Kamar in Nepal


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* Data can be from various sources including official census, agencies, and local research. Data from these sources can sometimes differ even by orders of magnitude. Joshua Project attempts to present a conservative, balanced estimate.

Introduction / History

The Kamar consider military service their traditional occupation and say that they converted to farming and manual labor jobs through force of circumstances. Sadly, their lives are aimed entirely at physical survival and the fight against natural disaster and starvation. There are a very small number of Kamar people in Bangladesh. There are more in Nepal, but most are in central India where they originated.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Most Kamar people earn their income by making bamboo items, which they sell and trade in the weekly markets. Many engage in basketry throughout the entire year, and they are well known for this skill. Their fine bamboo baskets can be traded for goods such as rice, tea and liquor. Farming is the secondary occupation of the Kamar, followed closely by hunting and fishing. They may supplement their incomes by collecting forest products, especially certain types of leaves, which are sold to contractors. The women do much of the strenuous work in the fields and forests. Many of the smaller Kamar villages consist of settled farmers, but all Kamar believe that it was their destiny to practice the slash and burn method of agriculture. Even those who work on permanent plots burn off the land and practice crop rotation. The fields are worked with pickaxes and spades, and iron sickles are used to harvest the crops. The Kamar are dispersed in villages which are generally mixed with other tribal communities. The settlements consist of scattered huts with no definite pattern. The larger villages are located near the foothills or deep in the forests, while the smaller settlements are found along roadsides. Kamar typically live in two-room mud huts. One of the rooms is for storage and for the household god. Their houses are very neat and clean. Every home has various kinds of fishing traps since all Kamar love to fish. Many have a shed for socializing, as well as a separate cattle shed. Most houses also have a bari, or small vegetable garden, which is an important factor in their survival. The Kamar tribe is divided into a number of clans. These are endogamous, meaning they only marry within their own clan. They prefer cross cousin marriages, and males initiate the marriage negotiations. Kamar people wear very simple clothes. They do not wear shoes, and they tie cotton cloths, or phundras around their heads. There are noticeable differences between the traditional and modern styles. For example, Kamar girls wear saris (wrap-around dresses) made from elaborate prints whereas, the traditional clothes were plain white. They also wear petticoats, glass bracelets, and elaborate hair pins.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Kamar people practice Hinduism, the ancient religion of India. Hinduism is a catch-all phrase for the local religions of South Asia, so it is very diverse. At the popular level, Hindus worship and serve the gods of the Hindu pantheon. They visit Hindu temples and offer prayers, food, flowers, and incense to their gods in hopes of gaining protection and benefits. They do not have a personal or familial relationship with their gods like Christians or Jews.


What Are Their Needs?

Kamar people need more than anything else to know Almighty God who came to earth in the form of a man, who is Jesus Christ, and paid the price for their eternal life to set them free from the penalty of sin. Although the Bible, audio, and visual resources exist in their Nepali language, they remain an unreached people group. They need someone to tell them.


Prayer Points

Pray that entire Kamar villages will hear and understand the good news and begin their own Disciple Making Movement. Pray for a desire for holiness and humility to embrace Lord Jesus in obedience. Pray for Holy Spirit-anointed workers to go to them.


Scripture Prayers for the Kamar in Nepal.


References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamar_language


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Kamar
People Name in Country Kamar
Alternate Names Barhai; Karmakar; कमर
Population this Country 1,900
Population all Countries 34,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 17066
ROP3 Code 112404
Country Nepal
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Total States on file 8
Largest States
Kosi
700
Bagmati
500
Narayani
200
Mechi
200
Gandaki
100
Sagarmatha
40
Lumbini
40
Bheri
30
Country Nepal
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Total States 8
  Kosi 700
  Bagmati 500
  Narayani 200
  Mechi 200
  Gandaki 100
  Sagarmatha 40
  Lumbini 40
  Bheri 30
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
100.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest Nepal census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Nepali (1,100 speakers)
Language Code npi   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
Maithili
300
Bhojpuri
200
Primary Language Nepali (1,100 speakers)
Language Code npi   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
  Maithili 300
  Bhojpuri 200
People Groups Speaking Nepali

Primary Language:  Nepali

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1850-1961)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1821-2010)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1914-2024)
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 Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Oral Bible stories Story Runners
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Nepali 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 New Way (Naya Goreto) Create International
Film / Video Rivka video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video The Hope Video Mars Hill Media
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible and Resources in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Bible in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
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 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: Nepali YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Nepali Bible Biblica
Mobile App Android Bible app: Nepali Bible The Love Fellowship
Mobile App Android Bible app: TBS Nepali Bible General / Other
Mobile App Android Bible Radio app: Nepali Bible Radio Shalom Design S2dio
Mobile App Android Book Reading app: Ek Rasta Nepali General / Other
Mobile App Android Book Reading app: Nepali Bible Stories Internet Publishing Sevice
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Nepali YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Bible: Comic Book Version Super Bible / Comic Bible Society
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Jesus Messiah comic book General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Nepali Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter The Ancient Path Live Global
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Anonymous 
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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