Wapixana, Vapidiana in Guyana


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Wapishana (AKA, Vapidiana) have a language by the same name. It is from the Arawak family of languages. They live in Guyana and Brazil.

They were among the first people in the New World to encounter Westerners. They encountered Columbus on his third voyage in 1498. They traded with the Spaniards, but the Portuguese immediately attacked their settlements with the desire to enslave them. By the late 1700s, they were working for the Portuguese. Eventually, the Brazilian government established the Wapixanas in new settlements.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Wapixana farmers grow cassava as their staple food, as well as green onions, root vegetables, squash, peppers, tomatoes, and other crops. Women spend hours grinding cassava to extract the liquid and then use the dried part to bake a thick, flat bread.

Everyone goes fishing, but the men hunt wild game. The men also craft goods such as baskets, sieves, and squeezers for cassava preparation. Women produce clay pots for cooking and woven goods for baby slings and hammocks.

They usually have Catholic marriages. Either party can initiate a divorce, and village leaders try to keep the couple together. Families are typically nuclear, although they often include grandparents. A patriarch frequently surrounds his home with smaller homes for each of his sons households.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Though the Wapixanas are mainly Roman Catholic or Evangelical, they hold onto old practices involving rituals to cure or curse others.


What Are Their Needs?

The Wapixanas need better health care, medical clinics, and schools. Those who live in Brazil are in danger of losing control of their land.


Prayer Items

Pray for their physical and spiritual needs to be met by the King of Glory.
Pray for a Holy Spirit-sent revival to affect Wapixana churches and families, blessing them in every way.
Pray that they may understand that Jesus came to give them abundant life.
Pray that soon Wapixanas will be reaching remote tribes in Brazil.


Scripture Prayers for the Wapixana, Vapidiana in Guyana.


References

https://www.everyculture.com/South-America/Wapisiana.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wapishana


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Wapixana
People Name in Country Wapixana, Vapidiana
Alternate Names Uaipixana; Vapidiana; Wapishana; Wapisiana; Wapitxana
Population this Country 7,500
Population all Countries 15,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 5
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 6  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
PeopleID3 15861
ROP3 Code 110682
Country Guyana
Region America, Latin
Continent South America
10/40 Window No
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country East Berbice-Corentyne and Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo regions: southwest, south of the Kanuku mountains, a few villages northwest of the Waiwai [waw] language area.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Guyana
Region America, Latin
Continent South America
10/40 Window No
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country East Berbice-Corentyne and Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo regions: southwest, south of the Kanuku mountains, a few villages northwest of the Waiwai [waw] language area..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016

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Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Christianity
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 12.00 %)
60.00 %
Ethnic Religions
40.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Wapishana
Language Code wap   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Atorada
Dialect Code 7260   Global Recordings Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Wapishana
Language Code wap   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Atorada
Dialect Code 7260   Global Recordings Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Wapishana
Photo Source Inclusive Security - Flickr  Creative Commons 
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.