The Palaka Senufo of Cote d’Ivoire

The Palaka Senufo of Cote d’Ivoire, numbering approximately 17,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Senufo people of Cote d'Ivoire who separated from the main Senufo stock before the 1300s, remaining in place as the founding of the Bambara trade town of Kong sent related Senufo groups migrating outward, later colonized by the French and Mandingo. They mostly adhere to Ethnoreligion and Palaka Senoufo is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Senufo, Palaka

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Sub-Saharan African Peoples
Country: Cote d’Ivoire
People Cluster: Gur
Primary Language(s): Palaka Senoufo (plr)
Primary Religion(s): Ethnoreligion
Population: 17,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG013124
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Palaka Senufo of Cote d’Ivoire

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: Palaka Senoufo
Language Family: Atlantic-Congo

100%
%
Sénoufo, Palaka Speakers

Media Resources in Palaka Senoufo:

Films:

No film resources are listed for this language.

Bible Resources in Palaka Senoufo:

No Bible resources are listed for this language.

Or check out the Palaka Senoufo bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Palaka Senufo are Engaged yet Unreached, which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations but there are sustained efforts at establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.

Next steps for the Palaka Senufo:
Continue prayer and fasting for this group
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people

Pray specifically for the Palaka Senufo of Cote d’Ivoire

For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.
readEphesians 5:8

Pray that those who are lost will turn from the darkness they are walking in and embrace the light, becoming children of light who bear fruit in every good work.

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
readPsalm 119:105

Pray that they will receive the Word of God as a lamp to their feet and commit their ways to Him.

But you said, "I will surely do you good, and make your offspring as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude."
readGenesis 32:12

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will experience God's presence and protection even in difficult circumstances, knowing that He will make them fruitful.

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
readJohn 12:24

Pray that God will raise up men and women who are willing to die to their own desires, bearing much fruit for the kingdom among individuals and in places where His gospel has not been proclaimed.

Senufo, Palaka Across Countries (ROP3 - 107773) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

1 people group

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