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God Speaks Navajo
Updated Edition with new matieral added. Two unlikely players emerge as the heroes of this Geronimo Martin, a blind Navajo Indian, and Faye Edgerton, a little white woman in poor health. Gifted and determined, from two different cultures, they prayed and persevered, and finally produced the Navajo New Testament in 1956. At a time when English was used in churches and schools, the Book was on trial. But within a few months, the edition was sold out, and six more printings followed as Navajos welcomed God's Word in a language they understood. After Faye's death in 1968, Geronimo worked with a Navajo-Anglo team to produce the whole Bible. It was published in 1986, after his death in 1984. Now widely used, the Bible has been revised and a new edition has been published by the American Bible Society for release in the summer of 2000. Fay's dream, implemented by those she mentored, is now an eloquent reality.
- GenresBiography
Paperback
First published January 1, 1968
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 28, 2016
So I picked up this book because I was interested in the Navajo translation process itself, and not necessarily the Bible aspect, but I got that and more. I was actually really pleased with how good the book was. There were a couple unexpected parts, like the reference to the Nebraska homesteaders and the Japanese colonization of Korea that served as nice reminders of some significant events in history that we sometimes forget about.
As for the Navajo part of the story, there were times when I felt like it got a little preachy. I understand that the personal conversion stories of individuals obviously plays an important role in motivating people to get involved in Bible translation, but I thought the facts could have been told in just as meaningful a way without feeling like I was listening to a sermon. This was especially the case when the author tried to play up a conversation experience as bigger than what the facts seemed to support. That said, some of the stories really were inspirational, and I could totally see a preacher borrowing some material for their Sunday service.
The part I was most interested in, the Navajo translation part, did not disappoint, though I realize it's not a subject most people would find very interesting. But I felt like Faye Edgerton would have been a kindred spirit of mine in terms of her philosophy toward native language use and her dedication to her cause. She really is someone I wish I could have met. I'm not going to say the book is a tear jerker, but I may have cried at the end.
So, the version I read was the original version before the extra material was added, including apparently information about the completed Old Testament. The 1968 version was the only version available for check out at my library, but if I ever find the updated version, I'll definitely want to get the rest of the story.
As for the Navajo part of the story, there were times when I felt like it got a little preachy. I understand that the personal conversion stories of individuals obviously plays an important role in motivating people to get involved in Bible translation, but I thought the facts could have been told in just as meaningful a way without feeling like I was listening to a sermon. This was especially the case when the author tried to play up a conversation experience as bigger than what the facts seemed to support. That said, some of the stories really were inspirational, and I could totally see a preacher borrowing some material for their Sunday service.
The part I was most interested in, the Navajo translation part, did not disappoint, though I realize it's not a subject most people would find very interesting. But I felt like Faye Edgerton would have been a kindred spirit of mine in terms of her philosophy toward native language use and her dedication to her cause. She really is someone I wish I could have met. I'm not going to say the book is a tear jerker, but I may have cried at the end.
So, the version I read was the original version before the extra material was added, including apparently information about the completed Old Testament. The 1968 version was the only version available for check out at my library, but if I ever find the updated version, I'll definitely want to get the rest of the story.
April 26, 2012
This book was very insightful about linguistics and culture and the dedication required to accurately translate any important work, especially something as important as faith. Faye Edgerton became dedicated to translating the bible to Navajo early in life and remained faithful to that until the time of her death. With the help of a blind Navajo Indian man, Geronimo Martin, some ground breaking work was done.
It became clear in a very short order that it wouldn't be a simple translation, but would require interpretation. I recall one story about how it became critical to find out what kind of rod Moses' brother Aaron was carrying when it budded, as the Navajo had no word for "bud". To me, this was very revealing about the close relationship they had with the land. That may sound overly simplified or it may sound like it got unnecessarily complicated. However, if a person is a cattle rancher they don't really just have a word for "cow". Alaskan Indians had upwards of 200 words to describe weather. When life is deeply affected by the weather, there is no simple word for "snow" or "rain".
As much as I liked the book and respect the dedication to the work, it still saddens me on some level to know that as well intentioned as Christians are, there is also an encroachment on indigenous and aboriginal peoples. I also find it interesting that their language was certainly lent to us in WWII with the Wind Talkers, but that is an entirely different subject.
It became clear in a very short order that it wouldn't be a simple translation, but would require interpretation. I recall one story about how it became critical to find out what kind of rod Moses' brother Aaron was carrying when it budded, as the Navajo had no word for "bud". To me, this was very revealing about the close relationship they had with the land. That may sound overly simplified or it may sound like it got unnecessarily complicated. However, if a person is a cattle rancher they don't really just have a word for "cow". Alaskan Indians had upwards of 200 words to describe weather. When life is deeply affected by the weather, there is no simple word for "snow" or "rain".
As much as I liked the book and respect the dedication to the work, it still saddens me on some level to know that as well intentioned as Christians are, there is also an encroachment on indigenous and aboriginal peoples. I also find it interesting that their language was certainly lent to us in WWII with the Wind Talkers, but that is an entirely different subject.
December 5, 2015
This book made me feel even more excited about learning a Native American language. It really made me feel good to know that there are people out there who want to help other language groups learn about the Bible, and in their own language.I loved this book and look forward to adding it to my reading shelves for future reading as well.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews