Sukuma in Tanzania


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Sukuma people are the largest people group in Tanzania. The Sukuma live in the northwestern part of the country between Lake Victoria and Lake Rukwa. Their major town center is Mwanza, which is situated on the shore of Lake Victoria. Sukumaland consists mainly of dry savannah or semi-desert and the climate is subtropical. The Sukuma are closely related to the neighboring Nyamwezi people group. About 80% of the people still live in rural areas, although more and more people are moving into the major cities.

Most of the Sukuma people are subsistence farmers and cattle herders with sweet potatoes and millet as staple food. The main cash crops are cotton and tobacco. The majority of Sukuma people practice and are deeply rooted in animism. Every area of life, from naming their children to planting crops, is affected by their belief in the ancestral and other spirits. The Sukuma are presently about 42% Christian, and that number has been growing significantly in recent years. However, there is still a lot of syncretism with animism in Christianity. The Sukuma people in rural areas are especially poor, but they are able to meet their own subsistence needs. However, when drought comes to this dry savannah region, as it has recently, this area is hit especially hard.

The Sukuma also have a spiritual need – to be freed from the bondage and fear of spirit beings. Much of a Sukuma animist's life and resources is spent for the ancestor spirits and other spirit beings, because they are deathly afraid of them. Further economic detriment is caused to the society due to the view that a person must be using witchcraft if s/he is wealthier than those around him/her, so the successful move away.


Prayer Points

Scripture Prayers for the Sukuma in Tanzania.


Profile Source:   Anonymous  

People Name General Sukuma
People Name in Country Sukuma
Alternate Names Sakuma
Population this Country 11,269,000
Population all Countries 11,271,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 5
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
People ID 15112
ROP3 Code 109589
Country Tanzania
Region Africa, East and Southern
Continent Africa
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Shinyanga and Mwanza regions; Kagera, Tabora, and Singida regions; some in Kigoma and Mara regions; between Lake Victoria and Lake Rukwa, to Serengeti plain, Kiya, Gwe; few in cities, 88% in the traditional area.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Tanzania
Region Africa, East and Southern
Continent Africa
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Shinyanga and Mwanza regions; Kagera, Tabora, and Singida regions; some in Kigoma and Mara regions; between Lake Victoria and Lake Rukwa, to Serengeti plain, Kiya, Gwe; few in cities, 88% in the traditional area..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016

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Primary Religion: Christianity
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 12.00 %)
50.00 %
Ethnic Religions
35.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
15.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Sukuma (11,269,000 speakers)
Language Code suk   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Sukuma (11,269,000 speakers)
Language Code suk   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Sukuma

Primary Language:  Sukuma

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1895-1995)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1925-2005)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1960-2015)
Bible-NT Audio Online
Bible-NT Text 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 Online New Testament Faith Comes by Hearing
Audio Recordings Oral Bible Stories Story Runners
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Sukuma Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Walking with Jesus video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
Text / Printed Matter Bible: Sukuma YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Sukuma Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Brian Christopher Magill 
Profile Source Anonymous  
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.