Introduction / History

The Hupda are a tribe living in Colombia and Brazil. They speak a language that is part of the Naduhup language family.
They have been in contact with European colonists since the 18th century. Tragically, the Hupda people have suffered many deadly epidemics as a result.

What Are Their Lives Like?

The Hupda people are hunters. They do not farm like the nearby tribes. Families are their source of labor and their economic force. They live in nuclear families which might add mothers-in-laws, orphaned nieces, widowed aunts, etc. These families might be large or small. They have 20 clans, and they always marry outside their clans. Clans are led by an elderly man who knows their clan's history. These clan leaders are not always the chief. Each clan shares a set of stories and ceremonies which give them their identity as a group.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The Hupda people are shamanists. They depend on male shamans, for both medical and spiritual needs. Everything that happens now has happened in the past. For this reason, it's essential to understand the myths of one's clan that show how to deal with both physical and spiritual problems. They cure these problems through the use of a shaman's rituals. They have a Christian witness in Colombia, but their smaller population in Brazil has been bypassed.

What Are Their Needs?

The Hupda people need help in adapting to those around them. They have suffered from smallpox and other epidemics through contact with outsiders. It may not be possible for them to remain isolated in a couple of decades.

Prayer Points

Pray for God to intervene with his mercy as the Hupda people come in contact with outsiders.
Pray for anointed ambassadors of Christ to go to them, sharing the gospel in a culturally sensitive way.
Pray for spiritual openness among their clan leaders and shamans.
Pray for the Lord to shower his mercy and goodness upon the Hupda people in Colombia and Brazil.

Scripture Prayers for the Hupde in Brazil.

References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hupda_people
https://pib.socioambiental.org/en/Povo:Hupda
https://www.superstock.com/asset/hupde-maku-man-weaving-cumata-strands-aruma-ischnosiphon-obliquus-cumata/2238-582898
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hupda_people