Punjabi in Myanmar (Burma)


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The name "Punjabi" is used to describe both those who speak Punjabi and those who inhabit the Punjab region in India and Pakistan. Punjabi is an Indo-European language that is divided into six main dialects. Those in Myanmar speak the Eastern Punjabi dialect.


Modern Punjabi culture was largely shaped by the partitioning of India and Pakistan in 1947. This event resulted in massive migrations that separated the Muslims from the Hindus and Sikhs. In general, the Muslim Punjabis live in Pakistan, while the Hindu or Sikhs are in India. One can also find large Punjabi communities in nearly thirty other countries including Myanmar.


What Are Their Lives Like?

While the living conditions of the Punjabis differ greatly from country to country, they have retained much of their traditional culture and language. Though the language is still Punjabi, there are cultural differences between each of the three religious affiliations.


The Punjabi immigrants in Myanmar have taken on a variety of occupations. Many have excelled as mechanics, construction workers, and business professionals. Others have found work in retail and trade, particularly through small family businesses.


Punjabis say that most of their conflicts stem from "land, women, and water." This means they deem it necessary to control the means by which a person perpetuates his family and property. This kind of thinking affects the Diaspora Punjabis, though they are unlikely to be landowners in other countries.


In traditional Punjabi culture, the men oversee the family possessions such as land, shops, or other business assets. The women manage the homes. They cook, care for the children, manage the household finances, and take care of any domestic animals.


Among the diaspora Punjabis, newly-married couples set up their homes wherever they choose. Parents arrange marriages after extensive discussions.


Among the Punjabis, there is no overall system of social control. Instead, each institution (such as business, home, civil administration, religious organization, or political organization) has its own set of laws and disciplinary measures.


There are a number of Punjabi emigrant communities scattered around the world, including Canada. They are traditionally Hindu, Muslim or Sikh. Most of those in Canada are Sikh and they are well-established in that country.
What Are Their Beliefs?

Most of the Punjabis in Myanmar are Hindus. Hindus tend to be pragmatic about their religious beliefs, worshipping the god or goddess whom they believe will help them with practical matters. There are also many Punjabis in that country who are atheists.


What Are Their Needs?

Although there are many Christian resources available in the Eastern Punjabi language, very few Punjabis in Myanmar have been reached with the gospel. There is a great need for church planting teams to begin focusing on Punjabi Hindus.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Punjabi people in Myanmar to have hearts that are open to the abundant blessings of Jesus Christ.


Pray for their families to prosper financially and spiritually as they experience a relationship with Jesus Christ.


Pray for a movement to Christ among the Punjabi people in Myanmar that will spread joy, peace, and salvation.


Pray for the Punjabi 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 Punjabi family and community leaders to seek his face and enjoy his blessings.


Scripture Prayers for the Punjabi in Myanmar (Burma).


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Punjabi
People Name in Country Punjabi
Pronunciation puhn-JAH-bee
Alternate Names Eastern Punjabi; Gurmukhi; Mirpur Punjabi; Panjabi; Sikh
Population this Country 11,000
Population all Countries 2,161,000
Total Countries 18
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 14483
ROP3 Code 108182
ROP25 Code 306519
ROP25 Name Punjabi
Country Myanmar (Burma)
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 17  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Country Myanmar (Burma)
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 17  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Map of Punjabi in Myanmar (Burma) Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.63 %)
1.20 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
71.80 %
Islam
12.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
15.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Punjabi, Eastern (11,000 speakers)
Language Code pan   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Powadhi
Dialect Code 15478   Global Recordings Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Punjabi, Eastern (11,000 speakers)
Language Code pan   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Powadhi
Dialect Code 15478   Global Recordings Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Punjabi, Eastern

Primary Language:  Punjabi, Eastern

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1818-1954)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1815-2011)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1959-2021)
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 DAVAR Partners recording, complete Bible DAVAR Partners International
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Recorded oral Bible Oral Bibles
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Following Jesus video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Punjabi, Eastern Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
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 Four Spiritual Laws Campus Crusade for Christ
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
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: Punjabi, Eastern YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Download Bible from Google Play Store Operation Agape
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Punjabi, Eastern YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Download scripture in this language eBible.org
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Punjabi, Eastern Literacy & Evangelism International
Photo Source Web Flippy - Pixabay 
Map Source People Group location: IMB. Map geography: ESRI / GMI. Map design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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