The Manyika of Mozambique

The Manyika of Mozambique, numbering approximately 291,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Shona-speaking people whose precolonial kingdom was founded around 1500 as a vassal state of the Mutapa Empire, renowned for gold mined in the Manicaland highlands and traded to Swahili coastal city-states. They mostly adhere to Animism and Manyika is their primary language.

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

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Sub-Saharan African Peoples
Country: Mozambique
People Cluster: Bantu, Shona
Primary Language(s): Manyika (mxc)
Primary Religion(s): Animism
Population: 291,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG015397
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Manyika of Mozambique

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: Animism
Religious Affiliation: Ethnoreligion

57%
%
Animism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Manyika
Language Family: Atlantic-Congo

100%
%
Manyika Speakers

Media Resources in Manyika:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film

1 film

Bible Resources in Manyika:

No Bible resources are listed for this language.

Or check out the Manyika bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Manyika 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 Manyika:
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 Manyika of Mozambique

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.
readRomans 3:23

Pray that those who live in fear, guilt and discontentment because of sin will see their need for change, hear, and receive the good news of freedom from sin through Christ.

Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in it and say to them, "the kingdom of God has come near to you."
readLuke 10:8-9

Pray that the lost will receive messengers of the gospel with joy, turn from their sins, and be healed.

He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.
readPsalm 62:2

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will be in awe of Jesus, remembering that He is their rock, their fortress, and their salvation.

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
readMatthew 28:19-20

Ask God to bring people among this group to faith in Jesus who will be obedient to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to obey all that Christ has commanded.

Manyika Across Countries (ROP3 - 106289) 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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