People group profile · PG013444
The Balanta of Guinea-Bissau
The Balanta of Guinea-Bissau, numbering about 551,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a people whose name means those who resist, having migrated westward from Mali between the 10th and 14th centuries to escape the Mandinka Kaabu Empire and later Portuguese enslavement, adopting tidal mangrove rice cultivation by the late 1600s.
They are an indigenous people in the Atlantic people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Balanta-Kentohe.
Fast facts
- Country
- Guinea-Bissau
- Population
- 551,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Atlantic
- Primary language
- Balanta-Kentohe (ble)
- Primary religion
- Animism
- Strategic Progress Index ?
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC ?
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority ?
- Expanding Unreached People Group
- Region
- Western Africa, Africa
Where they live
Gospel status
The Balanta 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 Balanta
- 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
60% adherents
Primary language
Balanta-Kentohe · Atlantic-Congo family
100% speak Balanta-Kentohe
Gospel resources in Balanta-Kentohe
- Bible available, published 2022
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Balanta
- 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.
Balanta in other countries
The same people is also reported in 2 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balanta | Cabo Verde | 58,500 | No Longer Unreached |
| Bissau-Guineans | Canada | 90 | Engaged yet Unreached |
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