Kalash (Chitrali) in Pakistan


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 Kalash people live in the mountains around the borders of China, Pakistan, India, and Afghanistan. These northern tribes are probably the original inhabitants of this area.
The Kalash people take much pride in their history and language and claim to have remained, for the most, independent throughout most of its history. The Kalash are also known as the Black Kafir, Chitrali, Chitralis, Citrali, Khowar, Koh, Qashqari, or the Qasqari. They speak Khowar.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Kalash, as well as the other northern tribes, are known as brave, quiet, peace-loving people. Most live in rugged mountain regions, where farming is very difficult. They are mostly farmers and shepherds. Their primary crop is grain, however in the more irrigated areas they can raise barley, wheat, maize, millet and rice. They can only rely on one annual crop, so they must rely on transhumant herding, which means they must transfer their livestock from one place to another for grazing. During the summer, the livestock is herded to alpine areas.
It is only during the winter that the Kalash live together in compact villages. Many families have houses in four or five different areas at higher altitudes.
The Kalash are divided into three social classes. The upper class is the ruling nobility, the middle class tend to be landowners, and the lower-class work as tenant farmers or hired laborers. Most only marry within their own group. While the societies tend to be patrilineal, where the line of decent is traced through the men, the women are not as secluded as other groups within the country are. The women do much of the farm work.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Kalash people are mostly Sunni Muslims; however, many combine the Islamic practices with their traditional folk religions. These practices involve the worship of spirits and fire, animism, and ancestor worship. Many consult shamans, priests, to cure the sick, communicate with spirits, and manipulate the spirits to control events. There are no known Christians or churches among the Kalash.


What Are Their Needs?

The Kalash are an isolated group due to the rugged terrain and political borders. Portable drinking water, sewage disposal, and drainage facilities are available for a small percentage of the northern tribe's population, which has led to many health problems. Poor nutrition is also a problem in their area.


Prayer Points

Pray for loving workers to go to them and help with their physical needs.
Pray for the Lord to send a powerful gospel witness to the Kalash people in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Pray for them to have the spiritual hunger it takes to embrace Christ no matter what the cost.


Scripture Prayers for the Kalash (Chitrali) in Pakistan.


References

The World Missions Atlas Project


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Kalash (Chitrali)
People Name in Country Kalash (Chitrali)
Alternate Names चित्राली
Population this Country 28,000
Population all Countries 39,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 19437
ROP3 Code 104950
Country Pakistan
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 7  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Country Pakistan
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 7  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States 1
  Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 28,000
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
100.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest Pakistan census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Khowar (25,000 speakers)
Language Code khw   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
Pashto, Northern
2,100
Urdu
500
Primary Language Khowar (25,000 speakers)
Language Code khw   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
  Pashto, Northern 2,100
  Urdu 500
People Groups Speaking Khowar

Primary Language:  Khowar

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (2021)
Bible-New Testament No
Bible-Complete No
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
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Khowar Jesus Film Project
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
Photo Source Tahsin A Shah - Wikimedia  Creative Commons 
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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