People group profile · PG015307
The Sakalava of Madagascar
The Sakalava of Madagascar, numbering about 2,295,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Malagasy people of western and northwestern Madagascar whose identity is rooted in Sakalava language and culture, cattle keeping, royal traditions, and ancestral customs linked to historic coastal kingdoms.
They are an indigenous people in the Malagasy people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Sakalava Malagasy.
Fast facts
- Country
- Madagascar
- Population
- 2,295,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Malagasy
- Primary language
- Sakalava Malagasy (skg)
- Primary religion
- Animism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Pioneer Unreached People Group
- Region
- Eastern Africa, Africa
- Location
- Antananarivo, Antsiranana, Fianarantsoa, Mahajanga, and Toliara provinces
Where they live
Gospel status
The Sakalava 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 Sakalava
- 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
57% adherents
Primary language
Sakalava Malagasy · Austronesian family
80% speak Sakalava Malagasy
Gospel resources in Sakalava Malagasy
- Bible available, published 2006
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources not available
- Bible stories available
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Sakalava
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
- 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.
Sakalava in other countries
The same people (ROP3 108531) is reported in 1 other country.
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