Kattunayakan 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.

Introduction / History

The Kattunayakan are a tribal people who live in south India. Their name means "chiefs of the forest. They are believed to be among of the earliest inhabitants of south India. Their main livelihood is collecting and selling of honey. They also fish, hunt and collect forest products to eat and sell. The Kattunayakan are a scheduled caste meaning they are eligible for special consideration for public jobs and college admission.

The Kattunayakan are one of the few tribal peoples of India who still live as hunter-gatherers. The literacy rate is very low for both men and women. They practice traditional medicine and live without modern conveniences like electricity and indoor plumbing.


Where Are they Located?

The Kattunayakan live mainly in south Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. They live in deep forests and try to stay away from modern Indian society.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Kattunayakan live much like their ancestors have for hundreds of years. The Kattunayakan like to live in separate family dwellings of about ten people. A council of elders makes decisions for the family groups. Honey plays a special role in their lives. They eat it, use it for medicine and trade it for things they need. The Kattunayakan can climb 20-30 meter trees in search of honey. One hive can yield over 25 pounds of honey. They get so many bee stings that their bodies develop immunity. Their main competition is bears, which they sometimes have to fight off to get the honey.

The Kattunayakan are known for their dancing and singing. They pass on their history and customs through song and dance. The Kattunayakan are monogamous with girls marrying when they reach puberty. The main languages that the Kattunayakan speak are Tamil and Telugu.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Kattunayakan practice folk religion with some elements of Hinduism. Their main god is a form of Shiva, the destroyer. They are animists who believe that spirits inhabit rocks, trees, rivers, snakes and other animals. The Kattunayakan believe in magic which many of their women practice. They perform rituals to protect themselves from evil spirits. They honor and venerate their ancestors. A small number of Kattunayakan have become Christians.


What Are Their Needs?

The Kattunayakan need a stable source of income. When honey and forest products are available, they survive. When these items are not available, the Kattunayakan can starve. Most all of, the Kattunayakan need to hear the life-changing message of Jesus Christ in a way they can understand.


Prayer Points

Pray the Lord leads some workers to live with the Kattunayakan to help them with learning how to read the Bible.
Pray the tiny number of believers may be trained to share the gospel with their brothers and sisters.
Pray that a strong movement to Jesus will bring whole Kattunayakan families and communities into a rich experience of God's blessing.


Scripture Prayers for the Kattunayakan in India.


References

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kattunayakan
keralatourism.org/wayanad/kattunayakans-tribal-sect.php
indpaedia.com/ind/index.php/Kattunayakan


Profile Source:   David Kugel  

People Name General Kattunayakan
People Name in Country Kattunayakan
Alternate Names Jenu Koyyo Sholanayakas; Jenu Kuruman; Jenu-Kuruba; Kadu Kurumb; Kathnnayakkan; Kathunayakkan; Kattu Naickan; Kattu Naicken; Kattunaickan; Kattunaikan; Naickan; Ten Kuruba; Ten Kuruman; Ten Kurumban; कट्तुनयकन
Population this Country 75,000
Population all Countries 75,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 2
PeopleID3 17305
ROP3 Code 112684
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 7
Largest States
Tamil Nadu
53,000
Kerala
21,000
Puducherry
1,400
Karnataka
200
Telangana
200
Andhra Pradesh
70
Odisha
20
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 7
  Tamil Nadu 53,000
  Kerala 21,000
  Puducherry 1,400
  Karnataka 200
  Telangana 200
  Andhra Pradesh 70
  Odisha 20
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.49 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
99.14 %
Islam
0.09 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.01 %
Unknown
0.26 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Tamil (26,000 speakers)
Language Code tam   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 14
Secondary Languages
Telugu
18,000
Malayalam
14,000
Kannada
6,600
Bhili
400
Odia
70
Marathi
60
Hindi
40
Gujarati
20
Tulu
10
English Koya Kacchi
Tinani
Primary Language Tamil (26,000 speakers)
Language Code tam   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 14
Secondary Languages
  Telugu 18,000
  Malayalam 14,000
  Kannada 6,600
  Bhili 400
  Odia 70
  Marathi 60
  Hindi 40
  Gujarati 20
  Tulu 10
  English 10
  Koya 10
  Kacchi 0
  Tinani 0
People Groups Speaking Tamil

Primary Language:  Tamil

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1714-1956)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1715-1998)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1727-2024)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
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Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
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Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings General Ministry Resources General / Other
Audio Recordings Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Recorded oral Bible Oral 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 Tamil 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
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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 Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Comprehensive list of Tamil Resources General / Other
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
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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
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General Gospel website in this language General / Other
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
General Zume Resources Zume Project
General Zume Training Zume Project
Mobile App Android Bible app: Pastors Study Bible Tamil Grace Ministries and Dusty Sandals
Mobile App Android Bible app: Tamil YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible App: Tamil Bible (தமிழ் பைபிள்) Indian Revised Version (IRV) Operation Agape
Mobile App Android Bible app: Tamil Study Bible Grace Ministries and Dusty Sandals
Mobile App Android Bible Radio app: Tamil Bible Radio Shalom Design S2dio
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: Tamil YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible Radio App: Tamil Bible Radio iOS Revive India
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Tamil Literacy & Evangelism International
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 David Kugel 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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