Sarawan Brahui in Pakistan

The Sarawan Brahui have only been reported in Pakistan
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* Data can be from various sources including official census, agencies, and local research. Data from these sources can sometimes differ even by orders of magnitude. Joshua Project attempts to present a conservative, balanced estimate.

Introduction / History

Brahui are made up a group of 29 tribes. Eight of those tribes form what is believed to the original Brahui nucleus. Kelat is a town the divides the two largest Brahui groups into the northern part, Sarawan, and the southern part, Jahlawan. Today the Sarawan Brahui live only in Pakistan. The Brahui rose to power by overthrowing a dynasty of Hindu kings in the 1600s. Under Nasir Khan in the 1700s, the confederacy reached its peak. Brahui can be distinguished from their Pushtun and Baloch neighbors by their Dravidian language, called Brahuidi. Linguists have not been able to discover the link between the Brahui and other speakers of Dravidian languages who live 1000 miles away in southern India.


What Are Their Lives Like?

For years, most Brahui were nomadic shepherds who traveled between the highlands and the lowlands in search of proper temperatures, rainfall, and pasture for their flocks. During the cold and icy winter months, the Brahui lived in the plains. They returned to the hills only after the lambs were born in February or March. The number of Brahui nomads has consistently declined over the past hundred years, and today there are many fully-settled villages dependent on underground water irrigation to raise the numerous cash crops. There are a number of towns that serve as administrative and commercial centers, although relatively few Brahui live in town year-round. The Brahui shepherds have organized themselves into groups of cooperating households known as khalks. Each khalk combines its herds into one flock under the care of a professional resident shepherd. The resident shepherd controls up to 500 sheep. This procedure benefits the Brahui economically because it allows the men and their adult sons to work on local village farms in exchange for wheat. Having one resident shepherd also enables the men to take their herds to market for sale and to exchange information with other Brahui about the locations of various camps and flocks. Through the use of khalks, Brahui have become expert shepherds. They have learned the optimum number of sheep that can be grazed together. They also have discovered that sheep are not happy in very small groups, and that they spread and wander under such conditions. When the herds increase to more than 500 animals, leaders "multiply" the group, shifting the tents to form a new khalk. Marriages are arranged within families. Fathers prefer their sons to marry a cousin on the father's side, although, occasionally, families will consider the wishes of the couple. Men may take multiple wives, but the expenses incurred tend to limit this practice. Divorce is rare among the Brahui. The ideal family consists of married sons who live with their parents. After the father's death, brothers continue to live together with a united family estate under the leadership of the eldest son. The tribe is the basic political unit of the Brahui. Tribes base their membership on patrilineal descent (common male ancestors) and political allegiance.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Most Brahui are Sunni Muslims. They are deeply rooted in their faith and adhere to the five essential duties of Islam: praying, fasting, giving to the poor, affirming that "Allah is the only God and Mohammed is his prophet," and making a pilgrimage to Mecca.


What Are Their Needs?

They need much intercession, additional evangelical materials, and added laborers who will work with them and be willing adapt to their harsh nomadic lifestyle.


Prayer Points

Ask God to raise prayer teams who will begin breaking up the soil through worship and intercession. Ask the Lord to send laborers with loving servants' hearts to the Sarawan Brahui to work among them. Pray that the JESUS Film will be used wisely and that God will bring much fruit as the film is shown to the Sarawan Brahui. Pray that Sarawan Brahui who have heard the gospel will respond with devotion to Christ and will share His ways with others. Ask the Lord to raise a strong church planting movement among the Brahui.


Scripture Prayers for the Brahui Sarawan in Pakistan.


References

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahui_people
https://www.flynote.com/blog/brahui-a-tale-of-the-mountain-dwellers-of-south-asia/
https://www.encyclopedia.com/literature-and-arts/language-linguistics-and-literary-terms/language-and-linguistics/brahui


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Brahui Sarawan
People Name in Country Brahui Sarawan
Natural Name Sarawan Brahui
Alternate Names ब्रहुई, सरवन
Population this Country 620,000
Population all Countries 620,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 12
PeopleID3 20030
ROP3 Code 115778
Country Pakistan
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 7  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States on file 3
Largest States
Balochistan
445,000
Sindh
175,000
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
800
Country Pakistan
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 7  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States 3
  Balochistan 445,000
  Sindh 175,000
  Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 800
Website South Asia Peoples
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 %
* From latest Pakistan census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Brahui (403,000 speakers)
Language Code brh   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 11
Secondary Languages
Balochi, Southern
72,000
Balochi, Eastern
42,000
Sindhi
38,000
Urdu
24,000
Pashto, Southern
15,000
Pashto, Central
11,000
Saraiki
3,600
Balochi, Western
2,300
Dhatki
500
Pashto, Northern
400
Primary Language Brahui (403,000 speakers)
Language Code brh   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 11
Secondary Languages
  Balochi, Southern 72,000
  Balochi, Eastern 42,000
  Sindhi 38,000
  Urdu 24,000
  Pashto, Southern 15,000
  Pashto, Central 11,000
  Saraiki 3,600
  Balochi, Western 2,300
  Dhatki 500
  Pashto, Northern 400
People Groups Speaking Brahui
Photo Source Anonymous 
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. Learn more.


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