People group profile · PG013544
The Yalunka of Mali
The Yalunka of Mali, numbering about 19,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Mande people, also called Dialonke, original inhabitants of Guinea's Futa Jallon who converted to Islam before renouncing it en masse to resist Fula jihad rule, founding the Solimana state at Falaba until Samori's 1884 siege ended in self-destruction.
They are an indigenous people in the Malinke people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Yalunka.
Fast facts
- Country
- Mali
- Population
- 19,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Malinke
- Primary language
- Yalunka (yal)
- Primary religion
- Sunni Islam
- 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 Yalunka 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 Yalunka
- 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
Sunni Islam · Islam
100% adherents
Primary language
Yalunka · Mande family
100% speak Yalunka
Gospel resources in Yalunka
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Yalunka)
Bibles
- 2008 Pioneer Bible Translators · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Yalunka
- 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.
- 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.
Yalunka in other countries
The same people (ROP3 110950) is reported in 3 other countries.
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.