Punjabi in Fiji


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The British Raj had a big problem to solve in the 1870s. The Fijian Islands were willing to become part of their empire, but they had to have a stable economy. Governor Sir Arthur Hamilton Gordon came up with a way to make money and finance this new colony. Finances would come from sugar plantations. The governor knew that the Fijians would be incensed if they were suddenly forced to work the plantations, after agreeing to become part of the British Empire. e decided to bring laborers in from their South Asian colony, India.
South Asian sugar workers started coming to work at the sugar plantations in the 1870s. Sikhs from India's Punjab were relative latecomers. They came to Fiji from 1900-1930. According to one Sikh web site, "The Punjabis have established themselves irreversibly, firmly and successfully in Fiji." It would be unusual to see a Sikh working in the sugar fields today. Some have been elected to Fiji's Parliament, and many now own businesses.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Diaspora Punjabi reflect the three major religions of their homeland: Hinduism, Islam, and Sikhism. Most of the Diaspora Punjabi speakers are Sikhs who are mostly atheists.
Sikhism is a monotheistic religion that was founded in northern India during the sixteenth century. Its teachings have combined the elements of both Hinduism and Islam in an attempt to find one god who transcends all religious distinctions.
The founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak, was a man of strong convictions and high morals. Sikhs have been taught to defend the defenseless, thus the sword that they are required to have on their person. Their faith began in part as a rebellion against the inequality of the Hindu caste system. Thus, Sikhs believe in the equality of all humanity. They hope for one God who transcends all religions.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Those who have heard the words of Jesus have been drawn to him. Since the 1970s, many Sikhs have put their faith in Christ, especially in Canada, and in their homeland, India's fertile Punjab State. But there are few Sikhs who follow Christ in Fiji, largely because there are few missionaries who have gone to them.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord of the Harvest to thrust out workers specifically to the Sikhs in Fiji.
Pray for these Sikhs to hear and respond to the Word of God, and turn to Jesus, the God who transcends all "religion."


Scripture Prayers for the Punjabi in Fiji.


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 9,300
Population all Countries 2,161,000
Total Countries 18
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 2
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
People ID 14483
ROP3 Code 108182
ROP25 Code 306519
ROP25 Name Punjabi
Country Fiji
Region Australia and Pacific
Continent Oceania
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Country Fiji
Region Australia and Pacific
Continent Oceania
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked

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Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.50 %)
6.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
50.00 %
Islam
14.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
30.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Punjabi, Eastern
Language Code pan   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Punjabi
Dialect Code 761   Global Recordings Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Punjabi, Eastern
Language Code pan   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Punjabi
Dialect Code 761   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 
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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