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.
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 |
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. |