People
Who they are
The Toro So are one of about twenty Dogon groups in central Mali, in the Bandiagara and Koro districts of the Mopti region. Their settlements lie along and near the Bandiagara Escarpment, a rock face hundreds of meters high: on the mountaintop, on the plateau, and on the sandy plain. Toro So means “language of the mountain” and includes speech varieties that differ considerably from one another. It is the basis of the Dogon taught in schools today with government support. Since colonial times, many Toro So have left the escarpment to live on the plateau and the plain.
Where they live
1
Country
126K
Population
| Country | Share of the people | Population |
|---|---|---|
Mali Partially reached
|
100%
|
122.000 |
How they live
On the plateau, onions are the cash crop; on the plain, people grow millet. They also grow rice, sorghum, peanuts, and vegetables and raise livestock. Sangha, a cluster of at least ten villages on the mountaintop and the plateau, has large onion gardens and is considered the center of traditional Dogon culture. In Koundou-Dogomo, many families make baskets from grass stalks, and caravans of carts carry them to the markets in Yendouma and Madougou.
What they believe
For centuries the Toro So resisted Islam, but today many embrace it, largely because they see no way forward in the traditional religion. Islam is the religion of the majority, and some of the people still follow traditional beliefs. There are Christians, and the Christian faith is growing in the few villages where it is already practiced. Nema, on the plain, has a Protestant church, and Anamoeila-Pe, also on the plain, has a Catholic church.
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.
Toro So Dogon
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)8%
Evangelicals3.1%
Needs
Toro So Christians are few, and there is a shortage of workers who speak the local language and are known for their love and good works. Believers live among neighbors, many of whom are Muslim, and need clear biblical teaching in their own language, whose speech varieties differ considerably from one another.
What to pray for
Intercede for this people
Pray for workers who speak Toro So and are known for their love and good works.
Pray for Christians in Nema, Anamoeila-Pe, and other Toro So villages to grow in faith.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to awaken a hunger and thirst for righteousness in every Toro So family.
Pray for God to give dreams to family leaders and storytellers that will lead them to the cross.
Pray for understanding of the Scriptures across the different speech varieties known collectively as Toro So.
Pray for Dogon Toro So
Intercede for this people alongside Christians around the world.
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