The Paresi of Brazil

The Paresi of Brazil, numbering approximately 2,100 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an Arawakan people of Mato Grosso's Serra dos Parecis whose population, estimated as high as 20,000 before 18th-century gold prospectors began enslaving them for the mines, was driven to near extinction before survivors retreated into the Serra highlands. They mostly adhere to Ethnoreligion and Parecís is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Paresi

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Latin American and Caribbean Peoples
Country: Brazil
People Cluster: South American Indigenous
Primary Language(s): Parecís (pab)
Primary Religion(s): Ethnoreligion
Population: 2,100
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): No Longer Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): 2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
People Group ID: PG017063
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Pray for the Paresi of Brazil

Join others around the world in praying for the lost to be saved, the gospel to advance, the global Church to grow, and for laborers to be sent out and sustained in the harvest.

Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Ethnoreligion
Religious Affiliation: Ethnoreligion

—
%
Ethnoreligion Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Parecís
Language Family: Arawakan

100%
%
Parecís Speakers

Media Resources in Parecís:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film

1 film

Bible Resources in Parecís:

Bible Name (Translation)VideoAudioText
Bible League International✓✓

1 entry

Or check out the Parecís bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: No longer Unreached

The Paresi are No Longer Unreached, which means there are more than 2% evangelical Christian populations and there are churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. There is still more to be done among them.

Next steps for the Paresi:
Empower local believers to begin praying for their own people
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting
Encourage local leaders to being leading church planting strategy and looking for Unreached and Unengaged groups nearby

Pray specifically for the Paresi of Brazil

But he said, "What is impossible with man is possible with God."
readLuke 18:27

Praise God that He is the God of impossible things and that He is able to save even those who seem beyond hope.

O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.
readPsalm 8:1

Pray that those who have yet to believe will soon recognize the majesty of God's name and raise their voices in praise to the Lord Almighty.

But my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.
readHebrews 10:38

Pray that as people trust in Christ, they will live by faith and not shrink back from their hope in Christ.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
readPsalm 139:14

Praise God for His creativity and power, and pray that He will raise up men and women from among them who are in awe of all He has done and want to go share the hope of Christ with others.

Paresi Across Countries (ROP3 - 107893) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

1 people group

To download a comprehensive people group list in spreadsheet form, visit our Research Data page.

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