Palikur in French Guiana

People Name:	Palikur
Country:	French Guiana
10/40 Window:	No
Population:	1,900
World Population:	3,500
Primary Language:	Palikur
Primary Religion:	Christianity
Christian Adherents:	60.00 %
Evangelicals:	0.40 %
Scripture:	New Testament
Online Audio NT:	Yes
Jesus Film:	No
Audio Recordings:	Yes
People Cluster:	South American Indigenous
Affinity Bloc:	Latin-Caribbean Americans
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

Because of their location near the mouth of the Amazon River, the Palikur were among the first South American tribes to have contact with Europeans. Spanish explorer Vicente Yañez Pinzón contacted them in 1507. Through the centuries they have conducted a lot of trade with Europeans. In the early 1700s they traded river and forest goods for tools, clothes, glass bead and harpoons. They traded alligator skins until the alligators were depleted in the 1940s-50s.

What Are Their Lives Like?

The Palikur grow manioc and eat it roasted or formed into cakes. They also grow a number of vegetables and fruits along with cotton and coffee. They are famous for their baskets and handmade goods made out of feathers, bone and wood. They trade these for hunting guns and harpoons.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The Palikur are either animistic or Pentecostal Christians.

What Are Their Needs?

The Palikur people need the chance to prepare for the future. They will probably not be able to depend on forest goods for more than another generation or two.

Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to have his hand of protection on the Palikur people.
Pray for Palikur disciples to make more disciples.
Pray for the Palikur to have a Christ-oriented theology that will lead them to righteousness and truth.