People
Who they are
The Agavotaguerra are a small Indigenous people of Brazil, linked to the Upper Xingu region in Mato Grosso. The name also appears in spellings such as Agavotoküeng, Agavotoqüeng and Agavo-queng, variations of a single word recorded by researchers throughout the twentieth century.
Their traditional language belongs to the Arawak family and is said to be related to the languages of the Waurá and the Yawalapiti, neighboring peoples who occupy the same cultural area of the Xingu. Some scholars even treat it as a close dialect of Yawalapiti. Today the language is considered extinct, and those who descend from this people usually speak Portuguese.
Little detailed information has reached us about the Agavotaguerra. It is possible that, over time, they joined larger neighboring peoples, and that their identity is now preserved in the memory of families living among other communities. Even so, every people, even the most hidden, is known and loved by God.
History and origin
The earliest records place the Agavotaguerra among the rainforest peoples of the Xingu basin, a region where groups of different languages came to live together, exchanging marriages, rituals and goods. An ethnographic reference from the 1970s describes them as a very small group, speaking a language similar to that of the Yawalapiti, living in the Xingu region.
As happened with other peoples of the region, the shrinking of the group and close contact with more numerous neighbors made their language less and less used, until it disappeared.
Where they live
1
Country
100
Population
| Country | Share of the people | Population |
|---|---|---|
Brazil Minimally reached
|
100%
|
100 |
Language and the Bible
Because the Agavotaguerra’s own language is no longer spoken, God’s Word reaches their descendants through Portuguese, the language they use in daily life today. The complete Bible is available in that language, including in digital and audio formats, which makes access easier even for those who live far from urban centers and bookstores.
The Bible in this people's language
A people only truly understands the gospel when they hear it in the language of their heart. See how far the translation has come.
Portuguese
Complete Bible
- Translation started Done
- Portions Done
- New Testament Done
- Whole Bible Current stage
Audio recordings Available
Jesus Film Available
Translation data: Joshua Project.
Gospel progress among the unreached
Christians (all traditions)35%
Evangelicals1%
Barriers to the gospel
The greatest difficulty is invisibility itself: without a clearly identified community, without a living language and without recent records, it is hard to know where the descendants of the Agavotaguerra are and how to reach them respectfully. When a people dissolves among larger neighbors, the Christian witness must come through relationships of trust with these families and with the communities that welcome them.
Needs
Above all, this people needs to be remembered: careful research and listening that help locate their descendants and record their memory, with their consent. They also need a friendly presence and access to discipleship in Portuguese, in settings where they can live out their faith without giving up their own identity.
Where there are already families who believe in Jesus, the need is for fellowship, patient accompaniment and churches that welcome them with respect for their history.
What to pray for
Intercede for this people
That God would reveal where the descendant families of the Agavotaguerra are.
For the recognition and appreciation of this people's history and identity.
For sincere friendships between the descendants and Christians who respect them.
For the use of the Bible in Portuguese, in text and audio, among these families.
For disciples and communities of faith to arise among the peoples of the Xingu.
For the protection and well-being of the Indigenous communities of the Upper Xingu region.
Pray for Agavotaguerra
Intercede for this people alongside Christians around the world.
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