Blood

Joseph's story and traditional arts as a bridge

How we encourage people to value their culture, take on their own problems, and embrace God's opportunities for change from the inside out

The Sangu live in southwestern Tanzania in an area they share with 35 other ethnic groups. There are very few Christians among the Sangu. Communities are mostly led by non-Sangu and only rarely attended by the Sangu. Their history has shaped the Sangu. In the past, as slave traders, they handed over neighboring peoples to the Arabs. In 2017, the chief of the Sangu said that today they themselves are like slaves in their own homeland. Their self-esteem is low, and when they meet other peoples they sometimes deny their identity and language.

How do we help local Christians reach the Sangu with the Gospel? If you don't just want to talk, what's the best way to communicate? What are their traditional art forms? What inspires you? What issues are they dealing with? Our local partners set out to find answers.

A staff member reports: “When I sat in a circle with the sangu and banged the drums with them, other villagers danced around us with bright eyes. When I put headphones on an elderly grandfather and played an ancient but beloved form of sangu music, he immediately started jumping enthusiastically, paying close attention to the words. We learned: These art forms touch the hearts!”

The Sangu then also talked about their main concerns. Along with lack of drinking water and witchcraft, widespread and ongoing family problems are the biggest concern.

With this project we want to take on the challenge of addressing family problems in our own language and with culturally specific art forms and thereby facilitate access to the Bible.

The story of Joseph is very suitable for this. She touches on subjects such as jealousy, laziness and diligence, fidelity in small things and fidelity in marriage. History also teaches that doing the right thing does not automatically and immediately lead to success. Suffering and defeats can also be consequences of the right action. This is an unfamiliar concept for the Sangu, but very important in paving the way for making even uncomfortable decisions about following Jesus. Loyalty in small ways can lead to hardship and suffering. For Joseph, his faithfulness meant prison. The story of Joseph also touches on the subject of enslavement, the question of guilt, the fear of revenge and the possibility of genuine deliverance and forgiveness from God.

In the next two years, the Joseph story will be prepared as a play, rehearsed by Sangu artists and performed in twelve villages. The story is enriched with new songs and dances that bridge the life of the Sangu. Together with the performances, the New Testament will be sold in one volume with the book of Genesis in the language of the Sangu, according to the motto: In this book you can read the story of Joseph in the original and the rest of the book at the same time! In addition to the Bible, there will also be a colored wall calendar with ideas on the subject of family. In all twelve villages in which the story of Joseph is being performed, Bible listening groups in the Sangu language are to be set up in cooperation with the local communities and the leaders of the groups are to be trained. This gives people the opportunity to talk about the Bible in their own language and to connect with the congregations.