Prototype rebuild by the IMB Innovation Team. The official site is peoplegroups.org.

People group profile · PG017198

The Xucuru-Kariri of Brazil

The Xucuru-Kariri of Brazil, numbering about 3,500 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an Indigenous people of northeastern Brazil formed through the historical merging of Xukuru, Kariri, Wakona, and related communities around Palmeira dos Índios, maintaining a distinct identity rooted in shared ancestry, territory, and tradition.

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 Portuguese.

Pray for the Xucuru-KaririPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Brazil
Population
3,500
Affinity group
American Peoples
People cluster
South American Indigenous
Primary language
Portuguese (por)
Primary religion
Ethnoreligion
Strategic Progress Index ?
Engaged yet Unreached
Evangelical
No Known Evangelicals
GSEC ?
Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
Lostness priority ?
Frontier Unreached People Group
Region
South America, Americas
Location
Pernambuco and Alagoas

Where they live

Gospel status

The Xucuru-Kariri 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 No
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Xucuru-Kariri

  • 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

80% adherents

Primary language

Portuguese · Indo-European family

100% speak Portuguese

Gospel resources in Portuguese

  • Bible available
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories available

Films

Bibles

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

Pray for the Xucuru-Kariri

  1. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
  2. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
  3. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
  4. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.

Download a prayer guide

Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.