People group profile · PG015037
The Shashi of Tanzania
The Shashi of Tanzania, numbering about 236,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a language variety subgroup of the Ikizu, a Bantu-speaking people of northern Tanzania, centered in the Mara Region. Shashi identity is shaped by their language, rural agricultural lifestyle, strong community traditions, and traditional religion.
They are an indigenous people in the Bantu, Central-Lakes people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Ethnoreligion, and they primarily speak Ikizu.
Fast facts
- Country
- Tanzania
- Population
- 236,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Bantu, Central-Lakes
- Primary language
- Ikizu (ikz)
- Primary religion
- Ethnoreligion
- 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
- Eastern Africa, Africa
- Location
- Mara region: Bunda district, Chamriho division; Musoma district, south of Zanaki; southeast of Lake Victoria
Where they live
Gospel status
The Shashi 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 Shashi
- 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
60% adherents
Primary language
Ikizu · Atlantic-Congo family
95% speak Ikizu
Gospel resources in Ikizu
- Bible available, published 2024
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings not available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Ikizu)
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Shashi
- 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.
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.