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People group profile · PG016291

The Wounaan of Colombia

The Wounaan of Colombia, numbering about 9,100 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an Indigenous Chocóan people of the San Juan and other rainforest river systems of western Colombia whose culture is closely tied to tropical forests, riverine lifeways, and a shared historical relationship with the Emberá peoples.

They are an indigenous people in the South American Indigenous people cluster of the Latin American and Caribbean Peoples. Their primary religion is Ethnoreligion, and they primarily speak Woun Meu.

Pray for the WounaanPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Wounaan people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Wounaan

Fast facts

Country
Colombia
Population
9,100
Affinity group
American Peoples
People cluster
South American Indigenous
Primary language
Woun Meu (noa)
Primary religion
Ethnoreligion
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
South America, Americas
Location
Chocó department: middle and lower San Juan river banks, especially north of Buenaventura; some in Valle del Cauca

Where they live

Gospel status

The Wounaan 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 Wounaan

  • 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

Ethnoreligion

Primary language

Woun Meu · Chocoan family

50% speak Woun Meu

Gospel resources in Woun Meu

  • Bible available, published 2019
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Bibles

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Wounaan

  1. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
  2. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
  3. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
  4. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.

Download a prayer guide

Wounaan in other countries

The same people (ROP3 110724) is reported in 1 other country.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
WounaanPanama8,900No Longer Unreached

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