During the 1700s, there were two Bambara kingdoms: Segu and Karta. In the 1800s, militant Muslim groups overthrew these kingdoms, leaving only a few anti-Muslim Bambara warlords to resist their occupation. This lasted 40 years, until the arrival of the French colonialists. A very small number of the Bambara had converted to Islam by 1912.
After World War II, the number of Muslim converts grew as a form of rebellion against the French and because of their exposure to Muslim merchants. Today, the Bambara are mostly Muslim.
The majority of the Bambara people live in Mali, but they are also scattered in other West African countries such as tiny Guinea-Bissau.
The Bambara people are intermingled with other African tribes, and they have no centralized organization. Instead, each small district, made up of villages, answers to a dominant family that designates a chief. This chief, aka, fama, has much power, but he must defer to a council of elders.
Bambaras have a patrilineal and patriarchal social structure, meaning that men hold most of the decision-making power. Traditionally they had a hierarchal system with castes, nobles, etc. but that has changed. Extended families live in the same village, and they work together to make sure everyone's needs are met. Bambara people marry outside their extended families. A man can have multiple wives. He always wants a wife who can work hard and bear many children.
Although most Bambara claim to be Muslim, many still follow their traditional beliefs. Though they believe in a god of creation, he is not necessarily associated with Allah, the god of Islam. Bambara traditional beliefs include ancestor worship, or praying to deceased ancestors for guidance. The Bambara believe that the ancestral spirits may take on the forms of animals or even vegetables. In special ceremonies, the spirits are worshipped and presented with offerings of flour and water. The eldest member of a lineage acts as the "mediator" between the living and the dead.
Several mission agencies are currently focusing on the Bambara, and they have made some progress. They need more workers in Guinea-Bissau.
Ask God to grant wisdom and favor to the mission agencies that are currently focusing on the Bambara people no matter where they may be.
Pray for the effectiveness of the JESUS Film among the Bambara people in Guinea-Bissau.
Pray that the Holy Spirit will complete the work begun in the hearts of the Bambara believers through adequate discipleship.
Pray that God will give the Bambara believers boldness to share the love of Jesus with their own people.
Ask the Lord to raise strong, reproducing local churches among the Bambara people.
Scripture Prayers for the Bambara in Guinea-Bissau.
https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/10617/PU
https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/10617/ML
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bambara_people
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bambara_language
http://www.afrikanistik.phil-fak.uni-koeln.de/bambara.html?&L=1
https://books.google.com/books?id=stl97FdyRswC&pg=PA95&lpg=PA95&dq=Bambara+in+Guinea-Bissau&source=bl&ots=u_WkIsivv8&sig=tJ8iJ68KeAKQkdHL76UKeoee9Us&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiI54K36-fOAhVMwGMKHZH7C4EQ6AEIRDAL#v=onepage&q=Bambara%20in%20Guinea-Bissau&f=false
Profile Source: Keith Carey |
Other PDF Profile |
People Name General | Bambara |
People Name in Country | Bambara |
Pronunciation |
BOM-buh-ruh
|
Alternate Names | Bamanakan; Kpeera; Noumou |
Population this Country | 2,300 |
Population all Countries | 7,210,000 |
Total Countries | 12 |
Indigenous | No |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | No |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 1 |
People ID | 10617 |
ROP3 Code | 100925 |
Country | Guinea-Bissau | ||
Region | Africa, West and Central | ||
Continent | Africa | ||
10/40 Window | Yes | ||
Persecution Rank | Not ranked |
Country | Guinea-Bissau |
Region | Africa, West and Central |
Continent | Africa |
10/40 Window | Yes |
Persecution Rank | Not ranked |
Primary Religion: | Islam |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent |
---|---|
Buddhism |
0.00 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical 0.50 %) |
0.90 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
23.00 %
|
Hinduism |
0.00 %
|
Islam |
76.10 %
|
Non-Religious |
0.00 %
|
Other / Small |
0.00 %
|
Unknown |
0.00 %
|
Primary Language | Bamanankan (2,300 speakers) |
Language Code | bam Ethnologue Listing |
Primary Dialect | Bambara |
Dialect Code | 10 Global Recordings Listing |
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing |
Total Languages | 1 |
Primary Language | Bamanankan (2,300 speakers) |
Language Code | bam Ethnologue Listing |
Primary Dialect | Bambara |
Dialect Code | 10 Global Recordings Listing |
Total Languages | 1 |
People Groups | Speaking Bamanankan |
Primary Language: Bamanankan
Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
---|---|
Bible-Portions | Yes (1923-1942) |
Bible-New Testament | Yes (1933) |
Bible-Complete | Yes (1961-1996) |
Bible-NT Audio | Online |
Possible Print Bibles | |
---|---|
Amazon | |
World Bibles | |
Forum Bible Agencies | |
National Bible Societies | |
World Bible Finder | |
Virtual Storehouse |
Photo Source | Copyrighted © 2023 GoWestAfrica All rights reserved. Used with permission |
Profile Source | Keith Carey |
Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more. |