People group profile · PG006445
The Veddah of Sri Lanka
The Veddah of Sri Lanka, numbering about 500 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are the aboriginal inhabitants of Sri Lanka, known in their own tongue as Wanniyala-Aetto or forest-dwellers, predating the Sinhalese arrival by the 6th century BC, traditionally cave-dwelling hunter-gatherers.
They are an indigenous people in the Sinhala people cluster of the South Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Ethnoreligion, and they primarily speak Sinhala.
Fast facts
- Country
- Sri Lanka
- Population
- 500
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Sinhala
- Primary language
- Sinhala (sin)
- Primary religion
- Ethnoreligion
- Strategic Progress Index
- No Longer Unreached
- Evangelical
- 2% or Greater but Less than 5%
- GSEC
- 2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
- Lostness priority
- Marginally Reached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Veddah are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 2% evangelical.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Veddah
- Pray for the churches among this group to grow in faithfulness and maturity
- Equip believers to reach the unreached peoples around them
- Send out laborers from this people to the nations
Primary religion
Primary language
Sinhala · Indo-European family
100% speak Sinhala
Gospel resources in Sinhala
- Bible available, published 2009
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- Magdalena (Sinhala)
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Veddah
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
- Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
- John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
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