Northern Kurd in France


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Kurds are one of the largest ethno-linguistic people group in the world without their own nation. The homeland of the Kurds is in the Middle East, northwestern Iran, southeastern Turkey and the northern sections of Iraq and Syria.
After WWII Kurds began to migrate from the violence and turmoil of their homelands to countries in the West, especially Germany. The first Kurdish migrants came to Europe in the late 1960s when they faced violent persecution in Turkey. The numbers of Northern Kurds who fled Turkey increased in the 1970s and 1980s. By that time many were also fleeing Iraq, a country that used chemical weapons against Kurdish villages. More are arriving today from Syria, fleeing the ongoing civil war.
The second largest Kurdish community in Europe is in France. Some Kurdish families in France now speak French in their homes while others still speak Northern Kurdish, also known as Kurmanji.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The traditional occupation of the Kurds in their homeland was that of nomadic herding of goats and sheep. In France, they have had to take on new jobs such as construction, owning restaurants, small businesses and in manufacturing. Kurdish parents encourage their boys and girls to obtain a college education so their families can excel economically in the generations to come.
Kurdish families in France have faced pressures to change. Maintaining Kurdish values and adapting to their new Western country is a difficult balancing act every Kurdish person living in France must face. It is especially hard on Kurdish families. Family is an essential part of Kurdish culture. The relationship between family members is close. The Kurdish father is the traditional head of the home. Traditionally a Kurdish man and woman in love could not marry without both their families' permission. That policy is changing due to the individualistic nature of French society. Yet Kurdish parents draw the line when their young adult children want to live with someone of the opposite sex like the ethnic French.
A woman in Kurdistan was not considered an adult unless she was married and had children. By contrast, in France, a Kurdish woman may pursue a professional career and not marry. Kurdish women and girls are supposed to dress modestly. Dressing immodestly would dishonor her family.
Because of the influence of Western, individualistic schools, many young Kurds in France have started to put their own interests before that of their family and community. This has caused a rift in some Kurdish families.


What Are Their Beliefs?

About 75% of the world's Kurds claim to be Sunni Muslims. Smaller Kurdish groups include Shia, Sufi, Christian and Yazidi. Sunni Kurds tend to be more tolerate of other faiths than other Muslims. Sunni Kurds try to obey the teachings of the Koran and the prophet Mohammad. They believe that by following the Five Pillars of Islam that they will attain heaven when they die. However, Allah, the supreme God of the universe, determines who enters paradise. Sunnis pray five times a day facing Mecca. They fast the month of Ramadan. They attend mosque services on Friday. If a Muslim has the means, he or she will make a pilgrimage to Mecca once in his or her lifetime. The two main holidays for Sunni Muslims are Eid al Fitr, the breaking of the monthly fast and Eid al Adha, the celebration of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son to Allah. The Kurdish New Year on March 21 is celebrated as a major holiday by all Kurds regardless of religion.


What Are Their Needs?

The Kurds living in France must understand that biblical Christianity is not just a Western religion. They must see that their good works and devotion to family will not gain them the forgiveness of their sins or eternal life. Newly arrived Kurds need to learn French and new job skills in order to fit into their new nation.


Prayer Points

Pray the Lord leads European believers to build friendships with Kurds and tell them about their Savior.
Pray that God creates a hunger for the Bible and spiritual truth in the hearts of the Kurdish people living in France.
Ask God to soon raise up a Disciple Making Movement among French Kurds.
Pray that Kurdish leaders are willing to investigate the claims of Jesus Christ.


Scripture Prayers for the Kurd, Kurmanji in France.


References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurds_in_France
https://www.institutkurde.org/en/kurdorama/
https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/europe/2022/12/23/tear-gas-fired-as-violent-protests-break-out-after-kurds-killed-in-paris-attack/


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Kurd, Kurmanji
People Name in Country Kurd, Kurmanji
Natural Name Northern Kurd
Pronunciation kerd
Alternate Names Behdini; Kermanji; Kurmanji; Turkish Kurd; Yazidi; Yezidi
Population this Country 84,000
Population all Countries 14,881,000
Total Countries 33
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 2
PeopleID3 12877
ROP3 Code 105458
Country France
Region Europe, Western
Continent Europe
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Country France
Region Europe, Western
Continent Europe
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked

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Primary Religion: Islam
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 Kurdish, Northern (84,000 speakers)
Language Code kmr   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Kurdish, Northern (84,000 speakers)
Language Code kmr   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Kurdish, Northern

Primary Language:  Kurdish, Northern

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1856-2016)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1872-2005)
Bible-Complete Yes  (2008)
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
Audio Recordings Oral Bible stories Story Runners
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Kurdish, Northern 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 Rivka video Jesus Film Project
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 Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
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 Walk with the Prophets and meet the Messiah Al Massira
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
General Zume Training Zume Project
Mobile App Android Bible app direct APK download SIL
Mobile App Android Bible app: Behdini Bible Internet Publishing Sevice
Mobile App Android Bible app: Behdini Jesus teachings from Sermon on the Mount Internet Publishing Sevice
Mobile App Android Bible app: Behdini Knowing Jesus from the book of Luke Internet Publishing Sevice
Mobile App Android Bible app: Încîl û Zebûr General / Other
Mobile App Android Bible app: Kurdish, Northern YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Nivîsarêd Pîroz - Kurdish-Kurmanji Bible (Latin) Institute for Bible Translation
Mobile App Android Bible app: The Holy Injeel General / Other
Mobile App Android Bible app: Ньвисаред Пироз - Kurdish-Kurmanji Bible(Cyrillic) Institute for Bible Translation
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app from Google Play Store Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Kurdish, Northern YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Nivîsarêd Pîroz Institute for Bible Translation
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Ньвисаред Пироз Institute for Bible Translation
Text / Printed Matter Bible: Comic Book Version Super Bible / Comic Bible Society
Text / Printed Matter IBT, Russia - resources Institute for Bible Translation
Text / Printed Matter Jesus Messiah comic book General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Kurdish, Northern Literacy & Evangelism International
Photo Source manothegreek 
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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