BIO-BIBLIOGRAPHIE DE JOHN HENRY WEEKS, MISSIONNAIRE ET ETHNOLOGUE AU CONGO (1861 - 1924) / Par Honoré Vinck

Publié d'abord dans Annales Æquatoria 21(2000)213-223

John Henry Weeks est un important acteur de l'histoire coloniale de l'Afrique Centrale. Il est un des pionniers missionnaires (Baptist Missionary Society) chez les Bakongo et les "Bangala", et l'ethnographe-chroniqueur prolixe de la vie quotidienne aux bords du Fleuve Congo. A un certain moment, il devient le perspicace dénonciateur des méfaits du régime léopoldien. Son apport à la réduction à l'écriture des langues locales et à la formation du lingala, reste encore à préciser mais il est certainement très de grande valeur. De multiples traductions de textes bibliques et d'hymnes religieux ainsi que la publications de la littérature orale (e.a. dans les manuels scolaires) en témoignent.

A ma connaissance aucune biographie ou notice biographique substantielle n'a été écrite jusqu'ici et il reste même difficile de produire une liste complète de ses publications, dispersées qu'elles sont dans un grand nombre de périodiques et revues. La documentation que j'ai réunie était trop lacunaire pour que j'entreprenne une étude exhaustive sur ce personnage, trop riche et trop méritoire pour le réduire à une notice de dictionnaire biographique. Mais comme j'ai pu rassembler un certain nombre de données originelles (principalement dans les Archives du Regent's College à Oxford), j'ai voulu les reproduire telles quelles dans l'espoir que d'autres les utilisent pour des recherches biographiques plus approfondies.
Notices biographiques publiées: Biographie Coloniale Belge, I.R.C.B., Bruxelles 1948, Tome I,967 et Ibi, IV,939; BMS Archives, Regent's College, Oxford; The Missionary Herald, 1887-1914, passim (brève notice biographique: novembre 1896, 551-552); Les photos reproduites ici sont toutes extraites du Missionary Herald.

NOTICE BIOGRAPHIQUE

Né en 1861 à Camberwell; mort à Londres le 24 décembre 1924 ; au Congo : 1882-1912

Formation :
Quand il quitte la Clayton's Memorial Sunday-school, à l'âge de 9 ans, il trouve du travail dans le secteur de la construction et de la décoration. Deux ans après sa conversion (à l'âge de 14 ans), il s'engage dans la prédication pour le compte du Evangelistic Association et la Country Mission à Londres. Il a été ensuite enseignant-catéchiste à l'Ecole du Dimanche au Mansfieldstreet. Il entre à l'âge de 18 ans dans le Pastor's College pour se préparer (3 ans) à sa vie de missionnaire. En octobre 1881, il a été accepté par le comité de la Baptist Missionary Society, et le 26 novembre 1881, il peut partir pour l'Angola/Congo. Il se marie en septembre 1885 avec C.M. Reddall (décédée en 1899) et en 1903 à Florence Wadlon. Il a
deux enfants de chaque une de ces femmes.

Postes d'attache :
San Salvador : (arrivé le 14 janvier) 1882-1888 ;
Matadi (Underhill/Tunduwa): 1888-1890;
Monsembe août 1890-1905;
Wathen: 1905-1912.

Congés :
- 1 mars 1885-janvier 1886;
- 2 juillet1887-mars 1888;
- 3 août 1895-mars 1897 (vraisemblablement fin 1897 ou même début 1898; - début 1902 (octobre 1901 ?)-avril 1903;
- août 1907-janvier 1908; août 1909- ?.
Pendant ses congés il est en relation avec la "House church Mitchan Lane, Streatham".

BIBLIOGRAPHIE

1. En langues africaines

(1) Mr Weeks lui-même, dans lettre à Mr Wilson (conservée parmi les Weeks papers au Regent's Park, BMS Archives, Oxford), nous donne la liste de ses principales publications et leur contexte :

"61, Lucien Road , Looting Common. S.W./Nov.2.1916
Dear Mr Wilson.
In reply to your questions re. Christian Literature on the Mission Field, I would say that before going to the Upper Congo I brought out on the Lower Congo between 1881 and 1890 a translation of 38 of the Psalms and also a translation of the Gospel by Matthew. But before these were done and while I lived at San Salvador I printed on a small press I found there a translation of parables, native stories, etc. for use as reading lessons in the school. These were very tentative and were only of temporary local value until more serious work was done. We were quite in the initial stage of Congo literature those days.
Respecting translation work at Monsembe, Mr Stapleton and I divided the work between us for the first few years until he went to Yakusu, and then Mr Stonelake (H.J.) in some measure took his place. We knew what each other was doing, and this saved over lapping, and dissipation of valuable energy. The Mission Station was started in August 1890. The language had to be reduced in writing. The Station had to be cleared and built at a time when the Mission did not send out houses ready constructed to the Upper Congo; but trees had to be felled in the local forest, carried in to the Station and prepared for our houses. We had to do a large proportion of the manual work ourselves. This in some ways helped, and in other ways hindered our study of the language.
I will put the literature in the chronological order in which it was published, and (illisible) to each the name of the missionary responsible for its preparation and translation. We used natives for the very first.

1892. First Reading Book. pp 18 / Weeks
1893. Second Reading Book. pp 32/
These two books revised as the small editions were used up. They comprised (illisible), short articles, words for spelling, something like Marvor's.
1893. Some Palavers of God. Hymns about a dozen. pp.33 / Weeks
This book was revised more than once and enlarged. As hymns increased in numbers they were published separately.
1894. Native stories pp.43.Used as reading book in school. /Weeks
1894. Story of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph. pp.56. /Stapleton
Used as reading book in school.
1895. Gospel of Matthew. Revised in 1902. / Weeks
1896. Gospel of Mark. (revised in 1904 by Weeks) / Stapleton
1898. Gospel of John (revised in 1903 by Weeks) Stapleton
1899. Doing of Five Countries. pp. 55 / Weeks
Information about England, China, India etc. for school use.
1900. Parables and Miracles of the Lord Jesus. pp. 64. / Weeks
This was well illustrated by (illisible) pictures.
1900. More Boloki stories. pp. 85. / Weeks
Reading lessons for school (illisible)
1901. Gospel of Luke. / Weeks
1901. Acts of the Apostles. / Stonelake
1902. Catechism pp. 17. / Stonelake
Used by church members and enquirers.

In the above list I have given the English for the native titles of the books. I returned to Monsembe in Aug. 1903, in 1904 it was decided to abandon the Station on account depopulation.
If I were again starting the Station in a District the language of which had not been reduced to writing I should work on much the same lines of preparing various books for school use. The Reading books of native stories were not only greatly appreciated by the boys and girls; but the were useful to the missionaries. There were a storehouse of pure native idiom, and a great help to the proper understanding of the native mind and his outlook on life.
Instead however, of spending a considerable time as in 1895 in translating a Gospel, I would prepare a simple Live of Christ in chronological order based on some well accepted Harmony of the Gospels, starting the life, miracles, parables and teaching in the simplest native language and purest idiom. I would then do the same for selected parts of the Old Testament - the Creation, Fall, Flood, the call of Abraham, and working on in connected portions to the settlement of Israel in the Promised Land. Then in an other book selections from the Prophets, Psalms, Proverbs etc. In the same meantime I would be looking out for native idioms and expressions that could be used for a more serious translation of each Gospel. This is briefly the course I would pursue if I could start over again in a new district.
Yours very sincerely
John H. Weeks

(2) De Frederick Starr, A Bibliography of Congo Languages, Chicago 1908, je reproduis les pages 87-88: Ces titres (en langue locale) sont partiellement les mêmes que ceux cités dans la lettre précédente.

(Some (38) Psalms.450 copies. Underhill before 1890.) pp. 36. (Kongo)

I nsangu zambote sasonekwa kwa Matai. Zasekulwa muna Kixi-Kongo kwa John H. Weeks. Edwin Wade Printing Press, Baptist Missionary Society, Underhill, Congo Free State. 1889 [The good news written by Matthew. Translated into Kisi-Kongo by John H.Weeks.] 500 copies. 16mo; pp. I02. (Kongo)

Ja-boloki. Mabanza moko ma Boloki mangani na John H. Weeks Monsembe Baptist Missionary Society 1900 [Boloki language. Some stories of Boloki, gathered by John H. Weeks.] (Bolobo.) Crown 8vo; pp. 85. (Ngala)

Ja-bonsembi. Monkanda molo tanga bo. 1892. Monsembi. [Language of Monsembi. First reading book.] (Lukolela. Crown 8vo; pp. 18. (Ngala)

Ja-boloki. Monkanda mwa lotanga mwa mibale 1900. Monsembe [Bolokï language.Second reading-book. (Bolobo, Crown 8vo; pp.32 (Ngala)

Mabanza ma Monsembe. 1894 Baptist Missionary Society, Monsembe. [Monsembe Stories.] (Bolobo.) Crown 8vo; pp. 43- (Ngala)

Miketo mia bikulu betanu. Prepared by John H. Weeks. Monsembe: Baptist Missionary Society, 1899. [Doings of five countries.] (Bolobo.) Demy 8vo; pp. 64. (Ngala)

Mikilu na biela bia monanga Jizu Masiya Translated by John H. Weeks Monsembe Baptist Missionary Society 1900. [Parables and words of the Lord Jesus Messiah.] (Bolobo.) Demy 8vo; pp 55.

Monkanda mwa litangi mwa libali [Second reading book.]
(Lukolela.) Crown 8vo; pp. 32.(Ngala)

Nsango ndau iyakomaka Luka. Ibongwani o likoli ja Boloki (Bangala) na John H. Weeks Baptist Missionary Society Monsembe 1901. [Gospel according to Luke.Translated into the language of the Boloki by John H. Weeks] (Bolobo.) Crown 8vo; pp. 92.(Ngala)

Nsango ndau iyakomaka Malako ibongwani o likolo Boloki (Bangala) na John H. Weeks Baptist Missionary Society Monsembe 1904 [The Gospel according to Mark translated into Boloki (Ngala) by John H. Weeks.] (Bolobo.) Crown 8vo; pp 53 (Ngala)

Nsango ndau iyakomaka Matai ibongwani o likoli ja Boloki (Bangala) na John H. Weeks Baptist Missionary Society Monsembe I902 [The Gospel according to Matthew translated into Boloki (Bangala) by John H. Weeks.] (Bolobo) Crown 8vo; pp. 85.

Nsango ndau iyakomaka Yoane Ibongwani o likoli ja Boloki (Bangala) na John H. Weeks Baptist Missionary Society Monsembe 1904 [The Gospel according to John, translated into Boloki (Ngala) by John H. Weeks.] (Bolobo.) Crown 8vo; pp. 68.(Ngala)

Yoko mpo ya Libanza, mpe ya Jizu Masiya. I895 Baptist Missionary Society, Monsembe. [Some palavers of God and Jesus Messiah.] (Bolobo.) Demy 8vo; pp. 34.(Ngala)

Yoko mpo ya Libanza. Njembu: 1893 Monsembi [Some palavers of God. Hymns.] (Lukolela.) 8vo; pp 33 (Ngala)

Monkanda mwa lotanga mwa bo. 1896 Monsembi.
[First reading book.] (Bolobo.) Crown 8vo; pp. 18.

2. En anglais

Il y a encore trop d'incertitudes pour faire une liste systématique des écrits de Weeks. Je fais suivre ici toutes les indications trouvées à différents endroits. Je n ai pas pu les vérifier, sauf les articles dans le The Missionary Herald, mais là aussi il est possible que ma liste contienne quelques lacunes.

(1) Articles dans The Missionary Herald

The Congo and its People,. 1910, Sept pp273-274; Oct. 301-302; Nov. 331-333; Dec. 362-364; 1911, Jan. 15-17; Feb. 51-52; Mar. 75-76; Apr 107-109; May 137-139; Jun 173-174; Jul 199-200; Aug 237-238; Sept 275-276; Dec 305-306 [Il s'agit d'une description ethnographique de vulgarisation des Bakongo. Le texte plus détaillé est à chercher dans son article dans Folk Lore, 1908 ]

Kusaganga. The story of a Congo slave, 1913, August, pp 89-90 ; Sept., pp. 103-104; Oct., pp ?(=end)

The Story of the Mission, April 1914, pp 101-103

Chief Mbumba of Mputu, Sept. 1915, pp 285-286;

(2) Autres publications selon ses propres indications sur un formulaire d'enquête du 14 février 1916 (BMS Archives, London)

- Congo Life and Folk Lore, Religious Tract Society, 1911, pp . XXII et 462
- Among the Congo Cannibals, (Customs of Boloki people), Seeley, Service Russell 1912, pp. 353
- Among the Primitive Bakongo (Customs etc. of the Lower Congo People) ,Ibi, 1914, XVI et 318
- A Congo Pathfinder (Part of the Live of Dr Bentley), Religious Tract Society, 1915, pp. 251

"For works written in Congo Languages se Bibliography of Dr Starr for a complete list.

Many articles in Missionary Herald of various dates and years. See over for articles. Please note that nrs 2 and 3 were published by Lippincotts of America and n.2 has been translated into German and published by Nirt of Breslau;
- The Christian Herald, Dec. 5. 1912, Stories from the Congo
- Treasury Magazine, Oct. 1913, An African River
- Chamber's Journal, Dec. 1913, Some Congo Pests - The Driver (illisible)
- Baptist Times, Mar. 7 1913, David Livingstone - Missionary, Explorer
- Christian Age and Sunday Pictures, July 17 1914, Our Portrait Gallery - (illisible)
- Christian World, Oct. 1914, King Albert of Belgium
- Journal of African Society, Jan. 1915, Long review of M. Cureaan's book: Savage Man in Central Africa
- International Review of Missions, April 1915, Another shorter review of these same book
- Several other Articles but kept no note of them"

(3) Mentions et chroniques le concernant dans The Missionary Herald.
(La rédaction du The Missionary Herald citait souvent des extraits de ses lettres ou s'y référait. Nous indiquons ici celles que nous avons pu retrouver)

- 1887,66 (Notre Père imprimé en 4 langues)
- 1888, July (Tunduwa, 11 mai : traduction les 25 premiers psaumes et quelques hymnes)
- 1890, 265-266 : (Tunduwa/Underhill, 11 mars : description des activités commerciales dans les environs; chrétiens parmi les travailleurs du rail; abus d'alcohol; imprimerie: statistiques de la production); 443-444 (rapport de la fondation de Monsembe) ["The people are Bangalas, one of the most energetic and progressive tribes on the river, and in learning their language we shall have a great area opened to us"]
- 1891,209-210 , May, (Récit de la fondation de Monsembe avec Stapleton, du depart de Bolobo le 11 mai 1890 à la construction de leur maison à Monsembe); ["The language here is the same as that spoken (with possible slight dialectical differences) at Bangala (…) The language has not yet been reduced to writing(…) Amid our other work we have been able to procure and write down 400 words, and day by day we are enriching our vocabulary"]
- 1892,398-390, Pictures from Monsembi on the Upper Congo (description de 3 photos)
- 1893,21, Mission work amongst the Cannibal Bangalas (11 Aug. 1892)
- 1894, 1 Dec., 489 ["our school for boys (…)They come day by day when we ring the bell, and exhibit great earnestness in learning; this is proved by the fact that several have written out their native stories on slates and brought them to me. I have received so many that after a little editing I sent them to Lokolela, and Mr Whitehead has printed them for me. The book will be a very usefull schoolbook and a storehouse of pure idiomatic phrases for our own use."]
- 1895, 323-326. The Upper Congo Mission. Baptismal service at Monsembe. ["During the first few months here we experienced some difficulty in learning the language, because the people, being suspicious of us, purposely led us astray by telling us the wrong words; then suspicion gave place to confidence, and they have done all they could to help in our language work" (…) "The primary object of our school work is to win these boys and girls to Christ" "Translation Work. Notwithstanding the difficulties we first encountered in studying this language, we have been able to make some progress All the services and schools and all the palavers with the people are carried on in the vernacular only. Our first efforts were directed towards the preparation of schoolbooks. The First and Second Reading books were prepared and printed together with some large cards; then followed a short Bible History with some hymns. During this time some of the boys were writing their native stories, which, with a little alteration, make a capital reading-book for our schools. At present we have in the press two books, one on Old Testament History, and another on the Life of Christ.". "The Gospels of Matthew and Mark are translated, and Matthew will be in the hands of the printer by the time you receive this letter."]
- 1896, 156-158, New School House at Wathen Station, Lower Congo River; 551-552, [Notice biographique de Weeks avec photo de lui et de sa femme]
- 1898, 1 Feb. Demande d'aide pour une "magic lantern".
- 1889, Febr. 63, (Visite de Mr Lloyd, missionnaire C.M.S. en Uganda) ;-May, 260-261 [croyances en Dieu en "quatre personnes: Libanza, Nzakomba, Njambe, Kumba"; relations avec les villages d'alentour]
- 1901,265-266: dépopulation à Monsembe; ["The Acts of the Apostles have been translated by Mr. H.T. Stonelake. A small book on Arithmetic bas been prepared by Mr. Dodds., A new edition of a Second Reading Book also a revised reprint of an Advanced Reading Book, and a translation of the Parables and Miracles of Jesus (with illustrations) have been prepared by myself. Our Hymn Book bas been revised, enlarged, and reprinted, and was received with much enthusiasm by all our lads and young men, who bought them eagerly and them sung them lustily, commencing at No. 1 and going through the book"].
- 1902, 344-345; Photo de Weeks avec ses deux enfants et rappel de la mort de sa première femme;
- 1903, 279-286: Correspondance de Weeks avec l'éditeur du West African Mail concernant les abus du régime léopoldien;
- 1906, 377: Demande d'un médecin pour Wathen;
- 1907, October, What hath God wrought on the Congo [twenty five years ago no Congo language had been reduced to writing, and there was no Congo literature; now seven languages have been mastered, and more or less of God's eternal Truth has been translated into them, besides a great number of other books".]
- 1908,316,Harvest Thanksgiving at Wathen
- 1909,296-297 The first harvest thanksgiving at Kinshasa

(4) Autres textes:

Selon les indications dans la Biographie Coloniale Belge IV,939-940 (H. Coxill, 1954), sans indications de date ou d'éditeur. S'agit-il de manuscrits ou d'articles ou de variantes de titres connus? Les titres marqués * sont connus par d'autres sources:
- The Story of a Brass Rod
- Among Congo Cannibals*
- Among the Primitive Banganda (Bangala?)
- Among the Primitive Wanganda
- Among the Primitive wa-Congo*
- Congo Life and Folklore*
- A Congo Pathfinder*

Le catalogue de la Bibliothèque Didcot (Londres, BMS) mentionne les titres: (1) Savage Man in Central Africa, mais il s'agit certainement de sa recension du livre mentionné en haut; (2) Congo Life and Jungle Stories, (3) A Congo Pathfinder; (4) Savage Man in Central Africa.

Ensuite j'ai encore vu les textes suivants:
- Stories and other Notes from the Upper Congo, Folklore 12(1901)181-189; 458-464 et Notes from the Upper Congo, Folklore ,15(1904)326-331
- Anthropological Notes on the Bangala of the Upper Congo River, Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute 39(1909)97-131; 40(1910)360-427 (Aussi en brochure séparée)
- Folk Lore: Dec. 1908 (cfr The Missionary Herald 1910-1911, ou s'agit-il du texte précédent avec erreur de datation?)
- Congo Life and Jungle Stories, n.d. [Noté des catalogues à Regent's park, BMS Oxford]