Orok in Russia


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Orok or Ulta people are small indigenous group who are located on Sakhalin Island and the city of Khabarovsk, northeastern Siberia. The Oroks belong to the Baikal or Paleo-Siberian group. The Russian Empire took over the Orok lands in 1858. Many of their customs were lost during the Soviet era, when the government forced them away from their nomadic way of life. Their traditional lifestyle was herding reindeer. The Soviet government moved them to new villages on the coast in order to take up other jobs.

Since the fall of communism in 1991, some Oroks had been allowed to return to their homeland on Sakhalin Island, but only a few have chosen to do so. The Orok language has not been written down. Orok is a dying language with Orok young people preferring to speak Russian.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The traditional occupation of the Orok was herding reindeer. The reindeer provided the Orok with food, clothing and transportation. The Soviet government had a policy of changing nomadic peoples into people who lived in one place. The Orok had to leave Sakhalin Island and move to the Siberian mainland. The Orok took up jobs in fishing, mining, logging, and trapping animals. Reindeer have given way to snow mobiles.

The Orok are slowly becoming part of the general Russian Siberian population. Their language is disappearing and may be lost in the next decade or two. Young people are moving to cities and towns in search of a better life. Young people often marry outside of Orok people and consequently lose their language and culture.

A rite of passage for Orok boys was a Sturgeon Hunt. The boys went out for a week with little food. Once a sturgeon fish was caught the boys would take a tooth from the fish and mark their heads and arms with it. This traditional event is no longer occurring among the Orok.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Most Orok practice folk religion and ancestor veneration. During the Soviet era, all types are religion were persecuted. Many Orok became secular. A few today still believe in natural spirits that can influence the lives of the people. A small fraction of the Orok claim to be Russian Orthodox Christians.


What Are Their Needs?

The Orok need help in preserving their language and culture. Some rural Orok lack access to modern medicine. As a result, they have a lower live expectancy lives than the Russian population. Most of all, the Orok need to hear the good news about Jesus Christ. He alone can forgive their sins and grant them eternal life.


Prayer Points

Ask God to lead a mission agency to begin translating the Bible into Orok.

Pray that God would open doors for missionaries to work amongst the Orok.

Ask God to open the hearts of this people group to Christ's message of salvation.

Ask God to preserve the Orok culture and language.

Pray that Russian Christians would share the good news of Jesus with the Orok people in an effective and powerful way.

Pray that the Orok people will put their identity in Christ, giving them a new hope and joy.


Scripture Prayers for the Orok in Russia.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Orok
People Name in Country Orok
Alternate Names Orak
Population this Country 300
Population all Countries 1,100
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 14219
ROP3 Code 107686
ROP25 Code 306360
ROP25 Name Orok
Country Russia
Region Europe, Eastern and Eurasia
Continent Asia
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Sakhalinskaya Oblast’: Poronajsk district, Poronajsk town, Gastello and Vakhrushev settlements; Nogliki district, Val village, Nogliki settlement.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Russia
Region Europe, Eastern and Eurasia
Continent Asia
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Sakhalinskaya Oblast’: Poronajsk district, Poronajsk town, Gastello and Vakhrushev settlements; Nogliki district, Val village, Nogliki settlement..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.40 %)
3.00 %
Ethnic Religions
97.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Russian
Language Code rus   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
Orok
Primary Language Russian
Language Code rus   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
  Orok
People Groups Speaking Russian

Primary Language:  Russian

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1815-1993)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1821-1991)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1875-2023)
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 Story of Jesus audio 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 Russian Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
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
Film / Video The Hope Video Mars Hill Media
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
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 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 Four Spiritual Laws Campus Crusade for Christ
Photo Source Anonymous 
Map Source Joshua Project / Global Mapping International  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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