Shan Hymnbook
It was reported that a small Hymnbook in Shan was printed in November 1879. This small Hymnbook was no longer available in the 1970s. In some Churches, people have to make hand copies. It was reported that in the ’50s and ’60s, the only hymns that many local Christians learned to sing were set in Western-style music that was utterly alien to the local population. Ray Buker had translated some hymns into various languages in Burma, and some had been set to native tune. But we don’t know which songs were translated by Ray Buker into the native tune. In 1976 copy of a small Hymnbook was reproduced in a bigger size by Burma Baptist Press in Rangoon. However, there were many mistakes in spelling, setting, and some verses were missing. It was difficult to type set with a Burmese typewriter to print into Shan words since a Shan typewriter was not available. The quality of the paper and binding was so poor that it was torn apart in a few months. It is no longer used in Shan Churches.
Because of the need for a Shan Hymnal in Shan Churches, I produced a new Shan Hymnbook with the addition of some new songs and musical notes in the new Shan writing system with computer fonts in 1993. It was printed in Northern Thailand and sent to Shan Churches in Burma. This is the first Shan Hymnal to be produced with musical notes in new Shan writing with computer fonts. New Shan Hymnbook in new Shan writing with computer fonts without musical notes was also produced by OMF, Thailand, in 1995. Shan Hymnal with staff notes written by hand in old Shan writing was also produced by MuSe Church in the year 2000. It is interesting to see MuSe Church produce the Shan Hymnbook with old Shan in handwriting, while almost all Shan people all over the country are using new Shan writing in computer fonts. The writer of this Hymnbook, my cousin, explained to me that it was published just for fundraising purposes. The publisher reduced the size of the book, making the letters too small to read.
Shan Christian Literature and Publication
Very few Christian literatures are produced and published in Shan language. The following are some publications in Shan. Most of them are in small booklets or tracts.
Some Christian literature produced by OMF, Thailand, are:
- Does our culture get us there?
- Prodigal son
- Who is Jesus?
- Tabernacle
- Ten Questions
- Building Disciples
- Church Planting Movements
- Wholeness through Christ
- Song Book
- The plan of God
- The Savior
- Tiger/ Crocodile
- Victory over death
- Ten Prophecies
- Road to life
- Creation picture tract
- Following God
- Faith in God
- Guides to the Old Testament
- Chronological teaching
Christian literature produced by others are: - Jesus Christ comic tract (Bible Art Series, The Standard Publishing Co. USA)
- Shan Choir Book, By Sai Htun Shwe @ Sai Beaun Kham
- Eternal God who has power and authority booklet. By H. Yawnghwe, 1987
- Our daily life. By SGM, UK.
- Savior. By SGM, UK.
- Stronger and newer every day. By SGM, UK.
- Jesus Christ is Savior. By Dr. Sai Htwe Maung.
- Our Daily Bread in Shan Language. By Dr. Sai Htwe Maung.
- Four Gospel in one book with illustrations. By Dr. Sai Htwe Maung
- The Book of Psalms in large bold letters. By Dr. Sai Htwe Maung.
- Our belief in Eternal God. By Dr. Sai Htwe Maung.
- About Eternal God. By Dr. Sai Htwe Maung.
- About God Jesus Christ. By Dr. Sai Htwe Maung.
- Gospel of Luke in handwriting published in 1979 by unknown publisher.
- Shan Choir Book By Sai Hla Kyan, 1999.
Apart from the Bible, no other Christian books are translated.
