This Sotho man is from a related ethnic group.
Photo: Source: Steve Evans – Flickr
Licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
The Birwa, numbering 165,000, live mainly in the Bobirwa Subdistrict of Zimbabwe with smaller populations in Botswana and South Africa. They migrated from Transvaal (a pre-apartheid former province of South Africa) between the 16th and 17th centuries.
Main industries among the Birwa are agriculture, animal husbandry, and tourism. The soil of the Bobirwa Subdistrict is fertile. However, farming is difficult due to the inconsistent rain of the semi-arid climate. Tourism is increasingly important and is enhanced by the wildlife of the many national parks in the area. Tourists also come to experience the regional culture. Birwa crafts, foods, dances, and traditions are preserved at cultural festivals and the Bobirwa Cultural Center.
Although some Birwas call themselves Christians, most Birwas practice traditional beliefs of animism. Animism, the oldest pagan religion, is a belief that all things, both living and non-living, possess a soul. Respect for spirits and veneration of ancestors is an integral part of Birwa life.
Ethnologue.com classifies Birwa as “a stable indigenous language … [which] is thought to be used as a first language by all in the ethnic community.” There is no Bible in Birwa, no Jesus film, no Gospel recordings, and no Christian radio broadcast.
Tourists visit the Birwa people for a short time to get. Pray that missionary Bible translators will go there to stay and give!
Winter 2025-26