Marka, Dafing in Mali


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

Hundreds of years ago during the Bambara Empire, the Marka people were a merchant community. They dominated trade between desert tribes and the roving Berber tribes who crossed the Sahara Desert.

Today they occupy 60 villages in western Burkina Faso. Several thousand Marka live in neighboring Mali. The complexity of the group, with its varied tribes and dialects, makes evangelization and translation work difficult. They are largely integrated with the Bambara or the Soninke peoples.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Marka are typical of most West African groups in that they earn their living by farming and raising animals. More and more young men are traveling to Cote d'Ivoire to work on plantations; lack of job opportunities is a major problem for Marka youth.

Families live in square mud huts, and travel by foot, bicycle, moped, or donkey. People enjoy playing soccer, and also make pottery, cloth and wooden carvings.

The Marka keep a strict social and political hierarchy that includes a king, litigation chiefs, war chiefs, and heads of clans and families. There is one central "head" to unify the people, but also a certain amount of autonomy within each village.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Marka people identify with and observe Islamic rituals. Though most are Muslims, there is a strong minority that identifies with the pre-Islamic animistic practices. They believe these practices will provide them with power and blessings.


What Are Their Needs?

They need translators, literacy workers and church planters in their area.


Prayer Points

Pray for cooperation and teamwork among different missionary agencies in Mali and Burkina Faso.
Pray for a spiritual hunger among the Marka people that will lead them to the cross.
Pray for Marka elders to open the door to the eternal gospel.
Pray for Marka believers to disciple others who in turn will disciple still others.


Scripture Prayers for the Marka, Dafing in Mali.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Marka, Dafing
People Name in Country Marka, Dafing
Alternate Names Dafi; Dafin; Dafing; Mossi
Population this Country 59,000
Population all Countries 270,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 2
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
People ID 13550
ROP3 Code 106346
ROP25 Code 305218
ROP25 Name Marka
Country Mali
Region Africa, West and Central
Continent Africa
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 14  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Mopti region: Bankass circle, south of Dialassagou town; Ségou region: northeast Tominian circle, along Burkina Faso border.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Mali
Region Africa, West and Central
Continent Africa
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 14  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Mopti region: Bankass circle, south of Dialassagou town; Ségou region: northeast Tominian circle, along Burkina Faso border..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016

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Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.50 %)
10.00 %
Ethnic Religions
18.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
72.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Marka
Language Code rkm   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Marka
Language Code rkm   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Marka

Primary Language:  Marka

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
Photo Source Steve and Debbi Clouser 
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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