Baha’i news
Ētahi Karakia Baha’i was launched at Pūrekireki Marae, Pirongia, on Sunday September 9, to coincide with the beginning of Māori Language Week. It is the fourth significant translation of canonical Baha’i texts Dr Roa and his team have undertaken.
Approximately 150 people including Baha’i members from Raglan attended the hui at Pirongia to thank Dr Roa and his team, and acknowledge their meticulous commitment to the translation work.
The versatility and adaptability of te reo Māori has been vividly demonstrated by University of Waikato Associate Professor Dr Tom Roa (Waikato-Maniapoto). Dr Roa and his team have translated high level, scriptural language from classical forms of Arabic and Persian into te reo Māori. The work, Ētahi Karakia Baha’i, is a compilation of Baha’i prayers, originally revealed in both Persian and Arabic, by the Prophet/Founder of the Baha’i Faith, Baha’u’ll’ah, his predecessor, the Bab, and his son, ‘Abdu’l-Baha, between 1844-1921.
Baha’i sacred writings have been translated into over 80 world languages. “It was incredibly important to us that translations of scriptural writings into te reo Māori should be made available and that they stand side-by-side with other international languages,” said Baha’i spokesperson, James Lau of Hamilton, who has collaborated with Dr Roa for over 14 years on various translation projects.
Maintaining the authenticity of the writings, conveying their original intent and upholding their integrity meant Dr Roa often had to bypass English translations and refer back to the original languages they were revealed in. The process wasn’t a quick one nor was it without its challenges. Dr Roa was faced with words and expressions that did not have Māori equivalents. “It was extremely important that the depth and richness of the words were made clear,” he said.