Zara Schmelen (c. 1793 – 1831) was a Southern African missionary's wife, born in the Cape Colony but later moved to Namaqualand.
She was the primary translator of the New Testament of the Bible into the Khoikhoi language, assisted by her husband Heinrich Schmelen.
[3] She was baptised by the German missionary Heinrich Schmelen on 6 February 1814 alongside her sister Leetije, as one of the first four members of his congregation.
[2] Heinrich wrote of the sisters, saying that they were descended from the people of Namaqualand (bordering modern day South Africa and Namibia), and that while Zara had been practising as a Christian for some time, it was a more recent occurrence for Leetije.
Upon learning of the marriage, Heinrich was temporarily suspended by the London Missionary Society, but this was cancelled after he defended himself through correspondence.