Kuria in Kenya


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Kurias live in southwest Kenya where they have the Maasai, the Luo and the Maragoli as their neighbors. More than half of the Kuria people live across the border in Tanzania. Their language is one of the Bantu languages that they call Igikuria. Historically, the Kuria people were pastoralists, keeping very large herds of cattle and growing subsistence crops like cassava, millet, finger millet and sweet potatoes.

Like most African tribes, the Kuria people have historically lived in homesteads made of circular grass thatched huts. The homesteads vary in size, the bigger ones belonging to the polygamists. Having many wives and a large homestead are signs of prestige. Today, the general lifestyle of the Kuria people is changing. They are now involved in cash crop farming, concentrating on tobacco. They keep fewer and fewer animals, as many farmers are selling them to educate their children. With increased population, land is becoming too limited to keep many animals. Cattle rustling in the 1970s contributed to the decreased role of animal herding.

In the past, education was not well received among the Kurias despite the great educational efforts of early mission groups including the Catholic mission of Isibania, the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) mission of Nyabikaye, the PEFA mission of Taranganya and the Maranatha mission of Komotobo. This accounts for the low literacy rate among the Kurias and the large number who are animists. Fifty percent (50%) claim to be Christians, but few are evangelical. Fortunately this trend is changing dramatically as more Kurias receive formal education. Hopefully education will speed the development of the Kuria people and the use of their language. There is a great need for the New Testament to be distributed and put to use by the Kuria people.


Prayer Points

Scripture Prayers for the Kuria in Kenya.


Profile Source:   Anonymous  

People Name General Kuria
People Name in Country Kuria
Alternate Names Tende
Population this Country 336,000
Population all Countries 1,181,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 5
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 4  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
PeopleID3 12876
ROP3 Code 105455
Country Kenya
Region Africa, East and Southern
Continent Africa
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Migori and southwest Narok counties.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Kenya
Region Africa, East and Southern
Continent Africa
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Migori and southwest Narok counties..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016

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Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Christianity
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 36.00 %)
52.00 %
Ethnic Religions
48.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Kuria (336,000 speakers)
Language Code kuj   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Kuria (336,000 speakers)
Language Code kuj   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Kuria

Primary Language:  Kuria

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1969-1975)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1995-1996)
Bible-Complete Yes  (2022)
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
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Kuria Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Kuria YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Kuria YouVersion Bibles
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Kuria Literacy & Evangelism International
Photo Source Angela Sevin - Flickr  Creative Commons 
Profile Source Anonymous 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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