Guna, San Blas Guna in Panama

People Name:	Guna, San Blas Guna
Country:	Panama
10/40 Window:	No
Population:	97,000
World Population:	97,000
Primary Language:	Kuna, San Blas
Primary Religion:	Ethnic Religions
Christian Adherents:	6.00 %
Evangelicals:	4.00 %
Scripture:	Complete Bible
Online Audio NT:	Yes
Jesus Film:	Yes
Audio Recordings:	Yes
People Cluster:	Central American Indigenous, other
Affinity Bloc:	Latin-Caribbean Americans
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

The Kuna are spread out amongst the most remote San Blas islands and many have never left their island or village. They have not had any contact with anything else other than their neighbors and family.

What Are Their Lives Like?

They generally live off the land, gathering fruits from trees or fishing in the surrounding water. Their children go to the local school, while men fish or build and the women sew Molas (brightly embroidered cloths with intricate designs) and thread traditional jewelry that will later be brought to sell in town by the few who make the trip.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Beliefs vary according to the village. Many believe in various forms of voodoo and have statuettes guarding their homes. Some villages have a spiritual leader figure, similar to a' 'shaman' ', who will have dreams that will be later interpreted.

Other villages that have had more contact with the city and foreigners will have mixed several beliefs due to being evangelized then abandoned. They confuse Biblical truths and traditional religious practices, creating churches with followers who are taught differing ideas, according to the views of the appointed pastor.

What Are Their Needs?

Their needs are for evangelists who will not only bring truth to these people, but stay to edify them and raise up pastors according to the Bible that will be able to carry on the process. Some indigenous tribes also have yet to have the Bible translated in their native language, making it even harder for believers to learn more about the Gospel on their own.