Northern Kurd in Turkmenistan


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.

Kurds were sent to what is now Turkmenistan in the 1600s by Abbas I of Persia and Nader Shah. Centuries later, they lived under the thumb of Josef Stalin and the USSR. Stalin sent more Kurds to this land in 1937 and again in 1944.

After WWII Kurds began to migrate from the violence and turmoil of their native land to other countries. Some migrated to the former Central Asian Soviet Republics such as Turkmenistan. By the early 1980s the government of Turkmenistan was attempting to assimilate Kurds into the Turkmen culture and language. Today Kurds speak Turkmen at home while others speak Northern Kurdish or Kurmanji. Almost all Kurds in Turkmenistan also speak Russian which is helpful for any business transaction.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Northern Kurds living in the former Soviet countries such as Turkmenistan are among the most prosperous citizens. They face little or no discrimination, and many even hold high political offices, work as professionals and own large businesses. They enjoy the use of utilities, roads, housing and medical facilities that would be considered "luxurious" in their homeland of Kurdistan.

The traditional occupation of the Kurds in their homeland was that of nomadic herding of goats and sheep. Northern Kurdish parents encourage their boys and girls to obtain a college education. Family is an essential part of Northern Kurdish culture. The relationship between family members is close. The clan and community are more important than the individual in traditional Northern Kurdish society. The Kurdish father is the traditional head of the home. The groom's family must pay a bride price to the relatives of the bride because she becomes officially part of the groom's family after the wedding. Traditionally a Kurdish man and woman in love could not marry without both their families' permission. According to traditional values it was unthinkable for an unmarried Kurdish couple to live together.

A woman in Kurdistan was not considered an adult unless she was married and had children. In Turkmenistan a Kurdish woman may pursue a professional career and not marry. Northern Kurdish women and girls are expected to dress modestly. Dressing immodestly would dishonor her family. Turkmen Kurds tend to live in nuclear families while in Kurdistan, the land of the Kurds, they lived in extended families up to four generations under the one roof. Respecting older people is integral part of Kurdish culture.

Hospitality and family honor are significant features of Northern Kurdish culture in Turkmenistan. Many young people have started to put their own interests before that of their family and community. Modern school systems train young people to be independent. Kurdish families have faced pressures to change. Maintaining Kurdish values and adapting to Turkmen culture is a difficult balancing act every Kurdish person living in Turkmenistan must face.


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 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 Turkmenistan 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 the Turkmen language and job skills in order to fit into their new nation.


Prayer Points

Pray the Lord leads Christ followers 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 Northern Kurdish people living in Turkmenistan. Ask God to raise up a Disciple Making Movement among Kurds in Turkmenistan. Pray that Kurdish leaders are willing to investigate the claims of Jesus Christ.


Scripture Prayers for the Kurd, Kurmanji in Turkmenistan.


References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kurds_in_Turkmenistan
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-29702440


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 54,000
Population all Countries 14,881,000
Total Countries 33
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 12877
ROP3 Code 105458
Country Turkmenistan
Region Asia, Central
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
Persecution Rank 29  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Ahal Province, mainly in Ashkhabat area.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Turkmenistan
Region Asia, Central
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
Persecution Rank 29  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Ahal Province, mainly in Ashkhabat area..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016

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Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.20 %)
0.50 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
79.50 %
Non-Religious
10.00 %
Other / Small
10.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Kurdish, Northern (54,000 speakers)
Language Code kmr   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Kurdish, Northern (54,000 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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