Gambian Wolof
Gambian Wolof, also called Joluf, is a form of Wolof spoken in the Banjul area of Gambia in West Africa.
I Nan ce Joluf
Christian work began amongst the Wolof in the Gambia in 1830, and churches were founded by the Wesley Methodist Missionary Society. A booklet of selections and prayers called I Nan ce Joluf was published in 1900 by the Wesleyan Missionary Society. This included some liturgical selections: Ezekiel 18:27, I John 1:9, Luke 15:18-19, Matthew 3:2, Matthew 1:21, John 1:29, John 3:16 and John 4:24, and it also included the Ten Commandments (Ebli Ya) and the Lord’s Prayer (Nan i Sunu Borom). It was printed by James F. Wilkinson, Manchester, for the Wesleyan Missionary Society in London.
Linjil i Yesu Krista Suñu Borom bi
The first whole portion of the Bible in the Gambia dialect of Wolof, was the Gospel of Matthew. It was translated by Robert Dixon of the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society. Before being published the Gospel was twice revised by a native African minister, and used in public worship. In 1882 it was published as Linjil i Yisu Krista: suñu Borom bi, with 500 copies printed. In 1906 the Gospel was revised by Robert Dixon, and republished as Mbinda i Matthew was published by the British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS). In 1907, the Gospel of John was translated by R.H. Williams and was published as Mbinda i John by the British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS). These both ran to 1,500 copies.
Digital Edition
The Gospel (Linjil i Yesu Krista Suñu Borom bi) accounts of Matthew and John were digitised for the Bible Society in the Gambia, with the help of MissionAssist in 2022. The selections from 1900 have also been included for convenience.
