Kazakh in Georgia


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Kazakhs, a Turkic people, are the second largest Muslim people group of Central Asia. In times past, they may have been the most influential of the various Central Asian ethnic groups. Most of the Kazakhs live in Kazakhstan. Large communities can also be found in Mongolia, Ukraine and Russia.

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.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Since the collapse of Soviet Communism, Kazakhs have been searching for their identity. Traditionally, they were nomadic shepherds; however, under Soviet rule, much of their land was seized and used for collective farming. As industry developed, their economy and culture became dependent entirely on the Russians. Today, however, there is a widespread movement to redevelop their own cultural identity.

As nomadic shepherds, the Kazakhs lived in dome shaped felt tents called yurts. These portable dwellings could be taken down and moved from area to area as the shepherd found good land for his flocks. Under Russian rule, many other Kazakhs were forced to move to the cities and live in houses or small apartments. Most of these two or three room apartments have running water, though in some rural areas there is no hot water. The water is clean, but not safe to drink. The process of purifying the water can be very tedious.

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. In the southern regions of Kazakhstan, fruit and vegetables grow in abundance. There the people enjoy eating grapes, melons, and tomatoes. Kazakh apples are also famous throughout Central Asia.

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." Up to 1000 horseman will participate in this sport.


Because of their nomadic pastoral lifestyle, Kazakhs kept an epic tradition of oral history.
What Are Their Beliefs?

Kazakhs embraced Islam during the sixteenth century and still consider themselves Muslim today. Changes in Kazakh society (mainly from a nomadic to a settled lifestyle) and an attempt by the Soviets to suppress religious freedoms have led the people to adopt Islam more closely. However, 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. Today, 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 are facing ecological catastrophe due to the mismanagement of natural resources. This has caused the near desolation of the Aral Sea and contamination of much of their drinking water. As a result, the infant mortality rate is very high. There is also a high rate of stillbirths and birth defects. Abortion is their main method of birth control. Most women have five or six abortions. Because Kazakhs value children, this creates a serious emotional battle for Kazakh parents.

The Kazakh church is young, but the church is growing. Young people are especially excited about hearing the Good News of the Gospel. Over 40 Kazakh speaking churches exist, but in a people group of over eight million, that is a small number. Many churches are located in the major cities like Almaty, but Christian workers are also needed in the rural areas.

In the name of curbing extremism, religion laws in violation of the freedom of religion guaranteed in the Kazakhstan Constitution require churches to register and various local governments have been banning religious groups that have less than 50 members, confiscating literature, and fining groups that have violated these religion laws. Many religious groups have been reportedly shut down. Unregistered Protestant groups, which seem to be particularly targeted, have been forced underground, but even then the government has sought to crack down on such groups by raiding the homes where these groups have been meeting.

Proposed changes to the criminal code threaten to imprison the leaders of unregistered religious groups. Christians have also been targeted for distributing religious literature on the streets or for otherwise sharing their faith.


Prayer Points

* Praise God for the growing number of Kazakh Christians. * Pray that they would learn the Word of God quickly. * Pray that there would be fresh leadership training materials prepared in the Kazakh language for pastors. * Pray for salvation for heads of families as the Gospel is clearly presented to them. * Ask the Lord to send long term laborers to live among the Kazak and share the love of Christ with them. * Ask the Holy Spirit to open the hearts of Kazakhs towards Christians so that they will be receptive to the Gospel. * Pray that God will raise up prayer teams to go and break up the soil through worship and intercession. * Ask God to encourage and protect the small number of Muslim Kazakhs who have converted to Christianity. * Pray that these converts will begin to boldly share the Gospel with their own people. * Ask the Lord to raise up strong local churches among the Kazakhs.


Scripture Prayers for the Kazakh in Georgia.


References

http://www.persecution.org/2013/03/22/is-kazakhstan-moving-back-towards-its-soviet-era/


Profile Source:   Bethany World Prayer Center / GAAPNet  

The Kazakhs of Central Asia

Source:  Asia Harvest      Download

People Name General Kazakh
People Name in Country Kazakh
Pronunciation KAH-zahk
Alternate Names Gazaqi; Hazake; Kazax; Qazaq; Qazaqi; कॅज़ॅक
Population this Country 1,700
Population all Countries 16,898,000
Total Countries 24
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 2
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
Pioneer Workers Needed
PeopleID3 12599
ROP3 Code 104791
Country Georgia
Region Europe, Eastern and Eurasia
Continent Europe
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Country Georgia
Region Europe, Eastern and Eurasia
Continent Europe
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked

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Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.70 %)
12.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
54.00 %
Non-Religious
34.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Kazakh (1,700 speakers)
Language Code kaz   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Kazakh (1,700 speakers)
Language Code kaz   Ethnologue 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 Four Spiritual Laws Cru
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 faith conversations Cru
Photo Source Petar Milošević - Wikimedia  Creative Commons 
Video Source Asia Harvest
Profile Source Bethany World Prayer Center / GAAPNet 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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