Shughni in Tajikistan


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

In the deep, high mountain valleys of the western Pamir Mountains live the Shughni. They are part of a larger group in the area who refer to themselves as "Pamirian Tajik" in order to distinguish themselves from the neighboring Tajik. In particular, they differ from the Tajik in language and religious background. The most numerous of the Pamirian peoples, the Shughni are located in the western part of the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region. In their villages, they speak an East Iranian language that is very different from the language of the Tajik. In order to communicate with the world around them, they use the Tajik and Russian languages.

Relatively little is known about the history of the Shughni. Their roots apparently stem from the Saka ethnic group who first inhabited the Pamirian region in the first millennium B.C. Little else is known about them until their conversion to Ismaili Islam in the eleventh century.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Most Shughni settlements consist of several extended families that share a common male ancestry. The villages are generally situated along river deltas or river terraces. The small village, or kishlak, is designed much like a town square. All the buildings face an inner courtyard, and the external walls are connected to close off the square to the outside. The houses within the village have stone walls and wooden roofs. The roofs are supported by wooden columns, with the main column, or shastan, being decorated with carvings. Traditionally, upon entering a Shughni house, a person is expected to greet the shastan, if no one is home. Otherwise, the master of the house will be offended because reverence was not shown to the spirits of his ancestors. Recently, more Shughni are beginning to build separate and elegantly decorated houses. Since Ismaili Islam has no mosques, the public center of the village is a common house called the "house of five." This building serves as a place for communal feasting and marriages or as a type of men's club.

Shughni life is based on agriculture, with grains and legumes being the main crops. When the terrain allows, the Shughni plow, plant, and harvest with mechanical equipment. However, remote areas still require the traditional ox and plow methods.

Cattle, sheep, and goats are also vital to Shughni economy. Dried fruit is a popular supplement to a diet that consists mainly of grain and milk products and, occasionally, meat. The Shughni are known for their hand-crafted textiles, such as rugs and woolen cloth. They are also distinguished by the high quality of their wooden vessels and pottery.

Traditionally, the Shughni marry their first or second cousins of either the father's or mother's lineage. Maternal uncles are often involved in the arrangement of marriages. Until recently, the age of marriage was quite young for girls, generally at 15. Now the acceptable age has been raised to either 18 or when the girl finishes her education. Today, both young men and women have opportunities for higher education.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The ethnic identity of the Shughni is based upon religion. Since the eleventh century, they have belonged to the Ismaili sect of Islam. This religious group follows the Aga Khan and is also known as the "Seveners." They believe that important cosmic and historical events occur in series of seven. Their doctrine is very secretive and private, understood by the select few. Ismailis have no mosques or official clerics, but private houses of prayer and itinerant clergy are numerous. Overall, Ismailis actively labor to gain followers and even send out missionaries to other Islamic groups. The Shughni isolate themselves from all Tajik and Pamirian who have adopted Sunni Islam.


What Are Their Needs?

The Shughni seem to be completely isolated from any Christian witness. Prayer is urgently needed to develop an effective strategy for taking the Gospel to these secluded people.


Prayer Points

Ask the Lord of the harvest to send missionaries who will know how to witness to the Shughni in culturally relevant ways.
Pray that Jesus will reveal Himself to the Shughni as the Lord of lords.
Ask the Holy Spirit to soften the hearts of the Shughni so they will be receptive to the Gospel.
Ask God to raise up prayer teams who will begin breaking up the spiritual soil through worship and intercession.
Pray that strong local churches will be raised up among the Shughni.


Scripture Prayers for the Shughni, Shugnan-Rushan in Tajikistan.


Profile Source:   Bethany World Prayer Center  

People Name General Shughni
People Name in Country Shughni, Shugnan-Rushan
Natural Name Shughni
Alternate Names Bartang; Khufi; Khugnone; Kushani; Oroshor; Pamiri; Shugnan-Rushan
Population this Country 92,000
Population all Countries 141,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 2
People ID 14921
ROP3 Code 108967
ROP25 Code 307483
ROP25 Name Shughni
Country Tajikistan
Region Asia, Central
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
Persecution Rank 46  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Kuhistoni Badakhshon region, Pamir mountains.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Tajikistan
Region Asia, Central
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
Persecution Rank 46  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Kuhistoni Badakhshon region, Pamir mountains..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
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 Shughni
Language Code sgh   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
Tajik
Primary Language Shughni
Language Code sgh   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
  Tajik
People Groups Speaking Shughni

Primary Language:  Shughni

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (2001-2015)
Bible-New Testament No
Bible-Complete No
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
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Shughni Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
Text / Printed Matter IBT, Russia - resources Institute for Bible Translation - Russia
Photo Source Anonymous 
Map Source Bethany World Prayer Center  
Profile Source Bethany World Prayer Center 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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