People group profile · PG017127
The Terena of Brazil
The Terena of Brazil, numbering about 25,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an Arawak-speaking people and the last survivors of the Guana nation, whose Pantanal wetland homeland produced sophisticated pre-Columbian farming societies before the Paraguayan War destroyed their villages and drew many into the Brazilian army.
They are an indigenous people in the South American Indigenous people cluster of the Latin American and Caribbean Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Tereno.
Fast facts
- Country
- Brazil
- Population
- 25,000
- Affinity group
- American Peoples
- People cluster
- South American Indigenous
- Primary language
- Tereno (ter)
- Primary religion
- Animism
- Strategic Progress Index
- No Longer Unreached
- Evangelical
- 15% or Greater but Less than 20%
- GSEC
- 10% or Greater Evangelical
- Lostness priority
- Moderately Reached People Group
- Region
- South America, Americas
- Location
- Mato Grosso do Sul: east of Paraguay river in Miranda and Aguidauana rivers area, 20 villages and 2 cities; some in São Paulo state
Where they live
Gospel status
The Terena are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 10% evangelical.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Terena
- Pray for the churches among this group to grow in faithfulness and maturity
- Equip believers to reach the unreached peoples around them
- Send out laborers from this people to the nations
Primary religion
Animism · Ethnoreligion
55% adherents
Primary language
Tereno · Arawakan family
75% speak Tereno
Gospel resources in Tereno
- Bible available, published 2012
- JESUS Film not available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Bibles
- 1994 Liga Biblica do Brasil · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Terena
- 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.
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
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