Eurika Purari Language
The Eurika, (formerly called the Namau), language is spoken in the region about the Delta of the Purari River, in the central portion of the Gulf of Papua, in Papua New Guinea (PNG).
John Henry Holmes
Bible translation into Eurika was done by English missionary John Henry Holmes (1866-1934) of the Congregational London Missionary Society (LMS).
In 1866, J.H. Holmes was born inHarbertonford, Devon, England. He studies at Western College and was appointed as a London Missionary Society (LMS) missionary to the Fly River District of Papua. In 1893 he was ordained in Plymouth, and travelled to Papua, where he was posted to different mission stations.
In 1901 he visited England and married Alice Middleton in Plymouth. In 1902 they returned to Papua, and moved to the Purari Delta. He was the first to translate Scriptures into the Purari language.
In 1919 they returned to England and in 1920 he retired, after completing the Purari New Testament. In 1934 he died in Streatham, London.
He wrote three books about his work: 'By Canoe to Cannibal Land' (1923); 'In Primitive New Guinea' (1924); 'Way back in Papua' (1926).
Bible Translation
In 1902, J.H. Holmes produced the first item to be published in Iai or Purari. This was a primer, selections from Genesis, Exodus, Matthew, Mark and Luke, with vocabulary.
In 1910, J.H. Holmes produced the Gospels according to St. Matthew and St. John, which were published by the British and Foreign Bible Society.
In 1911, he produced a hymn-book containing 102 hymns was published. This included an appendix, including selected Psalms and the Ten Commandments.
New Testament
In 1920 J.H. Holmes completed the New Testament (Kuruei Voa Nawawrea) published by the British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS).
In 1947, a reprint of 2,000 copies of the 1920 edition, was made in Sydney by the Commonwealth Council of the Bible Society.
In 1967 Mark's Gospel from the 1920 New Testament in Iai (Namau), was revised by Lyn Calvert of the London Missionary Society (LMS).
Digital Edition
The 1920 Purari New Testament (Kuruei Voa Nawawrea) was digitised for the Bible Society of Papua New Guinea, with the help of MissionAssist in 2023.
