Kazakh in Afghanistan


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Islam (Sunni)
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Kazakhs, a Turkic people, are the second largest Muslim people group in Central Asia. In times past, they may have been the most influential of the various Central Asian ethnic groups.

The Kazakhs developed a distinct ethnic identity in the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries. Several of their clans formed a federation that would provide mutual protection. As other clans joined the federation, its political influence began to take on an ethnic character. During the nineteenth century, the Russians acquired Central Asia through a steady process of annexation. They eventually claimed the entire territory of Kazakhstan. Tragically, about half of the Kazakh population was killed during the Russian Civil War of the 1920s and 1930s. During this time, many fled to China and Mongolia and a few landed in Afghanistan.

Most Kazakhs live in Kazakhstan. Large communities can also be found in Mongolia, Ukraine and Russia. There is a small Kazakh community in Afghanistan that is growing smaller. The remaining Kazakhs in Afghanistan live in rural areas or the city of Mazar-e Sharif.


What Are Their Lives Like?

In rural areas, Kazakhs often live in dome-shaped felt tents called yurts. These portable dwellings could be taken down and moved from area to area as needed. Most have Uzbek neighbors.

Kazakhs eat a variety of meat and dairy products. A popular Kazakh food is besbarmak, which is eaten with your hands. It is made of noodles, potatoes, onions and mutton. Rice and bread are common staples.

The foundation of Kazakh culture is hospitality, which always starts with a cup of tea. The host offers tea to any person who comes to his house. Guests must accept the kindness, or the host will be offended.

A favorite sport is kokpar which means "fighting for a goat's carcass." That sport is popular throughout Central Asia.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Kazakhs embraced Islam during the sixteenth century and still consider themselves Muslim today. Their Islamic practices have been combined with traditional folk religions.

Traditional Kazakh folk religion includes beliefs in spirits. They practice animism and ancestor worship. Animism is the belief that non-human objects have spirits. Ancestor worship involves praying and offering sacrifices to deceased ancestors. Kazakhs continue to consult shamans (priests who cure the sick by magic, communicate with the spirits, and control events). They also practice various traditional rituals before and after marriage, at birth, and at death.


What Are Their Needs?

Kazakhs in Afghanistan feel a need to guard their language and culture. They are small in number, living in a repressive government. Most also speak Dari or Pashtu, key languages in Afghanistan, but they are trying to teach their children the language and culture of the Kazakhs. They can be punished for playing the traditional dombra. Afghans have taken their land away.

Though there is an emerging Kazakh church in Kazakhstan, it hasn t reached them in Afghanistan. They will need to obtain Christian materials through the internet.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to make a way for Kazakhs in Afghanistan to hear and embrace the gospel.
Pray for a spiritual hunger among Kazakhs that will draw them to the only savior.
Pray for the Lord to give dreams and visions to Kazakh family leaders that will open their hearts to Jesus Christ.
Pray for a movement to Christ among Kazakhs in Afghanistan and Uzbekistan.


Scripture Prayers for the Kazakh in Afghanistan.


References

https://en.orda.kz/how-ethnic-kazakhs-live-in-afghanistan-3499/
https://www.rferl.org/a/afghanistan-ethnic-kazakhs-taliban/31630084.html


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Kazakh
People Name in Country Kazakh
Pronunciation KAH-zahk
Alternate Names Gazaqi; Hazake; Kazax; Qazaq; Qazaqi; कॅज़ॅक
Population this Country 3,600
Population all Countries 16,898,000
Total Countries 24
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 12599
ROP3 Code 104791
Country Afghanistan
Region Asia, Central
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
Persecution Rank 10  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country North, especially Chahar Dara District west of Kunduz; Khanabad and Andkhoi areas   Source:  Ethnologue 2010
Country Afghanistan
Region Asia, Central
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
Persecution Rank 10  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country North, especially Chahar Dara District west of Kunduz; Khanabad and Andkhoi areas.   Source:  Ethnologue 2010

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Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Islam (Sunni)
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
100.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Kazakh (3,600 speakers)
Language Code kaz   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Western Kazakh
Dialect Code 11758   Global Recordings Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Kazakh (3,600 speakers)
Language Code kaz   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Western Kazakh
Dialect Code 11758   Global Recordings Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Kazakh

Primary Language:  Kazakh

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1818-1989)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1820-2008)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1993-2014)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
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
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Kazakh Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Kazakh Bible Video (Kieli Kitap 2010) General / Other
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Rivka video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Rock International: King of Glory Rock International
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Voice of the Martyrs resources Voice of the Martyrs
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Kazakh YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Киелі Кітап (Kazakh Bible) General / Other
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Kazakh YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter IBT, Russia - resources Institute for Bible Translation
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Kazakh Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter tools for gospel conversations Cru
Photo Source Petar Milošević - Wikimedia  Creative Commons 
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.