‘Godaku Tjukurpa’ distributed in APY Lands 

Thanks to the generous support of Bible Society Australia (BSA) donors, the Godaku Tjukurpa children’s Bible has been distributed in the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands in April, touching the communities it was created for. After four years of collaborative work with 28 Aṉangu artists, translators and community members, this richly illustrated children’s Bible in Pitjantjatjara and English was launched in Ernabella (Pukatja).  

The event was marked by celebration, with hundreds in attendance and a large community-requested cake featuring an image from the book — Jesus calming the storm. While the 1500km journey from Adelaide left the cake a little worse for wear, it was received with joy. 

One of the most powerful moments came when the team was able to present a copy of Godaku Tjukurpa to Nami’s son. Nami’s love for children, her passion for Pitjantjatjara translation work and her commitment for sharing God’s story with her community all form part of her legacy, which now lives on through the pages of this culturally significant Bible. 

A group of enthusiastic young volunteers from Emmaus Christian College, all former students with a heart for the people of the APY Lands, supported the launch. Volunteers then split into smaller teams to distribute the Godaku Tjukurpa across APY Lands communities, from the east to the west, as far as the small town Yulara, near Uluru.  

In one surprising moment, a Japanese family with young children (pictured below) who were visiting the area bought a copy and expressed their deep interest. This moment highlighted to the team that this deeply local book might have impact and reach far beyond these communities. 

The contributing artists were among the most excited to see the final book in print. Many had painted their illustrations years ago and were very happy to finally hold the finished product in their hands. 

As David Barnett, BSA Bible engagement coordinator for the Pitjantjatjara Translation Project, shared, “there was just a lot of excitement, especially from the artists. They’d almost forgotten that it was actually going to be produced in a book, and now they’re holding it. It was a very special time.” 

This launch and distribution trip was so meaningful and effective that the Emmaus Christian College is now exploring the idea of partnering in an annual Bible distribution trip into the APY Lands to support and encourage these communities with Scripture resources. 

Your support of both the Pitjantjatjara Old Testament Translation Project and Godaku Tjukurpa has enabled God’s word to take root in hearts and homes across the APY Lands, in a way that is beautiful, culturally meaningful, and transformative. 

Please continue to pray for the children receiving and learning from this Bible and for the ongoing work of the Pitjantjatjara translation team.