Introduction / History

The Jungle Inga, also known as the Mocoa Inga, are an indigenous group located in the Putumayo, Caquetá, Cauca, and Nariño departments of southern Colombia. They speak Inga Jungle, a dialect of Quechua, introduced through historical ties to the Incan Empire and later reinforced by Jesuit missions. The Inga language is considered endangered, though revitalization efforts are underway, including bilingual education and dictionary development.

The Inga people claim descent from the Inca mitimaes, a group strategically relocated to expand and maintain the empire. Over centuries, they have endured colonization, displacement, and armed conflict, yet continue to preserve their cultural identity through oral traditions, rituals, and community governance.

What Are Their Lives Like?

The Jungle Inga live in rural resguardos (indigenous reserves) and maintain a lifestyle rooted in subsistence agriculture, traditional medicine, and artisanal crafts such as Chumbe weaving, which encodes symbolic and spiritual meaning. Their social organization includes cabildos, which function as executive, legislative, and judicial bodies, blending indigenous customs with colonial administrative structures.

Despite their resilience, the community faces challenges such as land loss, environmental degradation, and limited access to education and healthcare. Many youth are drawn to urban areas, threatening the transmission of traditional knowledge and language.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The Jungle Inga practice a syncretic form of folk Catholicism, blending Catholic rituals with animistic and shamanistic traditions. Central to their spiritual life is the use of ayahuasca (yagé), a sacred plant medicine used in ceremonies to connect with the spirit world, seek healing, and maintain cosmic balance. These ceremonies are led by shamans, who guide participants through spiritual journeys using icaros (sacred songs) believed to open portals to the spiritual realm.

Inga cosmology emphasizes duality and interconnectedness, viewing nature as alive and sacred. Their spiritual practices reinforce community cohesion and a deep reverence for the land and ancestral wisdom.

What Are Their Needs?

Spiritual renewal and discipleship are needed to deepen the faith of Christian adherents and provide biblical teaching that resonates with their cultural context. Many blend faith in Christ with traditional beliefs.

Protection of ancestral lands and ecosystems is critical. The Jungle Inga face threats from deforestation, mining, and narcotrafficking, which jeopardize their spiritual and physical well-being.

Preservation of language and cultural heritage is essential. The Inga language is endangered, and the loss of elders and traditional practices risks eroding their identity. Efforts like intergenerational language projects and community-led education are vital.

Prayer Items

Pray for spiritual awakening and deep discipleship among the Jungle Inga, that their faith may be rooted in Scripture and not diluted by syncretism.
Ask God to raise up indigenous leaders and missionaries who can share the gospel in culturally relevant ways and in the Inga language.
Intercede for healing from historical trauma and displacement, and for peace and justice in their communities.
Pray for the protection of their sacred lands and natural resources, that they may continue to live in harmony with creation.
Lift up efforts to translate Scripture and produce gospel materials in Jungle Inga, and for their effective use in discipleship and evangelism.

Scripture Prayers for the Jungle Inga, Mocoa in Colombia.

References

Inga People – Wikipedia
Inga Odyssey – BnB Colombia
Cultural Survival – Chumbe Weaving Project
PeopleGroups.org – Jungle Inga
The Ayahuasca Spiritual Beliefs of the Inga Tribe
The Wuasikamas Movement – Ecosystem for Peace
Inga Language Profile – Ethnologue