Truka in Brazil

The Truka have only been reported in Brazil
Population
Main Language
Dialect
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Truka in Brazil are an Indigenous people of the middle São Francisco River region, especially centered on the Ilha da Assunção archipelago in the municipality of Cabrobó, Pernambuco. They are part of the Indigenous world of Brazil's Northeast, where river life, island settlement, and long resistance to outside control have shaped community identity. Their modern history includes the reaffirmation of Truká identity in the São Francisco region after generations of pressure from regional expansion, state control, and disputes over land and recognition.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Truka are closely associated with island and riverbank communities along the São Francisco River, especially around Ilha da Assunção in Cabrobó, with some presence in nearby areas of Pernambuco and Bahia. Everyday life is shaped by the river environment, local community ties, and settlement patterns tied to the semi-arid interior rather than large urban centers. In this setting, ordinary life commonly includes small-scale farming, fishing, river travel, local trade, and strong family and kinship networks. Their original Truká language is no longer used in daily life and is considered extinct, so Portuguese now functions as the ordinary language of community and public life.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Most Truka identify outwardly as Christian. Even so, outward Christian profession does not automatically mean deep biblical understanding, spiritual maturity, or genuine conversion. In communities with long exposure to Christianity, there can still be a need for stronger discipleship, sound doctrine, and faithful church life so that belief is rooted in Scripture rather than inherited identity alone. Scripture is available in their language.


What Are Their Needs?

The Truka need believers who are firmly grounded in the gospel and who live out biblical truth with clarity and perseverance. They need faithful pastors, elders, and teachers who can strengthen churches with sound doctrine and guard against nominal Christianity. Strong Christian families, enduring discipleship, and healthy local congregations are important so that the next generation is formed by God's Word rather than by cultural habit alone. Because they have a strong Christian base, they also need a renewed missionary burden so that believers among them would carry the gospel faithfully to other ethnic groups.


Prayer Items

Pray that the Truka would not rest in outward Christian identity alone, but would grow in genuine repentance, faith, and obedience.
Pray that the Lord would raise up and strengthen faithful pastors, elders, and teachers among them who handle Scripture rightly.
Pray for strong Christian homes and for the next generation to be discipled in truth.
Pray that churches among the Truka would remain spiritually healthy, biblically grounded, and enduring.
Pray that believers among the Truka would carry the gospel faithfully to less reached ethnic groups.


Scripture Prayers for the Truka in Brazil.


References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truk%C3%A1_language
https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truc%C3%A1s


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Truka
People Name in Country Truka
Alternate Names
Population this Country 4,000
Population all Countries 4,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale Progress Gauge
Unreached No
Frontier No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
PeopleID3 15582
ROP3 Code 110200
Country Brazil
Region America, Latin
Continent South America
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country 25 villages, Truká Territory   Source:  JUVAL 2019
Country Brazil
Region America, Latin
Continent South America
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country 25 villages, Truká Territory.   Source:  JUVAL 2019
Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Estimated Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity
20.00 %
Ethnic Religions
80.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Judaism
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Sikhism
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Portuguese (4,000 speakers)
Ethnologue Language Code por
Ethnologue Language Familly Indo-European
Glottolog Language Family Indo-European
Primary Dialect Brazilian Portuguese
Dialect Code 47   Global Recordings Listing
Written / Published Yes   (ScriptSource Listing)
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Portuguese (4,000 speakers)
Ethnologue Language Code por
Ethnologue Language Familly Indo-European
Glottolog Language Family Indo-European
Primary Dialect Brazilian Portuguese
Dialect Code 47   Global Recordings Listing
Written / Published Yes   (ScriptSource Listing)
Total Languages 1

Primary Language:  Portuguese

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1505-2004)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1681-2004)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1751-2025)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Oral Bible stories One Story
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Hagar: The God who Sees Light in Action
Film / Video Jesus film: view in Portuguese Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Portuguese Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Rivka video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Rock International: King of Glory Rock International
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Tetelestai:  Creation to Christ Light in Action
Film / Video The Hope Video Mars Hill Productions
Film / Video Walking with Jesus video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Bible Study Helper app Bible Study Helper
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Open-licensed Bible stories on mobile app Distant Shores
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Voice of the Martyrs resources Voice of the Martyrs
General Walk with the Prophets and meet the Messiah Al Massira
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
General Zume Resources Zume Project
General Zume Training Zume Project
Mobile App Android Bible app direct APK download SIL
Mobile App Android Bible app: Bíblia VFL Bible League
Mobile App Android Bible app: NVI Português Bible Biblica
Mobile App Android Bible app: Portuguese YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Book Reading app: JM Português do Brasil: Jesus General / Other
Mobile App Children's Bible app Bible4Kidz
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app from Google Play Store Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Biblia VFL Bible League
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Portuguese YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Bible Gateway scripture Bible Gateway
Text / Printed Matter Cartoon Gospel tract General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Jesus Messiah comic book General / Other
Text / Printed Matter The Ancient Path Live Global
Text / Printed Matter tools for gospel conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter tools for gospel conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Agência Senado - Flickr  Creative Commons 
Map Source Rodrigo Tinoco / CONPLEI  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.