Unreached people group
Lakonde
The Lakondê are an Indigenous people of Brazil, related to the Nambikwara, who traditionally live in the region between Rondônia and Mato Grosso. They also appear under the name Negarotê in some lists, a name the linguistic literature uses for a variety very close to Northern Nambikwara.
Within the Nambikwara group, they belong to the northern branch and are especially close to the Latundê, with whom they share a linguistic kinship. The Lakondê language is part of the country’s linguistic heritage and holds its own way of naming the world, built over many generations.
Today they are a very small and little-documented people. Their descendants live scattered among other Nambikwara groups or in villages of the region, and Portuguese takes up more and more space in daily life. Even so, the Lakondê identity remains as the legacy of a history that deserves to be known and respected.
The Lakondê language belongs to the northern branch of the Nambikwara family. Researchers record that between the 1940s and 1950s the group speaking this language lost its political unity, and the survivors went to live among other Nambikwara groups or in villages near the border between Mato Grosso and Rondônia.
This dispersion explains why it is so hard today to speak of a continuous Lakondê territory. Part of their history remains in the memory of a few families and in the records of linguists who devoted themselves to documenting the language. More recent studies know of only one remaining speaker, which shows how fragile this memory is.
| Country | Share of the people | Population |
|---|---|---|
Brazil Minimally reached
|
0%
|
Little is known with certainty about the spiritual life of the Lakondê today. Among the Nambikwara peoples of the region, spirituality is usually tied to the land, the ancestors and community life, so that it is not separated from everyday life.
Because they are few and scattered, the practice of faith varies from family to family, and many live alongside the traditions of other groups and the religious life of the surrounding Brazilian society. Some identify with Christianity, but no faith community of the people’s own is known. Any approach must begin with patient listening and respect for each person’s story.
The everyday language of many Lakondê today is Portuguese, in which the complete Bible is available in text, audio and video. For a people whose mother tongue is spoken by very few, this is the most concrete path for the Word to reach families.
There is no reliable record of portions of Scripture in Lakondê. Preserving the language and having access to the Word in the heart language remain a dream to be nurtured.
A people only truly understands the gospel when they hear it in the language of their heart. See how far the translation has come.
- Translation started Done
- Portions Done
- New Testament Done
- Whole Bible Current stage
Translation data: Joshua Project.
The greatest barrier is invisibility: a small, scattered and poorly recorded people is rarely remembered by those who carry the gospel. The gradual loss of the mother tongue and mixing with other groups make it hard to identify who the Lakondê are and where they live, and there is almost no information about churches or communities reaching them in their own right.
The Lakondê need, above all, to be known and valued: for their language to be documented, their memory preserved and their dignity recognized. They also need welcoming faith communities that respect Indigenous culture and walk alongside families.
May every Lakondê person find faithful friends, access to care and education, and the opportunity to hear about Jesus in a clear and loving way.
Pray for Lakonde
Intercede for this people alongside Christians around the world.
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