The Tamajeq of Mali

The Tamajeq of Mali, numbering approximately 440,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a large Berber ethnic group that inhabits a vast area of the Sahara desert stretching from far southwestern Libya to southern Algeria, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. They mostly adhere to Folk Islam and Tawallammat Tamajaq is their primary language.

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

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Arab Peoples
Country: Mali
People Cluster: Tuareg
Primary Language(s): Tawallammat Tamajaq (ttq)
Primary Religion(s): Folk Islam
Population: 440,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG013571
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Tamajeq of Mali

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 Islam
Religious Affiliation: Islam

99%
%
Folk Islam Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Tawallammat Tamajaq
Language Family: Afro-Asiatic

100%
%
Tamajaq, Tawallammat Speakers

Media Resources in Tawallammat Tamajaq:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film

1 film

Bible Resources in Tawallammat Tamajaq:

Bible Name (Translation)VideoAudioText
2015 Edition✓✓✓
2015 Edition✓✓✓

2 entries

Or check out the Tawallammat Tamajaq bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Tamajeq 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 Tamajeq:
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 Tamajeq of Mali

And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
readMatthew 6:7-8

Pray that those who don't have a relationship with their Creator will come to know a God who hears their every need, freeing them from empty rituals and drawing them into a real, trusting relationship with Him.

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.

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope.
readPsalm 130:5

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will wait on the Lord and have patience and trust, knowing His ways and His timing are always perfect.

For the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.
readPsalm 9:18

Pray that God will raise up believers who can help meet emotional and physical needs among this people group. Ask Him to open doors for them and give them the courage to walk into difficult situations and share the hope of the gospel boldly.

Tuareg, Tamajaq Across Countries (ROP3 - 109772) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

3 people groups

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

Peoplegroups.org relies on updates from the field and other organizations for much of our data, so if you have any updates, please contact us. We use various international naming standards. For a list of these standards and fields, visit our Data Standards section.

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