this project especially when the gospel is written in the new writing system of the Fijian

itaukei language; for example, the adoption of ‘x’ instead of ‘k’ to specifically sound out the guttural ‘kh’ (or ‘chet’ in Hebrew). God’s Word in the Koronubu language is indeed a timely Christmas gift for the Ba community in this advent season.