Tomsk Tatar, Siberian in Russia

Introduction / History

The Siberian Tomsk Tatars live in southwestern Siberia east of the Ural Mountains and north of Kazakhstan. The people of the south Siberia came under the control of the Mongols in the 13th century. As a result, they accepted and took on many aspects of the Mongol culture. The Tatars of the region accepted Islam in 1394.

The Russian Empire gained control over the southwest Siberia in the late 16th century. The Siberian Tomsk Tatars receive their education in Russian language schools. However, they have maintained the use of their own language and belief in Islam to the present day. The Siberian Tatar language was put into Cyrillic script in 1939. They only have Bible portions in their language, Siberian Tatar.

In traditional Tatar culture, the men fished, hunted and raised animals for their livelihood. Women raised crops of barley, potatoes and peas during the short summers. Since the founding of the Soviet Union in the early 20th century, the Siberian Tatars have been "Russified" or incorporated into the dominant Russian culture. The Tatars learned to speak Russian, joined the Red Army, worked in Soviet factories and on Soviet collective farms. Stalin viewed the Tatars with suspicion because they were Muslims. Many Siberian Tartars were forcibly removed from their homeland and sent to live in other parts of the Soviet Union. A number of Siberian Tatars won accolades as military heroes in WWII.

What Are Their Lives Like?

The lives of the Siberian Tomsk Tatars in today's world are usually modern. Living conditions are similar to those of neighboring populations. Siberian Tomsk Tatars usually live near a river, which allows them to catch and eat fish as a significant part of their diet. They enjoy occasional meals from restaurants.

Siberian Tomsk Tatar craftspeople make leather, do woodwork, and make handcrafts. Some Siberian Tomsk Tatars make fishing nets and baskets. They conduct a lot of trade and transportation as well. Other jobs include, but are not limited to, carpenters, jewelers and cobblers.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The vast portion of the Siberian Tomsk Tartars claim to be Sunni Muslim. Some have no religious beliefs. The Sunnis are the largest branch of Islam. They try to obey the teachings of the Koran and the prophet Mohammad. Sunnis believe that by following the Five Pillars of Islam that they will attain heaven when they die. However, Allah, the supreme God of the universe, determines who enters paradise. Sunnis pray five times a day facing Mecca. They fast the month of Ramadan. They attend mosque services on Friday. If a Muslim has the means, he or she will make a pilgrimage to Mecca once in his or her lifetime. Muslims are also prohibited from drinking alcohol, eating pork, gambling, stealing, using deceit, slandering, and making idols. The two main holidays for Sunni Muslims are Eid al Fitr, the breaking of the monthly fast and Eid al Adha, the celebration of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son to Allah. The Tatars often celebrate Christian holidays too.

What Are Their Needs?

The Siberian Tomsk Tatars need to see that trusting in Christ as their Lord and Savior will not make them any less a Tatar. Isa or Jesus is much more than the prophet that he is alleged to be in Islam. Only through Christ can the Siberian Tomsk Tatars be forgiven of their sins and gain eternal life.

Prayer Points

Pray that Christian resources become available in the Siberian Tomsk Tartar language including the Bible and the JESUS Film. Pray that the Holy Spirit creates a hunger for spiritual truth in the hearts of Siberian Tomsk Tatar leaders and heads of households. Ask the Lord to send workers to tell the Siberian Tomsk Tartars the good news of Christ. Pray the Lord raises up a movement to Christ among the Siberian Tomsk Tatars.

Text Source:   Joshua Project