Komi-Zyrian in Russia


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

Komi is the name used by a group of indigenous peoples. They are divided into subgroups, the most prominent being the Yazva, Permyat and Zyrian. All three have their own dialect, though they also speak the local trade language. The Zyrian live further north and the Permyat live south of other Komi groups in Russia. They also have smaller subgroups based on location.
The Komi had their first contact with the Russians in the 1100s when Russian Orthodox missionaries such as Stephen Permski came to the region. In the 1500s, Russian settlers moved eastward, settling in the Komi homeland and trying to get them to assimilate to Russian culture. Russians also set up a penal colony in the region. The Komi peoples rebelled a number of times, most notably in the 1860s. Russia temporarily lost control of the region after the 1917 Russian Revolution but re-established control in 1919. The new Soviet government tried to integrate minorities like the Komis, but they also industrialized the area, which devastated the traditional Komi way of life. Dictator Josef Stalin killed most Komi leaders for being bourgeois nationalists. The Komi region was also used for gulag prison camps. The influx of Russian prisoners left the Komi as a minority in their own land. After the USSR dissolved in 1991, the Komi people have been trying to re-establish their language and culture. Still, the Komi population continues to decline along with the populations of other indigenous peoples in that region. A small number have migrated to nearby countries like Finland.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Komis have their own region within Russia; it’s called the Komi Republic.
Most Komi people live in urban areas where they live alongside other ethnic groups. Those who live in rural areas often must hunt wild game, fish and collect wild berries and mushrooms since farming is nearly impossible in this near tundra climate. Their diet and cuisine mainly include these locally collected foods.


What Are Their Beliefs?

There is a large Russian Orthodox influence among the Komi peoples. Some are vibrant Christians; others are Christian in name only. Most also adhere to their traditional shamanistic practices. Shamanism affects Komi folklore. They have always believed there to be two opposing creator gods, which those who are Russian Orthodox identify as God and Satan.


What Are Their Needs?

The Komi people need to put Jesus Christ first in their lives. Most likely there will need to be a team of disciplers willing to teach them from the Bible. The New Testament is in all three major Komi dialects and the entire Bible is in two of them.


Prayer Points

Pray for disciplers to go to the Komi people, teaching God’s word and drawing them into a deeper relationship with Jesus.
Pray for the Russian Orthodox Church to become more Christ-centered and willing to change their direction to conform to God’s will.
Pray for Komi leaders to find their way to the cross and invite others to do the same.


Scripture Prayers for the Komi-Zyrian in Russia.


References

https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Komi_peoples
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komi_peoples
https://www.scriptureearth.org/00i-Scripture_Index.php?sortby=lang&iso=kpv


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Komi-Zyrian
People Name in Country Komi-Zyrian
Alternate Names Yazva
Population this Country 148,000
Population all Countries 150,000
Total Countries 3
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 2
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
PeopleID3 12766
ROP3 Code 105154
Country Russia
Region Europe, Eastern and Eurasia
Continent Asia
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Komi Republic, Arkhangel’skaya Oblast’, and Nenetskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug; near the Arctic sea; south of Yurak [yrk], west of Vogul (Mansi) [mns] language areas.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Russia
Region Europe, Eastern and Eurasia
Continent Asia
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Komi Republic, Arkhangel’skaya Oblast’, and Nenetskiy Avtonomnyy Okrug; near the Arctic sea; south of Yurak [yrk], west of Vogul (Mansi) [mns] language areas..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Primary Religion: Non-Religious
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 1.10 %)
32.00 %
Ethnic Religions
10.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
58.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Komi-Zyrian
Language Code kpv   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Komi-Zyrian
Language Code kpv   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Komi-Zyrian

Primary Language:  Komi-Zyrian

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1823-1999)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1979-2007)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1990)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Komi-Zyrian Jesus Film Project
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 Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Potashev Aleksandr - Shutterstock  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source West Siberian Peoples  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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