People group profile · PG013572
The Timbuktu Tamasheq of Mali
The Timbuktu Tamasheq of Mali, numbering about 638,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic subgroup of the Tuareg Berber, indigenous to the Kidal Region of northeastern Mali.
They are an indigenous people in the Tuareg people cluster of the Arab Peoples. Their primary religion is Folk Islam, and they primarily speak Tamasheq.
Fast facts
- Country
- Mali
- Population
- 638,000
- Affinity group
- Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
- People cluster
- Tuareg
- Primary language
- Tamasheq (taq)
- Primary religion
- Folk Islam
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Also known as
- Timbuktu Tamasheq, Timbuktu Tuareg
- Region
- Western Africa, Africa
- Location
- Widespread northeast: Gao, Kidal, and Tombouctou regions; Mopti region: Youvarou circle
Where they live
Gospel status
The Timbuktu Tamasheq 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 Timbuktu Tamasheq
- 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
Folk Islam · Islam
99% adherents
Primary language
Tamasheq · Afro-Asiatic family
100% speak Tamasheq
Gospel resources in Tamasheq
- Bible available, published 2006
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Bibles
- 2003 Wycliffe Bible Translators, Inc. · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Timbuktu Tamasheq
- 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.
Tuareg, Kidal in other countries
The same people (ROP3 110232) is reported in 3 other countries.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuareg | Burkina Faso | 202,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Tamasheq | Mauritania | 152,000 | Engaged yet Unreached |
| Timbuktu Malian Tamasheq | Niger | 16,000 | Unengaged and Unreached |
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