Oriya in United States


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Oriya are from Odisha, a state in eastern India. They have close contact with each other and with those who speak their language in India. Those in the United States are a small percentage of South Asians in that country.


What Are Their Lives Like?

In the United States the Oriya maintain their culture through festivals that they celebrate such as Holi and Diwali. They enjoy traditional dances and dramas. Dancers from Odisha come to America for these Oriya cultural events. The Oriya in the United States have an Association called The Odisha Society of the Americas that promotes their culture. They have a yearly meeting. In 2008 the local Oriya community of Houston issued an invitation to the city to celebrate the arrival of Lord Jagannatha (an idol that they consider to be the Lord of the Universe) in Houston. Their web site said, "Lord Jagannatha is so merciful that just by seeing Him or pulling Him on the Ratha (car) and hearing the chanting of his holy name everyone's sins and even the repeated cycle of birth, death, disease, and old age can be relieved at once."


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Oriya speakers in the U. S. are Hindus. They have a pragmatic way of approaching the spiritual world. They worship the gods they believe will provide them favor and protection. Some of them are more devout than others. Many of those in the U. S. are Brahmins, who tend to have a philosophical approach to religious practices.


What Are Their Needs?

The Oriya speakers need loving friends who will introduce them to our best friend, Jesus Christ.


Prayer Points

Pray for workers who are filled with the fruit of the Holy Spirit to go to the Oriya speakers of the U. S. Pray for a desire for true holiness and blessings that will lead them to the foot of the cross. Pray for a disciple making movement among Oriya speakers and other South Asians in North America.


Scripture Prayers for the Oriya in United States.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

Additional Info
Global Prayer Digest: 2011-05-09
People Name General Oriya
People Name in Country Oriya
Population this Country 1,200
Population all Countries 41,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
Alternate Names Orda; Uriya; ओरिया
People ID 17803
ROP3 Code 113276
Country United States
Region America, North and Caribbean
Continent North America
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Country United States
Region America, North and Caribbean
Continent North America
10/40 Window No
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.50 %)
4.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
91.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
5.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Odia (1,200 speakers)
Language Code ory   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Odia (1,200 speakers)
Language Code ory   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Odia
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2023  Kerry Olson  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Joshua Project  
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Read more