People
Who they are
The Bete Daloa, also known as the Northern Bete, live in the Daloa area of west-central Ivory Coast, in the Sassandra-Marahoué district. They are one of the Bete peoples, whose languages belong to the Kru family, and speak Bete Daloa. Almost all make their living by farming in villages. In the early twentieth century, kola nuts were already attracting traders to Daloa, and later coffee and cocoa began to be grown for sale.
Where they live
1
Country
307K
Population
| Country | Share of the people | Population |
|---|---|---|
Côte d’Ivoire Partially reached
|
100%
|
300.000 |
How they live
Cocoa and coffee are the main cash crops of Bete Daloa families. They grow cassava, rice, plantains and yams for food, supplemented by hunting and fishing. According to a 1958 study among the Bete of Daloa, coffee led to the clearing of much of the forest to make way for plantations and brought money into village life.
What they believe
Most Bete Daloa follow traditional religions, and there is a Christian minority. In traditional Bete religion, the dead have a central place: funeral spending serves to ensure the deceased person’s passage to the city of the dead, and a good person who has died can speak with the living. Maintaining contact with the dead is seen as a guarantee of the future of the living. The first Catholic missionaries arrived in Daloa in September 1926.
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.
Daloa Bete
New Testament complete
- Translation started Done
- Portions Done
- New Testament Current stage
- 4 Whole Bible Still ahead
Audio recordings Available
Jesus Film Available
Translation data: Joshua Project.
Gospel progress among the unreached
Christians (all traditions)30%
Evangelicals8%
Needs
Families who sell cocoa and coffee suffer from price fluctuations, which can reduce their income. Bete Daloa Christians need biblical teaching that addresses longstanding spiritual allegiances, such as ties to the dead and to spirits, and help to deepen their faith in their own language, which already has the New Testament.
What to pray for
Intercede for this people
Pray for a stable income for Bete Daloa families who grow cocoa and coffee.
Pray for the New Testament in Bete Daloa to be read and understood in the villages.
Pray for Bete Daloa Christians to grow in trust in Jesus as they face beliefs about spirits and the dead.
Pray for churches among the Bete Daloa to teach the Scriptures in the people’s language.
Pray for people to learn Bete Daloa and teach the Bible alongside local Christians.
Pray for Bete Daloa
Intercede for this people alongside Christians around the world.
Open the Prayer Calendar