Sa'a Language
The Sa'a language is also known as Apae'aa is spoken on South also called Small Malaita and Ulawa Island in the Solomon Islands.
Mission Work
The area was missioned by the Anglican Melanesian Mission, with liturgical and Scripture materials published by the Melanesian Press. Analysis of the languages was done by the missionary Walter George Ivens (1871-1940), who produced a dictionary and grammar in 1918.
Bible Translation
The Gospel of Matthew was published in 1898 and revised in 1901 as Totolaha diana Mala a Matthew e usue. The Gospels and Acts were published by the British and Foreign Bible Society in 1905 as Haalun̳e Haalu a haaurilaka a Jesus Christ a Lord ikie. Translation begun by Joseph Wate, the first Malaita Christian (who died in 1902), and continued by Walter G. Ivens (Melanesian Mission).
Ivens, assisted by Clement Maraw, then completed the New Testament in 1910 which was published by the British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS) as Haalunne Haalu a haaurilaka a Lord ikie a Jesus Christ. This was revised in 1927.
Psalms
Parts of the Book of Common Prayer were published which included selections from Scripture. In 1946 the Prayer Book was printed as Ni Rihunei ana arena ni Saa which included the Psalter, which was reprinted in 1960.
Digital Edition
The 150 Psalms from pages 305-455 from the Sa'a Anglican Book of Common Prayer Book, were digitised with the help of MissionAssist in April 2024.
