Torgut in Mongolia

Introduction / History

The Torgud or Torghut are one of the four subgroups of the Oirats or Western Mongols. At first, the Oirats fought against Genghis Khan. After the Oirats were defeated, they became a loyal part of the great Khan's armies. With the decline of the Mongols after the death of Kublai Khan, the Oirats both fought against and joined the military forces of the Chinese emperors. It is interesting that the Mongol peoples who speak the Torgud's primary language of Kalmyk-Oirat are scattered as far west as the Volga River in Russia and as far east as Manchuria in China.

The traditional life of the Torgud was raising animals and moving from place to place searching for water and grass. Some Torgud still practice this old life. Illiteracy is a major problem for the nomadic Torguds. Other Torguds are settled down and live in villages where they are farmers. Some Torguds have moved to cities and work as laborers.

A tiny number of the Torguds have become believers. The New Testament and the JESUS film are available in Kamlyk-Oirat.

Where Are they Located?

The Torgud mainly live in the northwest provinces of the nation of Mongolia, which includes the Dzavhan, Uvs, Hovd, Hovsgol, Govi-Altay, Arhangay, and Bayan-Olgiy provinces.

What Are Their Lives Like?

The lives of the Torgud depend upon where they live. The nomadic Torguds live in round tents called yurts. These tents can be taken down and moved so that the pastoral Torguds can search for water and green plants for their horses, yaks, camels, sheep, goats and cattle. The normal routine is to relocate four or five times a year.

The Torgud who live in permanent villages are farmers. They also raise some sheep and goats for meat and dairy products. The main crops are those that can grow in the cool, short summers such as wheat, barley, potatoes and vegetables. The agricultural Torguds trade their dairy products and produce for items they cannot produce themselves.

A third group are the Torguds who have moved to the cities to take advantage of urban economic opportunities. Torguds work in factories and businesses. Educated Torgud work in administration and in public jobs. The children of the urban Torgud are able to attend schools and gain access to better jobs.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Roughly two thirds of the Torgud claim to be Tibetan Buddhists. Their Buddhism is highly mixed with folk religion. The chief monk of the Tibetan Buddhists is the Dalai Lama. One quarter of the Torgud practice shamanism and folk religion. This belief system believes that various spirits, both good and evil, inhabit the forces of nature. The shaman is the link between the people and the spirit world. Ancestor worship is also common in folk religion. Shamanism has had a revival since the independence of Mongolia from the Soviet Union.

The small church of Jesus Christ has been growing since 1990. A number of churches have been planted and the new Mongolian believers are telling others about Jesus.

What Are Their Needs?

The Torgud need help in educating their children. The nomadic Torgud would benefit by having help from veterinarians for their animals. Most Torgud do not have access to modern medicine. Most of all, the Torgud need to hear the life-changing message of Jesus Christ in a way they can understand. He alone can meet their deepest spiritual needs.

Prayer Points

Pray for a "Book of Acts" type of movement to Christ among the Torgud people in western Mongolia.
Pray for the Torgud people to understand and embrace that Jesus wants to bless their families and neighborhoods.
Pray for Holy Spirit anointed believers from the Torgud people to change their society from within.
Pray for a movement in which the Holy Spirit leads and empowers Torgud disciples to make more disciples in Mongolia.

Text Source:   Keith Carey