Johann Ludwig Krapf | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | (1810-01-11)11 January 1810 |
| Died | 26 November 1881(1881-11-26) (aged 71) |
| Occupation | Christian Missionary |
Johann Ludwig Krapf (11 January 1810 – 26 November 1881) was a Germanmissionary in East Africa, as well as an explorer,linguist, and traveler. Krapf played an important role in exploring East Africa withJohannes Rebmann. They were the first Europeans to seeMount Kenya with the help of Akamba who dwelled at its slopes andKilimanjaro. Ludwig Krapf visited Ukambani, the homeland of theKamba people, in 1849 and again in 1850. He successfully translated the New Testament to theKamba language. Krapf also played a key role in exploring the East African coastline, especially in Mombasa.
Krapf was born into aLutheran family of farmers in southwest Germany. From his school days onward he developed his gift forlanguages. He initially studiedLatin,Greek,French andItalian. More languages were to follow throughout his life. After finishing school he joined theBasel Mission Seminary at age 17 but discontinued his studies as he had doubts about his missionary vocation. He read theology atUniversity of Tübingen and graduated in 1834. While working as an assistant village pastor, he met a Basel missionary,Peter Fjellstedt, who encouraged him to resume his missionary vocation.[1]
In 1836 he was invited by theAnglicanChurch Missionary Society (CMS) to join their work inEthiopia.[2] Basel Mission seconded him to the Anglicans and from 1837 to 1842 he worked in this ancient Christian land. He prepared himself by learning ancientGe'ez and theAmharic language of thehighlands. Landing atTadjura, Krapf followed the trade route toShewa, where he presented himself to its ruler,MeridazmachSahle Selassie, and later accompanied the Meridazmach on a military campaign in southern Shewa. Krapf'spietist background did not help him much to understand and appreciate traditionalEthiopian Christianity, especially their emphasis on saints, liturgy and use of Ge'ez, a language no longer spoken. When he departed Shewa in 1842, he found his way toGondar blocked by the aftermath of theBattle of Debre Tabor, retraced his steps to the court of Adara Bille, a chieftain of theWollo Oromo who then robbed him. Krapf managed to effect his escape with his servants, and made his way toMassawa supported by the reluctant charity of the local inhabitants.[3]
Thus he centered his interest on theOromo people of southern Ethiopia, in his time known as the Galla, who then were largely believers in a traditional religion. He learned their language and started translating parts of theNew Testament into it. While 1842 saw Krapf receive a doctorate from University of Tübingen for his research into the Ethiopian languages, it also witnessed the expulsion of all Western missionaries from Ethiopia, which ended his work there. In association with his colleague,Carl Wilhelm Isenberg, he published a memoir of his time in Ethiopia,Journals of Isenberg and Krapf in 1843. He revisedAbu Rumi'sBible translations into Amharic forBFBS.[4]
Krapf spent some time inAlexandria, Egypt, where he married. From there he set off for East Africa hoping to reach the Oromo from what is now theKenyan coast. Most of the East African coastline was then part of theZanzibar sultanate. SultanSayyid Said gave him a permit to start a missionary station at the coastal city ofMombasa. Krapf started again by learning the languages of the localMijikenda people and alsoSwahili which is an East Africanlingua franca language of communication.
Soon after arrival in Mombasa his wife and young daughter suffered and died frommalaria.[2] Krapf moved to the higher grounds ofRabai on the coastal hills and started his stationNew Rabai (Rabai Mpya). Here he wrote the first dictionary and grammar of the Swahili language. He also started studying other African languages, drafting dictionaries and translating sections of the Bible. Working with a Muslim judge named Ali bin Modehin, he translated Genesis. He went on to translate the New Testament, as well as the Book of Common Prayer. However, most of this was unpublished, though it was later used in revising a translation in a more southern version of Swahili.[5]
In 1846 he was joined byJohannes Rebmann, another southwest German Lutheran who was in the service of the CMS. Krapf and Rebmann set off to explore the interior of East Africa and they were the first Europeans to see the snowcapped mountains ofKilimanjaro andMount Kenya.[2] They sent reports about them to Europe which were ridiculed by the experts.
Krapf's deteriorating health forced him to return to Germany in 1853. He brought with him several old Swahili manuscripts, including copies of theBook of the Battle of Tambuka, the earliest Swahili manuscript. In Korntal he continued his linguistic studies and advisory work for the Christian missions.[6]
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