Exploring Nineteenth‐Century Haida Translations of the New Testament
Although a considerable amount has been written about the missionaries who were based on the Pacific Northwest Coast during the nineteenth century, many aspects of their life and ministry still await detailed consideration. This article seeks to contribute to an ongoing process of elucidation by exa...
| Published in: | Journal of Religious History |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2011
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| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9809.2010.00971.x https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1111%2Fj.1467-9809.2010.00971.x https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1467-9809.2010.00971.x |
| Summary: | Although a considerable amount has been written about the missionaries who were based on the Pacific Northwest Coast during the nineteenth century, many aspects of their life and ministry still await detailed consideration. This article seeks to contribute to an ongoing process of elucidation by examining the scripture translations produced by Church Missionary Society representatives stationed on the Haida Gwaii archipelago (off the West Coast of Canada) from 1876 onwards. In particular, a careful assessment of the Haida gospel translations that were published by William Collison (1847–1922), Charles Harrison (d.1926), and John Keen (c.1851–1950) reveals the complex genesis of these texts. Drawing upon previously neglected primary source material, this discussion explores such topics as the linguistic training the missionaries received and the use they made of informants who spoke Haida as a first language. Most importantly, though, a close reading of the gospels indicates how the translators attempted to negotiate with indigenous notions of power and servitude, and this in turn provides remarkable insights into the theological and socio‐political concerns of the missionaries involved. |
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