Not totally inaccessible, but challenging to reach, the Kutu people live in the shadow of the beautiful Uluguru mountains in central-eastern Tanzania.
If you were with us when we visited the Vidunda people, you may realize that we are in the same general location. At that time however, we were not able to reach any Kutu villages; this is our quest today.
Fortunately, it is dry; the road will be a greater challenge during the rains.
Driving down the dirt path, we are surprised at how dry this area is compared with other parts of Tanzania we have visited on this trip.
Stopping at a small cluster of huts, we ask about the Kutu people of the area and learn that this is indeed a Kutu family. They are farmers, as are most other Kutu people, growing corn, rice, millet and sesame seed.
The sesame seed or ufuta ((uu-fuu-tah) the word for oil), is harvested and stored in large sacks; waiting to be sold and transported to oil processing companies.
This Kutu family is Catholic and we learn that there are Kutu who are Muslim as well as Catholic.
We are surprised to see an interspersing of Maasai people herding their cattle through the area. No one has mentioned Masaai living here.
While challenging, it is always fun to talk with folks whom God places in our path. We try to find out information on who lives in the area, what languages they speak, how money is made to survive, and what churches, if any are in the village as well as daily life activities.
More animistic than either Muslim or Catholic, the Kutu people layer their animistic practices on top of other religious beliefs.
*Pray for God’s Spirit to fall on Kutu hearts; that they would have a longing to know the God who causes all things to grow.
*Pray for an outpouring of God’s Spirit on non-Muslim Kutu exposing their need to believe and trust Christ as the only way to life everlasting; ask God to then put a burning in their hearts for their Kutu neighbors who are Muslim.