People group profile · PG017370
The Tehuelche of Argentina
The Tehuelche of Argentina, numbering about 30,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a nomadic hunting people of eastern Patagonia, also called Aonikenk, who adopted the Mapuche language and customs during the 16th-19th century Araucanization of the region before Argentina's 1870s Conquest of the Desert devastated their population.
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 Mapudungun.
Fast facts
- Country
- Argentina
- Population
- 30,000
- Affinity group
- American Peoples
- People cluster
- South American Indigenous
- Primary language
- Mapudungun (arn)
- 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
Where they live
Gospel status
The Tehuelche 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 Tehuelche
- 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
Primary language
Mapudungun · Araucanian family
100% speak Mapudungun
Gospel resources in Mapudungun
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
Bibles
- Chilean Bible Society · video
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Tehuelche
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
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