Mura-Piraha in Brazil

The Mura-Piraha have only been reported in Brazil
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Piraha language has been traditionally referred to as the Mura-Piraha (Everett 1986). This designation obscures the distinction between the Mura language family and the Mura and Piraha languages. The Mura family has no known external affiliates and it includes Piraha and three dead languages: Matanavi, Bohura and Yahahi (Everett 1986).

There are between 9-15 different Pirahã villages along the Maici River. In the dry season, when the river is low and there are beaches, the village locations will increase considerably because they break up into small groups. The Membership of each village is between 15-40 people, with the larger numbers during the rainy season and the smaller numbers during the dry season.


What Are Their Lives Like?

A Mura-Piraha village is comprised of two to three families. A family consists of the father, the mother, and the children. A child may or may not stay living with his parents after the age of 3. Most of the larger villages have a subculture of children, generally ages 3-14, who live together and take care of each other. These children, in general, come from broken homes, that is, their parents have split up and remarried.

Just as there is a geographic tightness in the lay-out of the lean-tos of a village, so there is a strong, tightly knit social network between the members. All members know everything about any given member of the group and each are considered to be close brothers and sisters. The close proximity of houses and the fact that there are no walls, makes each member's life an open book. Nothing is hidden from the other. The concept of a private life is foreign.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Mura-Piraha have a Christian minority, mostly Roman Catholic. For the most part, Christian or otherwise, they depend on their ancient religion for protection and guidance.


What Are Their Needs?

The Mura-Piraha people need protection from outsider who are willing to destroy their drinking water and land. Holding off miners and loggers will only last so long. There will probably come a time when they will need to learn new job skills.


Prayer Points

Pray for God’s protection of the Mura-Piraha people.
Pray for the Lord to raise up loving Christians to teach the Mura-Piraha new job skills when they are forced out of their homeland.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to abundantly bless the Mura-Piraha community.


Scripture Prayers for the Mura-Piraha in Brazil.


References

Anonymous
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2007/04/16/the-interpreter-2#:~:text=The%20Pirah%C3%A3%20were%20once%20part%20of%20a%20larger%20Indian%20group
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirah%C3%A3_people#:~:text=Pirah%C3%A3%20people.%20The%20Pi


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Mura-Piraha
People Name in Country Mura-Piraha
Alternate Names Pirahã
Population this Country 400
Population all Countries 400
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 2
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
PeopleID3 13881
ROP3 Code 106919
Country Brazil
Region America, Latin
Continent South America
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Amazonas state: Maici and Autaces rivers.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Brazil
Region America, Latin
Continent South America
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Amazonas state: Maici and Autaces rivers..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 1.00 %)
19.80 %
Ethnic Religions
80.20 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Piraha (400 speakers)
Language Code myp   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Mura-piraha
Dialect Code 4379   Global Recordings Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Piraha (400 speakers)
Language Code myp   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Mura-piraha
Dialect Code 4379   Global Recordings Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Piraha

Primary Language:  Piraha

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1987)
Bible-New Testament No
Bible-Complete No
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
Map Source Anonymous  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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