The Buru people are a tiny population, but still speak their traditional language of Buru. Little is known about what other languages they speak, but it is likely that some understand Hausa and/or English, the two dominant languages of Nigeria.
The Buru people live in a single village on Nigeria’s southeastern border with Cameroon. There are many other small population groups in this region, and many have no Scripture in their language.
The major occupation of this area is agriculture. People grow maize, rice, sorghum, millet, and cassava. Their cash crops include coffee, tea, ground nuts, cotton, and yams. They also herd cattle, sheep, and goats. Some breed rabbits and pigs. Others make a living through pottery, cloth-weaving, dyeing, mat-making, carving, embroidery and blacksmithing.
One in four identify as a Christian. The vast majority follow African Traditional Religion, which includes a belief that natural physical entities such as animals, plants, and even inanimate objects possess a spiritual essence.
Buru people face the daily struggle of a farming community, vulnerable to the conditions that affect their harvests.
Surrounded by many other people groups, it can be challenging for the Buru to pass on their traditions and language to their children. Community leaders may be interested in language development to preserve their language. Workshops are available that that would expose participants to language vitality and potential short-term development projects.
Those who follow Christ need God’s Word in a language that they can understand. How can they grow in their knowledge of God and in their faith without being nourished by God’s promises and by the example and teachings of Jesus Christ? Those without Christ need to hear the Good News in a language that they understand.
Buru is considered an endangered language. It is uncertain if it remains the first language children learn in the home. If survey work were conducted, it would help assess the multilingualism of the Buru people and in what domains Buru, English, Hausa, and neighboring languages are being used. Community leaders may be interested in language development to preserve their language. Workshops are available that that would expose participants to language vitality and potential short-term development and translation projects.
Ask God to bless the Buru people. Pray that he meets their material needs and blessed their community with peace.
Pray that the Buru people engage with whatever Scripture that is available to them, for example some may speak Hausa or English and can translate for their communities. Pray that the Holy Spirit gives them understanding despite any language barriers, leading them into all truth.
Pray that all who follow Christ will be channels of God’s eternal blessing and love to their own people and to neighboring people groups. May they be full of God’s Spirit of love, boldness and wisdom.
Pray for those who don’t yet follow Jesus, that God’s Spirit will gently but firmly remove the veil that keeps them from acknowledging Jesus Christ as Lord.
Pray a survey can be conducted to help assess the vitality of the language and assist community leaders in deciding if they wish to pursue language development.
Pray Buru speakers will engage with Scripture that is available in other languages and assess their level of understanding of those Scriptures to determine their translation needs.
Scripture Prayers for the Buru in Nigeria.
Buru | Ethnologue Free
Buru language - Wikipedia
Taraba State - Wikipedia
PeopleGroups.org - Buru
| Profile Source: Joshua Project |
