People group profile · PG022298
The Wayuu of Colombia
The Wayuu of Colombia, numbering about 208,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an Arawakan Indigenous people of the La Guajira Peninsula whose society is organized through matrilineal clans and who have maintained a distinct Wayuu identity across the Colombia-Venezuela border despite centuries of resistance to outside control.
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 Wayuu.

Fast facts
- Country
- Colombia
- Population
- 208,000
- Affinity group
- American Peoples
- People cluster
- South American Indigenous
- Primary language
- Wayuu (guc)
- Primary religion
- Animism
- Strategic Progress Index
- No Longer Unreached
- Evangelical
- 2% or Greater but Less than 5%
- GSEC
- 2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
- Lostness priority
- Marginally Reached People Group
- Region
- South America, Americas
- Location
- La Guajira department: Guajira peninsula, Caribbean coast
Where they live
Gospel status
The Wayuu are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 2% evangelical.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Wayuu
- 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
70% adherents
Primary language
Wayuu · Arawakan family
100% speak Wayuu
Gospel resources in Wayuu
- Bible available, published 2010
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Wayuu)
Bibles
- 2002 Bible League International · audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Wayuu
- 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.
Wayuu, Guajiro in other countries
The same people (ROP3 103496) is reported in 1 other country.
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