Kaaps is spoken mainly by the Coloured community in the Cape Flats of Cape Town, South Africa. It emerged in the 1500s as a trade language between indigenous peoples, settlers, and passing traders. Long treated as a dialect of Afrikaans, Kaaps likely predates it and has developed its own distinct form, closely shaped by the culture of its speakers. Today’s Kaaps speakers descend from diverse groups who lived under European colonisation, including Malays, Khoisan, and other African peoples, many of whom were enslaved and oppressed. Their language and identity have long been stigmatised, yet Kaaps culture remains vibrant, known for its music and expressive speech. As they embrace their identity afresh, the translation of God’s Word into Kaaps brings further validation that they are utterly treasured and wonderfully made; a message with the power to heal centuries of discrimination.

Through the Psalms that Sing pilot project, a team of artist-translators were put together to explore, translate and perform the biblical psalms in Kaaps. It resulted in a performance called "Alive in Kaaps". Initially, those invited to take part were sceptical, but they left beaming, excited by what they were a part of. Since then, it is having a profound effect on those who are encountering Kaaps as a validated language worthy of God’s Word. The most common phrases heard are, “That’s how we speak!” or “This is our music!”

Listen to the no.1 single "Assitie Virrie Yirre Vassie" by Alive in Kaaps.

"We knew we had a language that belonged to the people and the streets, but had no idea of its authenticity and uniqueness in our country and among our people. It is spoken of and should be recognized as such. We fell in love with our sound again. We felt validated."

- Shawn

Some work has already been done independently by a Kaaps man called Etienne Pieterse who worked on the book of Mark.

Now, Wycliffe SA is helping to facilitate the start of a formal translation project working on the Old Testament, which will begin in 2025. It took some time to find the right partners, but in October the team met to discuss the translation brief. The goal of this process is for partners to tackle the important issue of translation type (for example literal, idiomatic, dynamic equivalent etc), fostering a sense of intellectual ownership among end-users. This proactive approach helps prevent any unexpected obstacles that could hinder effective engagement with the translation once it's released. If a denomination feels that a translation doesn't meet their specific needs, it can create significant challenges for Scripture engagement.

The Psalms that Sing initiative* is nearing its conclusion. The team is feeling a mix of sadness and anticipation, knowing that this will be the last workshop until September 2025, when a new funding cycle begins. A few of the those who were involved with Psalms that Sing will also be translators.

*Psalms that Sing was founded as a response to the challenge of translating the Psalms, which are written in poetic form. By taking a poetic and musical approach to translation, the Psalms can be translated in a way that preserves the beauty and power of their creative form. The Kaaps group are professional musicians and so it is a match made in heaven, and their renditions of the Psalms have already blessed many.