People group profile · PG012388
The Dagaari of Burkina Faso
The Dagaari of Burkina Faso, numbering about 644,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Mole-Dagbani offshoot who migrated into the Sahel by the 14th century and further south by the 17th, known across the Ghana-Burkina Faso-Cote d'Ivoire border zone for the sacred gyil xylophone tradition passed from father to son through initiation.
They are an indigenous people in the Gur people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Northern Dagara.
Fast facts
- Country
- Burkina Faso
- Population
- 644,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Gur
- Primary language
- Northern Dagara (dgi)
- Primary religion
- Animism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Pioneer Unreached People Group
- Region
- Western Africa, Africa
Where they live
Gospel status
The Dagaari are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Dagaari
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
Animism · Ethnoreligion
40% adherents
Primary language
Northern Dagara · Atlantic-Congo family
100% speak Northern Dagara
Gospel resources in Northern Dagara
- Bible available, published 2013
- JESUS Film not available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Bibles
- 2004 Bible Society of Burkina Faso · video, audio, text
- 2017 Edition · video, audio
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Dagaari
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
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