The Guruntum claim to have migrated from an area called Miri, located southwest of Bauchi. From there, they moved to Kuku then eventually settled in their present-day location.

Because of intermarriage with the larger Jarawa group, the Guruntum are considered to be a Jarawa sub-group. They speak a Chadic language, with Hausa being spoken as a secondary language.

The Guruntum are somewhat modernized, compared to their African neighbors. They desire that their children attend school; however, most people cannot afford to pay the school fees. Although modern medical facilities are not always available to them, the Guruntum prefer modern medical care to their traditional practices in medicine.

What are their lives like?
The Guruntum rely on farming and raising livestock for their livelihood. The principal crops grown are guinea corn, millet, and yams. A variety of vegetables are also produced, and women often tend to their own plots of land.

The Guruntum live in compact villages protected by hedges or walls. Grouped in enclosed family compounds, huts are round with conical thatched roofs and mud walls. Each village has a headman, who handles affairs and makes decisions at the local level. The chief over all the Guruntum is elected from the Kasis clan, the royal family of the Guruntum.

Groups of boys between the ages of seven and nine are circumcised together. They are taken to the bush for a month, where elders and the dodo (masked occult figure) initiate the boys into the religious life of their people. This time is also a training period for manhood. When the month is completed, a seven-day feast is held; and the boys are brought back to their parents by the dodo, who dances with people in the village upon their return.

Most Guruntum marriages are arranged by the parents. A woman from the boy's village will take a bangle to the girl's house and fasten it on the girl's wrist. The girl cannot refuse this, as it is a symbol of the couple's engagement to be married. When the girl reaches marriageable age, the boy's parents bring gifts to the girl's family, and the two become husband and wife. Polygamy is considered prestigious; thus, many Guruntum men, if they can afford it, will have more than one wife.

When a woman gives birth to her first child, she remains in her husband's house until the seventh day after birth, at which time a naming ceremony occurs. Then, the woman and child are taken to the woman's father's house, where they will remain for two years. This is done as a means of birth control.

What are their beliefs?
The majority of the Guruntum are ethnic religionists, following their traditional pagan beliefs. Islam, however, is beginning to gain a foothold in their region

Wari, the name of their supreme god, is worshipped through smaller gods, called Kwanams. During festivals in the villages, the Kwanams will appear as masked figures, dancing with the people. Although Wari is considered a good god, his role is not very distinct, since the lesser gods take care of all the needs of the people.

Rain, lightning, and other natural forces are considered to be gods. It is believed that an individual can be possessed by such forces and can have power to influence them.

What are their needs?
The Guruntum have no Christian resources available to them, and a majority of them have never had an opportunity to hear the Gospel. Scriptures need to be translated into their language, and more evangelistic work needs to be done in their region. Prayer is greatly needed to prepare the hearts of the Guruntum to receive the Gospel.

Prayer Points

• Ask the Lord of the harvest to send forth laborers into Nigeria to work among the Guruntum.
• Ask the Holy Spirit to grant wisdom and favor to the missions agency that is targeting the Guruntum.
• Pray that God will give the Guruntum believers boldness to share Christ with their own people.
• Take authority over the spiritual principalities and powers that are keeping the Guruntum bound.
• Ask God to raise up prayer teams who will begin breaking up the soil through worship and intercession.
• Pray that Christian radio broadcasts and evangelical literature will be made available to the Guruntum.
• Ask the Lord to raise up a strong local church among the Guruntum of Nigeria.
• Pray for Christian teachers and medical workers who are willing to go to the Guruntum of Nigeria.

THE PEOPLE

• People name: Guruntum
• Country: Nigeria
• Their language: Guruntum
• Population: (1990) 15,100
  (1995) 17,600
  (2000) 20,300
• Largest religion: Ethnic religionist 90%
  Muslim (Sunni) 5%
• Christian: 5%
• Church members: 880
• Scriptures in their own language: None
• Jesus Film in their own language: None
• Christian broadcasts in their own language: None
• Mission agencies working among this people: 1
• Persons who have heard the Gospel: 5,300 (30%) Those evangelized by local Christians: 2,100 (12%)
  Those evangelized from the outside: 3,200 (18%)
• Persons who have never heard the Gospel: 12,300 (70%)

• Country: Nigeria
• Population: (1990) 96,153,800
  (1995) 111,721,000
  (2000) 128,785,600
• Major peoples in size order: Hausa 18.5%
  Yoruba 18.5%
  Igbo 14.1%
  Toroobe Fulani 4.9%
  Yerwa Kanuri 3%
• Major religions: Christians 50.6%
  Muslims 44.6%
  Ethnic Religionists 4.5%
• Number of denominations: 114