People group profile · PG015389
The Makhuwa-Makhuwana of Mozambique
The Makhuwa-Makhuwana of Mozambique, numbering about 5,175,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are the largest ethnic cluster of northern Mozambique, a matrilineal Bantu people established in the region since the first millennium CE and historically dominated by Marawi invaders before centuries of trade and slave-raiding conflict with the Yao.
They are an indigenous people in the Bantu, Makua-Yao people cluster of the Sub-Saharan African Peoples. Their primary religion is Ethnoreligion, and they primarily speak Makhuwa.
Fast facts
- Country
- Mozambique
- Population
- 5,175,000
- Affinity group
- Sub-Saharan African Peoples
- People cluster
- Bantu, Makua-Yao
- Primary language
- Makhuwa (vmw)
- Primary religion
- Ethnoreligion
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, Concentrated CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Expanding Unreached People Group
- Region
- Eastern Africa, Africa
- Location
- Nampula province: south of Meetto area; Cabo Delgado, Niassa, and Zambezia provinces: border areas
Where they live
Gospel status
The Makhuwa-Makhuwana 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 but there has been initial or concentrated church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years Concentrated Church Planting
Next steps for the Makhuwa-Makhuwana
- 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
Makhuwa · Atlantic-Congo family
95% speak Makhuwa
Gospel resources in Makhuwa
- Bible available, published 2000
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings not available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
Bibles
- BSM Edition · video, audio
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Makhuwa-Makhuwana
- 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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