Jara in Nigeria
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| People Name: | Jara |
| Country: | Nigeria |
| 10/40 Window: | Yes |
| Population: | 91,000 |
| World Population: | 91,000 |
| Primary Language: | Jara |
| Primary Religion: | Islam |
| Christian Adherents: | 10.00 % |
| Evangelicals: | 0.50 % |
| Scripture: | Translation Started |
| Ministry Resources: | No |
| Jesus Film: | No |
| Audio Recordings: | Yes |
| People Cluster: | Chadic |
| Affinity Bloc: | Sub-Saharan Peoples |
| Progress Level: |
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Introduction / History
The Jara or Jera is a populous tribe of Nigeria. They continue to speak their traditional language of Jara, and some also speak Hausa and Nigerian Fulfulde, which are the dominant languages in their area.
The Jara are based in Biu and Kuwaya-Kusar LGAs (Local Government Areas) of Borno State and Akko and Yamaltu-Deba LGAs of Gombe State in Nigeria. Nearby languages include Dera, Tera, and Bura-Pabir.
What Are Their Lives Like?
Most Jara people are farmers, growing guinea corn, millet, ground nuts and beans for food and as cash crops to meet additional needs. They also raise cows, goats, fowls and other animals. Some engage in fishing, trading, blacksmithing and woodwork. Other are employed as civil servants, earning a monthly salary.
What Are Their Beliefs?
The vast majority of the Jara people practice a syncretistic belief system described as folk Islam. They tend to blend traditional elements of Islam with superstitious practices such as warding off spirits with incantations and magic amulets and reciting verses of the Koran to bring about miraculous healings.
What Are Their Needs?
Jara is the first language by all in the ethnic community. Survey work would help assess the multilingualism of the people and in what domains Jara, Hausa, Nigerian Fulfulde and neighboring languages are being used. Short audio Bible stories and evangelistic messages that explain salvation and give basic Christian teachings are available at globalrecordings.net under the name Jarra. Community leaders, who may be interested in further language development to preserve their language, might attend workshops as they become available that expose participants to language vitality and potential short-term development and translation projects.
Prayer Points
Bless the Jara people: bless their region, their communities, their homes and their hearts.
Pray that they receive God’s word in a language they understand well.
Pray that the Jara will welcome the good news of Jesus Christ with soft hearts. May they be like the good seed on fertile soil in Jesus’ parable, who persevere and produce a bountiful harvest.
Pray Jara people will access the Bible stories available online or in other languages to grow in their Christian faith.
Pray Jara community and church leaders will seek assistance to assess their language vitality and determine their language development and translation needs.