The Tipera are primarily concentrated in the Tripura Plains, which are located in the state of Tripura, northeastern India. As their name suggests, they are indigenous to this area. They are the largest tribe in the state, and their land once extended over much of Bengal, Assam, and northern Burma. The ruling family over this vast region belonged to the Tipera tribe.
The Tipera's native language, Kok Borok, is a Baric language belonging to the Tibeto-Burman language family. The phrase kok borok literally means "language people." Kok Borok is the mother tongue of a majority of the tribes in Tripura, and it is the language used in primary schools. There are three main dialects of Kok Borok: Debbarma, Riang, and Halam.
The Bodo, who are ancestors of the Tipera, were once the most important Indo-Mongoloid people in all of eastern India. Even now, their Tiperan descendants have special legal privileges.
In Tripura, many of the state services are reserved for "scheduled tribe" candidates. Today, due to the official state policy of favoring indigenous tribes in matters of social justice and economic affairs, the Tipera have preference in public services, education, land grants, and resettlement projects.
The Tipera are primarily farmers. Traditionally, they lived as semi-nomads and used the slash and burn method of farming. However, in 1976, the government moved the Tipera to the plains and introduced them to settled cultivation. They are still trying to adjust to this new lifestyle. Those living in the plains grow jute, rice, wheat, and sugar cane. Their biggest fear is the seasonal cyclones that flood the area and cause much damage to the crops and villages.
Not all of the Tipera are farmers or farm laborers; some work in the state's industries. They include weaving cloth, milling rice and flour, canning fruit, and producing bamboo and leather items.
The Tipera are known as poor, careless, and not at all industrious. Without a medical college in Tripura State, their state of health is understandably poor. In addition, they have no access to pure drinking water.
There are very few towns in the plains region. The Tipera generally live in small village settlements that are located near the river valleys. Their tiny, one-room houses are made of temporary materials-usually mud or bamboo. A few houses have tin walls, and there is occasionally a home made of wood with a tile roof. Each village is divided into clans and castes, and is run by a headman.
The Tipera only marry within their own tribe. Polygamy is permitted, but rare. Young people are free to choose their own marriage partners, although they must first receive permission from their parents. Promiscuity before marriage is freely tolerated among the Tipera, but accidental pregnancies lead to immediate marriage. Married couples usually do not have their own homes until they have had several children.
Tipera women are especially fond of wearing jewelry, which can be bought from Bengali craftsmen.
The Tipera practice ethnic religions, which include worshiping the gods of fire, water, and the forest. The Tipera believe that they must appease these spirits in order to have bountiful harvests. They believe that they are surrounded by spirits that affect their welfare and health. They also believe that after death each man goes to the "underworld" and begins re-living his previous life.
The Tipera living in the plains have a greater exposure to technology than those in the more remote regions. However, they also have more exposure to other religions; they are surrounded by Hindus, Buddhists, and Lamaists. Christian laborers are needed to go into the plains and share the love of Christ with this tribe.
Ask the Lord to call people who are willing to go to India and share Christ with the Tipera.
Pray that Tipera believers will have opportunities to share Christ with their own people.
Ask the Holy Spirit to soften the hearts of the Tipera towards Christians so that they will be receptive to the Gospel.
Pray that God will open the hearts of India's governmental leaders to the Gospel.
Pray that God will raise up teams of intercessors who will stand in the gap for these precious people.
Scripture Prayers for the Tipera in India.
Profile Source: Bethany World Prayer Center |
People Name General | Tipera |
People Name in Country | Tipera |
Alternate Names | Deb-Barma; Halam; Kachari; Kok Borok; Kokbor; Tippera-Bengali; Tipperah; Tipra; Tiprasa; Tripura; Tripuri; Twiprasa; तिपेरा |
Population this Country | 821,000 |
Population all Countries | 970,000 |
Total Countries | 2 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 2 ● |
Unreached | No |
Frontier People Group | No |
GSEC | 3 (per PeopleGroups.org) |
Pioneer Workers Needed | |
People ID | 15498 |
ROP3 Code | 110073 |
Country | India | |||||||||||||||
Region | Asia, South | |||||||||||||||
Continent | Asia | |||||||||||||||
10/40 Window | Yes | |||||||||||||||
National Bible Society | Website | |||||||||||||||
Persecution Rank | 11 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) | |||||||||||||||
Total States on file | 31 | |||||||||||||||
Largest States (only 15 largest shown) |
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Districts | Interactive map, listing and data download | |||||||||||||||
Specialized Website | South Asia Peoples |
Country | India |
Region | Asia, South |
Continent | Asia |
10/40 Window | Yes |
National Bible Society | Website |
Persecution Rank | 11 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) |
Total States | 31 (only 20 largest shown) |
Tripura 708,000 | |
Assam 50,000 | |
Mizoram 44,000 | |
Meghalaya 3,200 | |
Nagaland 400 | |
Manipur 300 | |
Gujarat 300 | |
Jammu and Kashmir 200 | |
Rajasthan 200 | |
West Bengal 100 | |
Maharashtra 100 | |
Karnataka 100 | |
Punjab 100 | |
Arunachal Pradesh 90 | |
Uttar Pradesh 70 | |
Website | South Asia Peoples |
Primary Religion: | Hinduism |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent * |
---|---|
Buddhism |
0.25 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical Unknown) |
8.52 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
0.00 %
|
Hinduism |
90.81 %
|
Islam |
0.18 %
|
Non-Religious |
0.00 %
|
Other / Small |
0.03 %
|
Unknown |
0.21 %
|
* From latest India census data. Current Christian values may substantially differ. |
Primary Language | Kok Borok (636,000 speakers) | |||||||||||||||
Language Code | trp Ethnologue Listing | |||||||||||||||
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing | |||||||||||||||
Total Languages | 14 | |||||||||||||||
Secondary Languages |
|
Primary Language | Kok Borok (636,000 speakers) |
Language Code | trp Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 14 |
Secondary Languages | |
Bengali 40,000 | |
Assamese 2,200 | |
Chin, Falam 700 | |
Hindi 400 | |
Meitei 400 | |
Magahi 300 | |
English 200 | |
Munda 100 | |
Odia 100 | |
Kurux 90 | |
Tamil 70 | |
Santhali 60 | |
Nepali 30 | |
People Groups | Speaking Kok Borok |
Primary Language: Kok Borok
Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
---|---|
Bible-Portions | Yes (1959-1983) |
Bible-New Testament | Yes (1976) |
Bible-Complete | Yes (1998-2015) |
Bible-NT Audio | 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 | Story of Jesus audio | Jesus Film Project |
Film / Video | God's Story video | God's Story |
Film / Video | Jesus Film: view in Kok Borok | 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 | World Christian Videos | World Christian Videos |
General | Bible for Children | Bible for Children |
General | Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text, audio, video | Faith Comes by Hearing |
General | Gospel resources links | Scripture Earth |
General | Gospel website in this language | General / Other |
General | YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio | YouVersion Bibles |
Mobile App | Android Bible app: Kok Borok | YouVersion Bibles |
Mobile App | iOS Bible app: Kok Borok | YouVersion Bibles |
Text / Printed Matter | Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies | World Missionary Press |
Photo Source | Tirengma - Wikimedia Creative Commons |
Map Source | People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project. |
Profile Source | Bethany World Prayer Center |
Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more. |