Tibetan in Canada


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

Written records of Tibetan history have survived from the seventh century AD, but it is known that nomadic tribes roamed Tibet as early as the second century BC. The cradle of Tibetan civilization is the Yarlung Valley area, about 80 kilometers (49 mi.) southeast of Lhasa. There, according to tradition, the union of a monkey and a she-devil created the Tibetan race. Around AD 600 the warrior-king of Yarlung, Namri Gampo, unified the clans of Tibet. He acquired a princess from Nepal and another one from China to be his wives. Under the persuasion of these two women, he combined the ancient Tibetan religion of Bon with Buddhist teachings.

For centuries the Chinese have claimed Tibet as an "unalienable part of China," despite Tibetans being culturally, historically, linguistically, and religiously distinct from Chinese. In the 1950s the Chinese took full control of Tibet, and many Tibetans have been fleeing ever since.

Canada had it's first contact with Tibet in 1898. A Canadian Protestant missionary couple went to Tibet, and they died along the way after their excursion was attacked and robbed leaving them with nearly nothing. This tragic incident gave Canadians an interest in Tibet that didn't germinate until the early 1970s when they began to allow their first Tibetan refugees to arrive in Canada. This started a new trend in Canada: Allowing non-Europeans to migrate to their country. More Tibetans from India arrived in Canada during the 2010s, though the total numbers are still small.


Where Are they Located?

Most Tibetans live in Tibet, which is now a province in southwestern China, but a sizable number fled to northern India with the Dalai Lama decades ago. Some of these are leaving India to start new lives in Canada. The Tibetans in Canada live primarily in Toronto, though there are others in Calgary and Vancouver.


What Are Their Lives Like?

With job training, most Tibetans in Canada have managed to find adequate work within five years. In the prairie provinces, they work as farm laborers. In the cities, they work in the service or crafts industries. Some are caregivers for the elderly.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Tibetan Buddhist religion is the life-blood of the Tibetan people. It was placed over the powerful Tibetan religion of Bon, which is a mixture of magic, divination, demon worship, and shamanism. The patron saint of Tibet is Chenrezig, whose image has up to 11 heads and from 2 to 1,000 arms.


What Are Their Needs?

As Tibetans become established in Canada, they have managed to start their own cultural communities. For example, in 1981, they began the Tibetan Cultural Society of British Colombia, which is helping them to preserve and promote Tibetan culture and religion. Later in the 1980s they and their Canadian friends established an NGO called the Canada-Tibet Committee which is intended to raise awareness of the plight of the Tibetan people. Tibetan-Canadians now have their own youth groups.

Their main need remains: To find their way to the God who created them and wants to love them for eternity.


Prayer Points

Ask the Lord to call people who are willing to go to Canada and share Christ with Tibetans.
Ask the Holy Spirit to soften Tibetan hearts towards Christians so that they will be receptive to the gospel.
Pray that God will raise up loving Canadian Christians to reach out to their Tibetan neighbors.
Ask the Lord to raise up a strong disciple making movement among Tibetans in North America.


Scripture Prayers for the Tibetan in Canada.


References

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/15468/CH
https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/15468/CA
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/unique-project-helps-stateless-tibetans-find-homes-in-canada-1.1654828
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetan_Canadians
https://www.pier21.ca/blog/jan-raska/tibetan-immigration-to-canada
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/tibetans/
https://www.thestar.com/news/immigration/2016/01/10/canada-like-heaven-for-tibetan-refugee.html
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Tibetan+refugees+arrive+Canada+from+India+part+federal+deal/9289805/story.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetan_diaspora
http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/tibetan-diaspora-adapting-life-outside-tibet-part-ii
http://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/global-nomads-emergence-tibetan-diaspora-part-i
http://www.fmreview.org/technology/tobin.html
http://tibet.ca/
https://www.tcccgc.org/


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Tibetan
People Name in Country Tibetan
Pronunciation ti-BEH-ten
Alternate Names Bhokha; Bhote; Dalai; Dbus; Dbustsang; Lhasa; Lhasa Tibetan; Llasa; Phoke; Pohbetian; Tebilian; Tibate; Tseku; U; Wei; Weizang; Zang; टिबेटन
Population this Country 9,800
Population all Countries 1,134,000
Total Countries 14
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 15468
ROP3 Code 110033
ROP25 Code 308145
ROP25 Name Tibetan
Country Canada
Region America, North and Caribbean
Continent North America
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Toronto (West Parkdale)   Source:  Global Gates 2021
Country Canada
Region America, North and Caribbean
Continent North America
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Toronto (West Parkdale).   Source:  Global Gates 2021
Map of Tibetan in Canada
Primary Religion: Buddhism
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
100.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Tibetan, Central (9,800 speakers)
Language Code bod   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Tibetan, Central (9,800 speakers)
Language Code bod   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Tibetan, Central

Primary Language:  Tibetan, Central

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1862-1991)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1885-1973)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1948-2023)
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 Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Tibetan, Central Jesus Film Project
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
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 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 Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Tibetan, Central YouVersion Bibles
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 Download audio Bible app from Google Play Store Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Tibetan, Central YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Campus Crusade for Christ
Photo Source szyj351 - Pixabay 
Map Source People Group location: Joshua Project. Map geography: ESRI / GMI. Map design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Keith Carey 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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