In the South Pacific, some 7,000 people speak Nauruan, 4,500 Tokelauan, and 12,000 Rotuman. The Witnesses now produce Bible tracts and brochures in those languages as well as monthly editions of The Watchtower in Niuean, spoken by about 8,000, and Tuvaluan, spoken by some 11,000. Jehovah’s Witnesses are, in fact, one of the largest publishers of printed material in little-known languages, producing Bible literature in such tongues as Bislama, Hiri Motu, Papiamento, Mauritian Creole, New Guinea Pidgin, Seychelles-Creole, Solomon Islands Pidgin, and scores of others.

Linda Crowl, a worker with the Institute for Pacific Studies, based at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji, said that the translation work of the Witnesses is “the most exciting thing that is happening in the Pacific.” She recommends their publications because of their excellent quality.

When the quarterly edition of Awake! was started in the Samoan language, local newspapers as well as the national TV news carried the story. During the broadcast the cover of Awake! was shown, and the magazine was opened to each article. These were then featured one at a time.