Kyrgyz in Uzbekistan


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

While most of the Kyrgyz live in their homeland, Kyrgyzstan, large communities can also be found in the Central Asian Republics, China and Russia. Most of these live in the Central Asian Republic of Uzbekistan, primarily in the western portion of the Ferghana Valley. Although they are related to the Kazakh and other Turkic peoples of the region, the Kyrgyz are very Mongol in appearance.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan are two countries that share a disputed border. For that reason, the Kyrgyz are probably not welcomed by their Uzbek neighbors. The existence of someone from a rival ethnic group is often looked upon with suspicion.

More than any other Central Asian people, the Kyrgyz have clung to their traditional way of life as nomadic livestock producers, and they do this in other Central Asian countries like Uzbekistan.

They have also maintained their tribal organization. The basic unit of their society is the extended family, which consists of between five and fifteen families who have all descended from a common ancestor. They form villages by combining five to seven extended families. Above the villages are numerous clans and tribes.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Consecutive waves of Islamization have taken place since the Arabs first invaded Talas in 751 when many Kyrgyz tribes were still in Siberia. Northern nomadic tribes were able to skirt many of the Islamic traditions until recently. Within the last two hundred years, most of the Kyrgyz had been completely converted to Islam. Today, most Kyrgyz still consider themselves to be Muslim; however, they hold onto some shamanistic practices. (Shamanism is the belief that there is an unseen world of many gods, demons, and ancestral spirits that must be dealt with through a shaman). Many people still turn to mediums and seers to cure sickness with magic, communicate with spirits, and control events. Almost all Kyrgyz believers have to go through a breaking of demonic powers over their lives once they decide to follow Christ. The Kyrgyz epic hero Manas has taken on god-like status among some Kyrgyz. His story reveals many practices and beliefs of the pre-Islamic Kyrgyz. There have been some comparisons made between the biblical "Manasseh son of Jacob" (Genesis 48) and the Kyrgyz "Manas son of Jakyb."


What Are Their Needs?

The Kyrgyz people have no hope in their spiritual lives. God desires that they will come to know abundant life through His son, Jesus Christ. The tragic reality, however, is that the Kyrgyz are unaware of the redeeming blood of Christ and that eternal life is theirs through him.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Kyrgyz people to have hearts that are open to the abundant blessings of Jesus Christ. Pray for Kyrgyz families to prosper financially and spiritually as they experience a relationship with Jesus Christ. Pray for a movement to Christ among the Kyrgyz that will spread joy, peace and salvation to other peoples. Pray for the Lord to thrust out workers to this harvest field. Pray for the Kyrgyz culture to be renewed and enhanced by a work of the Holy Spirit and shaped into a God-centered and God-honoring mold.


Scripture Prayers for the Kyrgyz in Uzbekistan.


References

https://www.rferl.org/a/uzbekistan-kyrgyzstan-resolving-decades-old-border-dispute/28918059.html


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Kyrgyz
People Name in Country Kyrgyz
Pronunciation KUR-gheez
Alternate Names Kara; Ke'erkezi; Kirghiz; Kirgiz; Kur-guhz; कयरग्ज़
Population this Country 545,000
Population all Countries 5,982,000
Total Countries 14
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 11
PeopleID3 12933
ROP3 Code 105550
Country Uzbekistan
Region Asia, Central
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 25  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Andijon, Farg’ona, and Namangan regions: scattered.   Source:  Ethnologue 2020
Country Uzbekistan
Region Asia, Central
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 25  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Andijon, Farg’ona, and Namangan regions: scattered..   Source:  Ethnologue 2020
Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.10 %)
0.30 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
95.70 %
Non-Religious
4.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Kyrgyz
Language Code kir   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Kyrgyz
Language Code kir   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Kyrgyz

Primary Language:  Kyrgyz

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1982-2016)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1991-2005)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1995-2011)
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 Kyrgyz 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 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: Kyrgyz YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: The Bible in Kyrgyz Institute for Bible Translation
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Kyrgyz YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Ыйык Китеп (Kyrgyz Bible) 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 Tools for faith conversations Cru
Photo Source Theklan - Wikimedia  Creative Commons 
Map Source Bethany World Prayer Center  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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