The Tembe of Brazil

The Tembe of Brazil, numbering approximately 1,500 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an Indigenous people of Brazil, belonging to the Tupi-Guarani linguistic family. They primarily inhabit areas in the eastern Amazon, especially in the state of Pará, near the Guamá and Gurupi rivers, and some communities in Maranhão. They mostly adhere to Folk Catholicism and Tembé is their primary language.

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

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Latin American and Caribbean Peoples
Country: Brazil
People Cluster: Guarani
Primary Language(s): Tembé (tqb)
Primary Religion(s): Folk Catholicism
Population: 1,500
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): No Longer Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): 2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
People Group ID: PG017126
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Tembe 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: Folk Catholicism
Religious Affiliation: Christianity

57%
%
Folk Catholicism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Tembé
Language Family: Tupian

75%
%
Tembé Speakers

Media Resources in Tembé:

Films:

No film resources are listed for this language.

Bible Resources in Tembé:

No Bible resources are listed for this language.

Or check out the Tembé bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: No longer Unreached

The Tembe 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 Tembe:
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 Tembe of Brazil

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.
readRomans 1:19

Pray that God will use testimony of creation to cause those who do not yet know the gospel to long for truth and a relationship with the Author of life.

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way.
read1 Timothy 2:1-2

Pray that leaders and those in authority will not thwart the spread of the gospel but put their faith in Christ, have hearts that are soft toward their people, and be freed from the temptations that power can bring.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
read1 Peter 2:9

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will embrace their identity as God's chosen people, royal priests, and holy nation, living out their faith with purity and devotion.

And the King will answer them, "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me."
readMatthew 25:40

Ask God to raise up and send believers who will serve "the least of these" with compassion and energy because they know that in serving those in need, they are serving Christ.

Tembe Across Countries (ROP3 - 109934) 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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