The Sabaot people live on or near the slopes of Mount Elgon. The hills of their homeland gradually rise from an elevation of 5,000 to 14,000 feet. The area is crisscrossed by numerous mountain streams and spectacular waterfalls. Mount Elgon is an extinct volcano about fifty (50) miles in diameter. The Kenya-Uganda border goes straight through the mountain-top, cutting the Sabaot homeland into two halves.
In recent years, the Sabaot people have been forced to drastically change their lifestyle from cattle herding to planting maize (corn) and vegetables because of the scarcity of land. Economically this change was good for the people, because the frequent hunger spells have all but stopped. Socially it has been a hard and traumatic change as the former leaders in the society lost their power, old values were eroded, and drinking homemade beer grew to a destructive level. The Sabaot people are proud of their cultural heritage. The elders sing with sadness in their voices, using their six-stringed lyre, about the lost glory of their free life as warriors and cattle people. They remember their best cows by name. The Sabaot do not adapt to change quickly, but most of the children now go to school. That is why the majority of adults have never learned to read. The young, educated people have become the new elite.
Traditionally the Sabaot have always believed in a Creator God. He was good and provided sunshine, rain and life, but he was far away. It was the belief in the ancestral spirits that controlled the daily life of the people and brought them fortune or, more often, misfortune. If sickness struck, sacrifices had to be made to appease the angry ancestor who sent the sickness to avenge some wrongdoing against him.
When the first missionaries settled among the Sabaot in as late as 1981, they were asked, "Why have the missionaries forgotten us?".
Scripture Prayers for the Kalenjin, Sabaot in Kenya.
Profile Source: Anonymous |
People Name General | Kalenjin, Sabaot |
People Name in Country | Kalenjin, Sabaot |
Natural Name | Sabaot Kalenjin |
Alternate Names | Elgon Maasai; Sebei |
Population this Country | 310,000 |
Population all Countries | 310,000 |
Total Countries | 1 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 5 ● |
Unreached | No |
Frontier People Group | No |
GSEC | 4 (per PeopleGroups.org) |
Pioneer Workers Needed | |
People ID | 14623 |
ROP3 Code | 108488 |
ROP25 Code | 307093 |
ROP25 Name | Sabaot |
Country | Kenya | ||
Region | Africa, East and Southern | ||
Continent | Africa | ||
10/40 Window | No | ||
National Bible Society | Website | ||
Persecution Rank | Not ranked | ||
Location in Country | Bungoma and Trans Nzoia counties: southeastern slopes of Mount Elgon. 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 | Bungoma and Trans Nzoia counties: southeastern slopes of Mount Elgon.. Source: Ethnologue 2016 |
Primary Religion: | Christianity |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent |
---|---|
Buddhism |
0.00 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical 40.00 %) |
90.00 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
10.00 %
|
Hinduism |
0.00 %
|
Islam |
0.00 %
|
Non-Religious |
0.00 %
|
Other / Small |
0.00 %
|
Unknown |
0.00 %
|
Primary Language | Sabaot (310,000 speakers) |
Language Code | spy Ethnologue Listing |
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing |
Total Languages | 1 |
Primary Language | Sabaot (310,000 speakers) |
Language Code | spy Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 1 |
People Groups | Speaking Sabaot |
Primary Language: Sabaot
Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
---|---|
Bible-Portions | Yes (1987-1993) |
Bible-New Testament | Yes (1998) |
Bible-Complete | Yes (2011-2017) |
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) | 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 |
Film / Video | Jesus Film: view in Sabaot | Jesus Film Project |
Film / Video | LUMO film of Gospels | Bible Media Group/LUMO |
Film / Video | World Christian Videos | World Christian Videos |
General | Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video | Faith Comes by Hearing |
General | Gospel resources links | Scripture Earth |
Mobile App | Download audio Bible app as APK file | Faith Comes by Hearing |
Mobile App | Download audio Bible app from Google Play Store | Faith Comes by Hearing |
Text / Printed Matter | Download scripture in this language | eBible.org |
Text / Printed Matter | Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies | World Missionary Press |
Photo Source | Gary Glahn |
Map Source | Anonymous |
Profile Source | Anonymous |
Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more. |