Tunebo, Western in Colombia

Introduction / History

Tunebos are also known as U wa. They are divided into four subgroups, one of which is nearly extinct. The smallest is the Angosturas. There is also the Central, Eastern and Western subgroups, each with their own dialect of Tunebo. They also have eight clans that all survived the dramatic population loss since the beginning of the 20th century.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Western Tunebo villages are on mountain slopes. They have several ways their build their homes. Each village has a ceremonial house. They live in small villages with several types of houses, including family dwellings and a communal ceremonial house.

Work is not just individual—it's community-oriented, with shared responsibilities and strong social ties.

Their lifestyle is traditionally subsistence-based, centered on small-scale agriculture (e.g., maize, plantains, cassava) and use of forest resources.

For the Western Tunebo, "fun" is not separate from spiritual and communal life the way it is in modern Western cultures. Recreation is deeply tied to ritual, music, and storytelling. Their most important communal activity is a major annual summer ceremony where they sing, chant, and tell traditional stories. Much of their limited leisure time is spent visiting friends and family members.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Tunebo religious traditions involve an annual summer event where they sing the world into being and bring equilibrium between the layers of the world. That includes sky, mountains, water, earth and oil. They also consider non-Tunebos to be impure, so they perform purification rituals. Mother Earth was a treasure given by Sira to humanity to be cultivated for survival. That belief puts them at odds with mining and drilling interests. There are also Christians among them, usually Roman Catholics. The Western Tunebos are less reached than the other subgroups.

The Western Tunebo believe Mother Earth was given to humanity "to be cultivated for survival." They regard oil to be the blood of Mother Earth, which makes oil drilling especially abhorrent to them.

What Are Their Needs?

The Western Tunebos have been in conflict with oil companies that want to drill on their land.

Prayer Points

Pray for peace and justice for the Western Tunebo people in Colombia.
Pray for God's protection for the vulnerable Tunebo tribes.
Pray for the Lord to send the Holy Spirit to minister in their churches, drawing hundreds to a close relationship with Jesus Christ.
Pray for Western Tunebo disciples to make more disciples.

Text Source:   Joshua Project