People group profile · PG013581
The Zenaga of Mauritania
The Zenaga of Mauritania, numbering about 62,000 people, are Unengaged and Unreached. They are a Berber people of southern Mauritania between Mederdra and the Atlantic coast, descended from the Sanhaja tribes who dominated the Sahara before the 1600s, after which most gradually shifted from their native tongue to Hassaniya Arabic.
They are an indigenous people in the Amazigh-Saharan people cluster of the Arab Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Hassaniyya.
Fast facts
- Country
- Mauritania
- Population
- 62,000
- Affinity group
- Northern African and Middle Eastern Peoples
- People cluster
- Amazigh-Saharan
- Primary language
- Hassaniyya (mey)
- Primary religion
- Sunni Islam
- Strategic Progress Index
- Unengaged and Unreached
- Evangelical
- No Known Evangelicals
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- Western Africa, Africa
- Location
- Widespread
Where they live
Gospel status
The Zenaga are Unengaged and Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, and there has been no reported church planting activity in the past two years. 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 No
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Zenaga
- Pray that God would send workers to this people group
- Begin sowing the gospel and seek out people of peace
- Plant the first churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice
Primary religion
Sunni Islam · Islam
99% adherents
Primary language
Hassaniyya · Afro-Asiatic family
100% speak Hassaniyya
Gospel resources in Hassaniyya
- Bible available, published -
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories available
Films
- JESUS (Arabic, Hassaniya)
Bibles
- PBT Version · video, audio
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Zenaga
- 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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