Saora in Bangladesh


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* From latest Bangladesh census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.

Introduction / History

The Saora are a scheduled tribe, meaning that they have a tribal background and they are given low status in the Hindu pecking order. They speak Sora and are mostly Hindus. Most are less than average height.


Where Are they Located?

You can find Saora people in Bangladesh, India, or Nepal. Their population is small in Bangladesh and Nepal.


What Are Their Lives Like?

They are farmers who use slash and burn farming techniques. The Saora people will cultivate land to raise rice, millet and pulses, but after a couple of harvests they need to move on to new productive land, since their agricultural techniques are unsustainable. They usually return to their original plots after the land has recovered. One of their main challenges is that they usually live high in the hills, so their land is not level enough to cultivate properly. There is a problem with soil erosion. The men hunt wild game to enhance their food source. They exchange produce and wild game at an important weekly market called shandies.

The Saora family is patriarchal, meaning that the descent comes through the father's side of the family. Instead of clans like most other South Asian communities, they Saoras have extended families called Berinda, which include descendants from a common ancestor for four or five generations.


Traditional village councils judge matters such as financial and social ones. They use both herbal and modern medicines. Their literacy level tends to be low so the gospel message will need to be given in oral form and not just in written form.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Saora people are officially Hindu, but this religious system allows for much spiritual flexibility. Their spiritual lives are very much influenced by shamans (usually a woman) who act as intermediaries between the worlds of the living and that of the dead. In India, but not Nepal or Bangladesh, missionaries have made inroads into their spiritual lives.


What Are Their Needs?

The Saora people need help in developing farming techniques that will allow them to farm their land without temporarily making it unproductive.


Prayer Points

Pray for families of believers loving and serving others to grow reproducing Saora churches.
Pray for a chain reaction of Saora families reaching families that results in thousands of new believers who share their faith with others.
Pray for grace and truth expanding into the entire Saora society as all believers learn to love others.
Pray that churches and believers will bless their entire people group in such a way that God's love will change the Saora people like yeast changes dough.


Scripture Prayers for the Saora in Bangladesh.


References

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/18023/IN
https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/18023/NP
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sora_people
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piqw9EugmgI


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Saora
People Name in Country Saora
Alternate Names Dhokra; Dokra; Dravidian; Jora Malhar; Jora Savara; Kapusavara; Khokra; Khuttosavara; Madhuwala; Mahuwala; Malar; Malhar; Malhor; Maliya Savara; Mallay; Maral; Modhuwala; Savar; Savara; Savara Kapusavara; Savara Khotto; Savara Maliya; Savasanokoliva; Savasanoliva; Sawar; Sawara; Sawaria; Shabari; Soaramar; साओरा
Population this Country 2,600
Population all Countries 948,000
Total Countries 3
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 18023
ROP3 Code 113518
ROP25 Code 307247
ROP25 Name Saora
Country Bangladesh
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 26  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States on file 2
Largest States
Sylhet
2,400
Rangpur
300
Country Bangladesh
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 26  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States 2
  Sylhet 2,400
  Rangpur 300
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.23 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
99.54 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.23 %
* From latest Bangladesh census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Sora (1,900 speakers)
Language Code srb   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
Sylheti
500
Bengali
200
Primary Language Sora (1,900 speakers)
Language Code srb   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
  Sylheti 500
  Bengali 200
People Groups Speaking Sora

Primary Language:  Sora

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1939-1985)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1965-1996)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1992-2004)
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 Jesus Film: view in Sora Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
Photo Source (Representative photo)
Copyrighted © 2024  Isudas  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Keith Carey 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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