Karakalpak in Russia


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Karakalpaks ("Kara" meaning black, and "Kalpak" meaning hat) live primarily in northwestern Uzbekistan. The Karakalpaks emerged as a confederation of tribes at some time in the 15th or 16th centuries. They are genetically highly heterogeneous. During the 1500s, they became virtually independent, although they were not united. Unfortunately, their independence was short lived. Over the next 200 years, they became subjects of the Dzungarians, the Bukharans and the Kazakhs. The Dzungarians forced them to flee in two directions. One group, the upper Karakalpaks, went up the Syr Darya River to the Ferghana Basin. The second, the lower Karakalpaks, moved closer to the Aral Sea. Before the Russian Revolution of 1917, the Karakalpaks were a loose alliance of semi-nomadic tribes. However, in the 1920s, the Karakalpak republic was established in Uzbekistan, a region that is extremely dry and rarely receives more than 4. 5 inches of rain a year. The Karakalpak tribes are divided into clans called uru. The uru are further sub-divided into family groups called koshes. The members of a koshe are the descendants of a common male ancestor. They share land and are extremely loyal to each other. The Karakalpak language is divided into two dialects: northeastern, which is very similar to Kazakh, and southwestern, which is more like Uzbek. Their language had no written script until 1930. Though most Karakalpak people live in Uzbekistan, there are smaller populations in Russia, Turkey, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Karakalpak people in urban Russia are often lumped in with other low paid Central Asian workers. They are often rejected and called "blacks" by the Russian majority. Karakalpak societies are patrilineal, which means that the line of descent is traced through the males. Large families are the ideal, and the nuclear family is composed of as many as four generations in the same household. The Karakalpaks believe that families who share meals together will stay close. Rites of passage are important to the Karakalpak people. When a baby is born, a Karakalpak mother will invite all family members to come meet the baby. They embrace marriages as the way to merge two families and keep their family lines alive. They celebrate weddings for days with music, dancing, speeches, and feasts. When someone dies, there are rituals that the bereaved family must do while mourners come to extend their sympathy. A Muslim mullah will lead the procession to the graveyard where he utters the final prayers. The family is responsible for burying the deceased.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Karakalpaks are Sunni Muslims of the conservative Hanafite branch. "Sunni," is derived from the Islamic term, sunnah, which means "well-trodden path. " Sunnis believe that the correct path is that of the majority. Sunnis expect conformity to the majority belief in religious and political matters. The Karakalpak people are noted for their participation in the Sufi sect of Islam. Some Sufi Muslims are known for practicing self-hypnosis which is induced by frenzied dancing and chanting.


What Are Their Needs?

Very few Karakalpaks have ever heard the gospel; among those who have heard, very few have responded. There are only a few reported church members among the Karakalpak people in any country where they reside.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to thrust out workers who will be compelled to nurture a movement to Christ among the Karakalpak people. Pray for a Jesus movement among the Karakalpaks in Russia that will spread joy, peace, reconciliation, and salvation to other peoples in Central Asia. Pray for the Karakalpak culture to be renewed and enhanced by a work of the Holy Spirit and shaped into a God-centered and God-honoring mold. Pray for the Holy Spirit to move among Karakalpak family and community leaders to seek his face and enjoy his blessings. Pray that soon the Karakalpak people will have faith that will lead them to live honorable lives that will draw others to the Savior.


Scripture Prayers for the Karakalpak in Russia.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Karakalpak
People Name in Country Karakalpak
Pronunciation kar-ah-KAHL-pahk
Alternate Names Black Hat; Kara-Kalpak; Karapapakh; Qaraqalpaqs; Qoraqalpogs; करकलपक
Population this Country 800
Population all Countries 924,000
Total Countries 8
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 12526
ROP3 Code 104638
ROP25 Code 303710
ROP25 Name Karakalpak
Country Russia
Region Europe, Eastern and Eurasia
Continent Asia
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Country Russia
Region Europe, Eastern and Eurasia
Continent Asia
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
78.00 %
Non-Religious
22.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Karakalpak (800 speakers)
Language Code kaa   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Karakalpak (800 speakers)
Language Code kaa   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Karakalpak
Photo Source David and Sue Richardson 
Map Source Bethany World Prayer Center  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



Joshua Project logo    Joshua Project    Copyright © 2024