Turkmen in Kyrgyzstan


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

Turkmen culture has been strongly influenced in the past by both Turkic conquerors, who imposed their language on them, and Arabs, who forced them to convert to Islam. They were nomadic for hundreds of years, making their living by raising livestock and selling Persian slaves they had captured. A common saying was that a Turkmen's home is where his horse is. They began to settle in the 19th century. At that point they became semi-nomadic, herding their sheep and camels during part of the year and growing crops in their homeland the other part of the year. Turkmen tend to be physically strong and easily able to endure the harshness of the environment. They are characterized by their hospitality, sincerity, and trustworthiness; however, they are also known as being hot-headed and revengeful. The Turkmen have their own nation, Turkmenistan, where most of them live. There is also a large population of Turkmen in Afghanistan and northeastern Iran, where they make up about a third of the population. Their language is very different from that of the non-Turkic Iranians. They also live in just about all Central Asian nations including Kyrgyzstan, and there is even a very small number in India.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Turkmen are especially known for their brisk trade in the bazaars, where people can find many samples of their handicrafts. Some of these include metal and wooden household utensils, tools, and furniture. Many have also supplemented their income by producing intricately designed carpets. Tribal loyalties continue to have a strong influence over the Turkmen. The largest descent group is the tribe, then the clan, then the family. Members of a tribe are bound by a strong sense of family loyalty. Tribal loyalty is reinforced by the fact that the Turkmen will only marry within their tribes. Arranged marriages are common, and families often intermarry to preserve wealth. Although there have been political and economic changes through the years, less changes have occurred in the areas of family life and religion. However, this is very difficult for the Turkmen in India to sustain since they are a small ethnic group that professes Islam in a Hindu land.


Recent settlements and revivals heralded the return of a moderate form of Islam while secularism and atheism remain prominent for many Turkmen intellectuals.
What Are Their Beliefs?

Nestorian Christians entered Turkmenistan in the fourth century AD. ; by the beginning of the fourteenth century, though, any lingering trace of Christianity had been totally replaced by Islam. This transition gradually came to influence the political, civil, and economic lives of the people. Today, despite their outward conformity to Islam, mysticism and other past religious traditions are still prevalent among the Turkmen people. Yet a Turkmen in Kyrgyzstan would identify himself as a Muslim even if he does not practice his religious duties.


What Are Their Needs?

There are almost no Christian believers among the Turkmen people. The vast majority of the Turkmen live without the abundant life offered by Jesus, the one who wants to give them joy and salvation.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Holy Spirit to give the Turkmen people in Kyrgyzstan teachable and understanding hearts. Pray that a strong movement of the Holy Spirit will bring entire Turkmen families into a rich experience of God's blessing. Pray for Turkmen families to be drawn by the Holy Spirit to seek forgiveness, and to understand the adequacy of Christ's work on the cross. Pray for teams of believers to do sustained, focused prayer for the Lord to open the hearts of Turkmen family leaders to experience God's blessing through a movement of discovery Bible studies.


Scripture Prayers for the Turkmen in Kyrgyzstan.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Turkmen
People Name in Country Turkmen
Pronunciation TERK-men
Alternate Names Anauli; Chaghatai; Esari; Goklen; Jagarta; Trukhmeny; Turkoman; Yomud; टर्कमेन
Population this Country 5,200
Population all Countries 8,693,000
Total Countries 12
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 15654
ROP3 Code 110306
ROP25 Code 308379
ROP25 Name Turkmen (Turkmenistan)
Country Kyrgyzstan
Region Asia, Central
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Country Kyrgyzstan
Region Asia, Central
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
Persecution Rank Not ranked

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Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
100.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Turkmen
Language Code tuk   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
Kyrgyz Russian
Primary Language Turkmen
Language Code tuk   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
  Kyrgyz
  Russian
People Groups Speaking Turkmen

Primary Language:  Turkmen

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1880-1994)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1880-2005)
Bible-Complete Yes  (2016-2017)
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 Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Turkmen Jesus Film Project
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 Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Turkmen YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Turkmen YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Bible: Comic Book Version Super Bible / Comic Bible Society
Text / Printed Matter IBT, Russia - resources Institute for Bible Translation - Russia
Photo Source Anonymous 
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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