Neil Anderson (4) (1944–)

An amazing account of linguistic missionaries and their experience while living in Fukutao with the Folopa people.

Their beliefs in evil spirits, appeasing spirits would be chucked off as superstition in the civilized world, but was very real to them. The Shaman controlled a lot of what they did and caused a great deal of unrest. Their demand of retribution for accidents, whether intentional or by accident can be childish.

This isn't normally a subject I find interesting, but this book was interesting. The culture of the Folopa is interesting. The changes that took place during the time the missionaries lived there and the elders were asked if they'd want to go back to their old lifestyle.

It was an emphatic no.

… (meer)

Heard a lot about this book, especially as I work in the place where the book’s set, i.e. Papua New Guinea and for the same organisation Anderson does i.e. the Summer Institute of Linguistics. I’d already read the less well-known book by his wife Carol last year when we visited PNG, so I was curious to see what things looked like from his point of view.

His book’s not really about him or his family though so it’s hard to compare the two books. However, it was quite apparent from Carol’s book that Neil was a task-focussed worker and I got the impression that, like my own father, ministry may have come before mum at times. At least that was my impression. So, it’s not surprising that Neil would write a book where his family play minor roles in the background from time to time. They are guests on the Folopa show really.

The book is a series of 22 short chapters, each of them a vignette on what translating a particular verse or section of the Bible meant for the Folopa people in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. It’s amazing to see how relevant a book written thousands of years ago by authors entirely remkoved from the context here fits like a glove into the lives of this remote tribe from PNG. Some of the stories are very moving.

As I read this in a PNG village, I was struck by how the Bible coming here could well unlock doors in people’s hearts here too. I got a glimpse through this book of the rewards that the incredibly challenging task of Bible translation would bring. Not something that I would do as a job; I’m certainly not cut out for it. But I can certainly appreciate the work more through reading this book.… (meer)

I was reading this over the shoulder on the tube in London, only managed a few sentences before the owner got off - I was hooked.

Purchased a copy second hand and it's an incredible book. I'm an agnostic - not into bible bashing etc, but this book hit a really happy middle ground - it didn't preach for preaching sake - it explained how the author's belief in god came through to help them translate - it did not ram god down my throat ( unlike the book on Daniel I'm reading!).

This is a classic book and really goes to show the indefatigableness of the authors in their quest to translate something that there aren't even words for in the Falopa language, and infact, there wasn't a written version of the falopa language - what a task.

It's humourous, touching, gritty - a very good read. Even for a non believer!!… (meer)