Sonwal Kachari in India


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.

Subgroups: 2

Subgroup Name Population
Madahi 8,500
Thengal 2,200

Introduction / History

The Kachari Sonwal or Sonowal are an indigenous people who live in northeast India. They are a subgroup of the larger Kachari tribe. The name Sonwal comes from the word for gold. The traditional occupation of the Sonwal was panning for gold during the Ahom kingdom.

Today the Sonwal are primarily engaged in agriculture. They grow rice, betel nut, sweet potatoes and cotton. Betel nut is a mild stimulant chewed in social situations. Sonowal women are expert weavers of cotton and every young woman is given a handloom upon her marriage. The Sonowal also raise poultry and have cattle for dairy products. The Sonwal are believed to have a very rich traditional knowledge of indigenous medicine.

The primary language of the Sonwal is Assamese. Many also speak Hindi so they can communicate with outsiders.


Where Are they Located?

The vast majority of the Sonwal live in the northeastern Indian state of Assam. Smaller groups live in Arunachal Pradesh and Meghalaya.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Sonwal marry within their Karachi tribe but not witin their particular clan. The groom's family pays a bride price for the young woman joining their family. The newly married couple lives with or near the groom's family. Most Sonwal live in extended families within their villages. Sons inherit their father's property while daughters inherit their mother's clothes and jewelry.

The Gaonbra or head of the village is the key man of the village. He presides over the village assembly of elders. The village council is a center of solving disputes of the villagers. The punishment given to the guilty is according to the nature of the crime. Ex-communication is considered to the severest form of punishment.

The main foods of the Sonwal are rice, dairy products, poultry, sweet potatoes, vegetables and fruit.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Sonwal practice Hinduism strongly influenced by folk religion. They use their own priests not the services of Brahmins. They have their own village shrines and generally to not visit Hindu temples. Sonwal consider Shiva, the destroyer god, to be their primary deity.

The three festivals or Bihus of the Sonwal revolve around the Assamese agricultural year, spring, fall and winter. The people dance, play music, feast on special foods, and perform rituals to ensure the success for the crops for the upcoming year.


What Are Their Needs?

The Sonwal need to hear the life-changing message of Jesus Christ in a way they can understand. They need to see the love and mercy of Christ demonstrated in practical ways. They must see that their folk religion will not forgive their sins or give them eternal life.


Prayer Points

Pray that the few Sonwal Christians might grow spiritually and reach out to their brothers and sisters with the gospel.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to give the Sonwal people a love for God's Word and a desire to spread its influence.
Pray that God will overthrow spiritual forces of darkness opposing the spread of His Gospel among the Kachari Sonwal people.


Scripture Prayers for the Kachari Sonwal in India.


References

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonowal_Kacharis
http://explorationswithanilrajput.com/2016/05/majuli-sonowal-kachari-tribe-culture/
http://thebodotribe.blogspot.com/2016/02/the-sonowal-kachari-tribes.html


Profile Source:   David Kugel  

People Name General Kachari Sonwal
People Name in Country Kachari Sonwal
Natural Name Sonwal Kachari
Alternate Names Bodo Kacari; Boro; Sadial; Sonowal; Sonwal; कचारी
Population this Country 311,000
Population all Countries 312,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 6
PeopleID3 17296
ROP3 Code 112674
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States on file 4
Largest States
Assam
292,000
Arunachal Pradesh
16,000
Meghalaya
2,400
Andhra Pradesh
300
Districts Interactive map, listing and data download
Specialized Website South Asia Peoples
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States 4
  Assam 292,000
  Arunachal Pradesh 16,000
  Meghalaya 2,400
  Andhra Pradesh 300
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
1.18 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
2.65 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
95.84 %
Islam
0.21 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.02 %
Unknown
0.10 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Assamese (240,000 speakers)
Language Code asm   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 42
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Boro (India)
24,000
Dimasa
7,100
Bengali
1,200
Mising
1,100
Kachari
800
English
300
Khasi
200
Hindi
200
Garo
100
Karbi
100
Nepali
70
Bhili: Baori
70
Rabha
50
Sadri
50
Hajong
40
Primary Language Assamese (240,000 speakers)
Language Code asm   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 42
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Boro (India) 24,000
  Dimasa 7,100
  Bengali 1,200
  Mising 1,100
  Kachari 800
  English 300
  Khasi 200
  Hindi 200
  Garo 100
  Karbi 100
  Nepali 70
  Bhili: Baori 70
  Rabha 50
  Sadri 50
  Hajong 40
People Groups Speaking Assamese

Primary Language:  Assamese

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1822-1974)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1819-1993)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1833-2022)
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
Film / Video Following Jesus video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Assamese Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Magdalena 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 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 Four Spiritual Laws Cru
General Gospel website in this language General / Other
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app direct APK download SIL
Mobile App Android Bible app: Assamese YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible App: Assamese Bible (অসমীয়া বাইবেল) Indian Revised Version (IRV) Operation Agape
Mobile App Android Bible Radio app: Assamese Bible Radio Shalom Design S2dio
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Assamese YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Assamese Bible Kalaam Media Ltd
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Christ for the Nations General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Jesus Messiah comic book General / Other
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Assamese Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter Online New Testament (Bibles India) Operation Agape
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Manuj98 - Wikimedia  Creative Commons 
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source David Kugel 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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