Imperative for Engagement Domains With Minority Languages

Bible translation is essential for the flourishing of language communities, but engaging with indigenous local knowledge (ILK) is equally important for honoring cultural identity. This presentation argues that alongside Scripture translation, efforts must focus on preserving and maintaining language use, which carries ILK and supports the physical environment that sustains these communities.

Genesis 1 and 2 highlight God’s mandate for humankind to care for the earth, with seed-bearing plants given to both humans and animals. This calling includes cultivating the land and observing the intricate details of creation—tasks that demand close interaction with and naming of the species within the environment. Preserving and transmitting this knowledge is vital for sustaining both cultural identity and ecological wisdom embedded within indigenous languages.

SIL’s Faith & Farming initiative fosters this integration by collaborating with local stakeholders and translation teams to facilitate dialogue that promotes both Scripture engagement and ILK preservation. Through language development and interaction, the goal is to uplift communities while safeguarding their ecological wisdom.

As biodiversity loss threatens local ecosystems, minority language communities hold invaluable knowledge of sustainable ecological practices and rare germplasm essential for global food security. Documenting this knowledge is essential to prevent the loss of not only cultural heritage but also critical species and agricultural diversity. Without preserving this knowledge, unique landraces and crop varieties may vanish, along with the recipes and traditions that sustain them. The responsibility to protect this knowledge is not only a matter of cultural preservation but also of ensuring the ecological future for generations to come.

This paper thus argues for the design of a holistic translation program, where linguistic work identifying local terms for ecosystems is used both for quality translation of the Scriptures and for fulfilling the first commission God gave to humankind—to cultivate and care for the earth.