Gumuz, Shanqilla in Sudan


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Gumuz are primarily located in eastern Sudan and across the border in western Ethiopia. This area is called a "bush-savanna" region because it is mostly flat with some stone hills that are covered with bamboo and other small trees. Heavy forests are found only along the rivers and ravines. The Gumuz are known by such names as Bega, meaning "people," Deguba, and also Shanqilla, meaning "Blacks." The name of their language is Gumuz or Shankillinga, but many people also speak the Oromo language when trading with the nearby Oromo.

The Gumuz are divided into territorially-based clans, each clan having its own land. The clans are further divided into sub-clans, which are then separated into individual, small nuclear families. Most of the Gumuz are farmers. They never have to cultivate their land alone; rather, the nuclear families within each clan all help each other because they all share the same land.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Gumuz farmers plant a number of crops including sorghum, onions, and spices, along with cotton and tobacco. Each farmer lives within his clan's territorial boundaries. Farms may be set apart by rivers, hills, or paths. The families of a village shift their work from one area to the next, leaving their used fields fallow for many years. When uncultivated land is ready to be developed, men begin building new farmsteads on the outskirts of their fields. Farm huts are very simple, and separate huts are built for boys and farm animals. Although the Gumuz have permanent homes in their villages, they live on the farmsteads during harvest time. Those who guard the fields live on the farmsteads year-round.

At age sixteen, a boy can begin to farm on his own, splitting his work between his own fields and those of his father. Girls help farm their fathers' fields until they marry, usually between the ages of fourteen and seventeen. After marrying, a man and his wife are responsible for their own fields. Marriage takes place by "sister exchange" from one clan to the next. This means that the newly-married man gives his wife's clan a sister or a daughter from his own clan to "replace" the woman he has married.

As their staple food, the Gumuz eat porridge flavored with a sauce made from leaves, onions, and spices. They also snack throughout the day on pumpkin seeds, peanuts, fruits, wild honey, and some insects. They drink coffee and beer, and smoking is quite common not only for men, but for women as well. Gumuz society forbids drunkenness and idleness; the entire clan punishes anyone caught in such practices. Also, the whole clan will discipline any members caught stealing, mistreating their wives, or lying.

Trading is an important aspect of Gumuz life. Often the people trade with the nearby Oromo. Oromo sell goods such as coffee, cloth, soap, razor blades, cigarettes, mirrors, and salt bars in exchange for Gumuz crops. Local Gumuz markets are gathering places for the people to exchange news, have meetings, socialize, listen to speeches, and drink.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Although nearly one-third of the Gumuz are Muslim, most traditionally worship Rebba, "the supreme god who knows all." The people pray to Rebba and other spirits also to ensure good luck, good crops, and good health and to ask for protection from evil spirits. Gumuz also believe spirits exist in nature (such as in the rain and in lightning) and in animals, grain, and even teeth.

The Gumuz strictly enforce taboos concerning food. They believe a woman will go bald if she drinks milk; a man will be lazy if he eats cabbage; a woman or her husband will become extremely ill if the woman eats porridge while preparing it.


What Are Their Needs?

Most of the Gumuz have never had a chance to hear the Gospel, and few Christian resources are available to them at the present time. Prayer is the key to reaching the Gumuz with the Gospel of Christ.


Prayer Points

Pray that God will use the Gumuz believers to share the love of Jesus with their own people.
Ask the Lord to send missionaries, medical teams, and Christian teachers to labor among the people.
Pray for opportunities for the Gumuz to hear the Gospel through Christian radio.
Ask God to raise up prayer teams who will begin breaking up the soil through worship and intercession.
Pray that strong local churches will be raised up among the Gumuz.


Scripture Prayers for the Gumuz, Shanqilla in Sudan.


Profile Source:   Bethany World Prayer Center  

People Name General Gumuz, Kamashi
People Name in Country Gumuz, Shanqilla
Alternate Names Debatsa; Deguba; Ganza; Gombo; Hameg; Shankilla
Population this Country 105,000
Population all Countries 394,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 4
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
People ID 11992
ROP3 Code 103562
ROP25 Code 302861
ROP25 Name Gumuz
Country Sudan
Region Africa, East and Southern
Continent Africa
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 8  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country An Nil al Azraq state: east Er Roseires district, Famaka and Fazoglo areas on the Blue Nile; Sinnar state: Dinder district, north along Ethiopia border.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Sudan
Region Africa, East and Southern
Continent Africa
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 8  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country An Nil al Azraq state: east Er Roseires district, Famaka and Fazoglo areas on the Blue Nile; Sinnar state: Dinder district, north along Ethiopia border..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 3.00 %)
12.00 %
Ethnic Religions
73.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
15.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Gumuz (105,000 speakers)
Language Code guk   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Gumuz (105,000 speakers)
Language Code guk   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Gumuz

Primary Language:  Gumuz

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes
Bible-New Testament Yes  (2003)
Bible-Complete No
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Recorded oral Bible Oral Bibles
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Gumuz Jesus Film Project
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
Mobile App Download audio Bible app from Google Play Store Faith Comes by Hearing
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Gumuz Literacy & Evangelism International
Photo Source Anonymous 
Map Source Joshua Project / Global Mapping International  
Profile Source Bethany World Prayer Center 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



Joshua Project logo    Joshua Project    Copyright © 2024