A New Voice For “JESUS”

The “JESUS” Movie for Native North American Viewers – an ‘Extra Unique’ Version!

Using the JESUS Movie to reach Canada’s First Peoples is not new. In the early 1990s we reported the translation of the two-hour film into the Cree language. It was followed by Dene (Chipewyan), Inuktitut, Slavey and Dogrib (Tlicho).

NCEMers then worked to complete the Innu (Montagnais) and Chilcotin versions. (Ojibway was translated through Impact North missionaries, and InterAct Ministries completed the Blackfoot language.)

In 2002 another version specifically for Native viewers was released, but there’s something extra unique about this one.

Phil and Debbie DuFrene served as a missionaries in Canada’s North before joining Campus Crusade’s JESUS Film Project. Along with work in numerous other countries, Phil’s involvement with Canada’s First Nations continued for several years as an NCEM associate member. He filled us in on this unique release:

NLs: What is different about this?

PhD: We’re calling it the “Native North American English Version.” It uses Native voices, as the others have, but this time in the English language.

NLs: How did the project originate?

PhD: The idea came from David Gowan of the American Bible Society. With a goal of taking the Gospel to every Native person in the US, he realized that literature alone would not reach everyone. He had an idea that possibly the JESUS Film with Native voices would be appealing.

In 1999 he presented the idea to a JESUS Film rep, who passed it on to me. The project was approved! Because of my association with NCEM, and for broader acceptance, I encouraged the recording of the film in both the USA and Canada.

NLs: With an English version and Native language versions already in use, why is it needed?

PhD: One reason is that many Native people speak only English. And many of them no longer have any religious foundation. They are lost … totally without a clue of the peace and salvation through our Lord.

We believe that this movie will present the simple message of the Gospel to Native people in a “voice” that sounds familiar to them. They’ll pick up little cues that will make them think, “Hey … this is the voice of our people!” And it helps remove some of the stigma of “white man’s religion.”

NLs: Tell us about the script.

PhD: The script has been updated to today’s common English, with more direct sentences. There is always difficulty in making prose sound like speaking, and more so the Bible with its long sentences. Further, this script uses words that are more common — for example, we changed “tenants” to “renters,” “purse” to “pack,” and “rid themselves of Jesus” to “get rid of Jesus.”

Although the intended audience is all people of Native ancestry in North America, we also believe it may reach others who speak English as a second language. Other non-Native people will be attracted to its informal North American English.

NLs: Who’s behind the voices?

PhD: We recorded half of the movie’s characters in Rapid City, South Dakota during five days in October. All but one of the voices were Christian Lakotas, and all but one were from the Pine Ridge or Cheyenne River Indian Reservations. Our Jesus voice is a Lakota pastor from Dupree (SD).

The remaining voices were recorded in Prince Albert (SK). NCEMer Tim Gradin (also involved with the Dene version) recruited voice actors, making sure there was a cross-section of urban and northern Cree, Dene and Metis.

I appreciated the dedication of all who lent their voices. I know many of them did it because of their concern for their people — a way of sharing how Jesus has changed their own lives.

NLs: Some may think this project is a bit embarrassing to Native people who are self-conscious about their accent. How do you respond?

PhD: First of all, the script is in exact English, removing the opportunity to criticize Native people’s ability to use good English. With regard to accent, the concept is really “voice,” not “accent.” Accent can vary, voice can’t. Accent tells where you are from — voice is common to the people.

There are physical reasons why people of one race sound different from another. And, of course, the language of a person’s heritage can also affect how he/she speaks English. By and large, Native North Americans are more soft-spoken than European North Americans. We found similar characteristics between the South Dakota voices and the Saskatchewan voices. So we believe that the voices articulate Native North American English.

NLs: Have any other English versions of JESUS been produced?

PhD: This version is the most similar to the Movie’s original English version. There is another version — a “Creole” version, using the English of the Caribbean. Debbie and I recorded that in Jamaica and Belize in 1994. In fact, we ran into the same criticism about that version — that it might embarrass the Jamaicans and the Trinidadians. But we still believe that it is an appropriate way of speaking to the common person of the Caribbean.

NLs: But the rest of the Film’s translations are in languages you don’t understand.

PhD: People ask me if I learn the languages we record. I say, “I’m like my pet dog. He understands a little English but can’t speak a word of it.”

We place our trust in the people who speak the language. They are given guidelines for script translation, both technically, linguistically and theologically.

NLs: Anything else to help our readers get behind these projects in prayer?

PhD: The Gospel message is a simple story. It is a story that shows the love of God for us through Jesus. We want First Nations to hear the Good News in a voice that is comfortable and familiar — and to recognize that there are Native people who have found faith in Jesus.

The JESUS Movie, in its various versions, is a means of sharing the Gospel with friends and neighbours. We must never forget that this is God’s Word and can help bring others into His Kingdom. A person can give it to his or her friend and say, “Here, the message of this video changed my life. It could change yours too.”

Making Perfect Sense…

During the recording, we were coaching the “Captain” (of the Roman guard) and trying to get him to yell and shout. At first it was a really meek, “Get away … get back … move.”

Trying to encourage him I said, “Suppose your brother was in a canoe in a river and he was drifting toward a dangerous rapids. How would you yell at him to watch out?”

The man thought for a few moments, then said, “My brother would know better than to do that.”

Fortunately the recording technician said, “What if there was a bunch of guys trying to attack and beat up your brother. How would you tell them to get back and stay away?”

That made perfect sense, and he started yelling at the top of his voice, “Get back! Move! Go on!” — PhD

Adapted from our Northern Lights magazine (Issue #479). Note: some of the locations and involvements of our missionaries may have changed since the original publishing of this article.