People group profile · PG041823
The Sonowar of India
The Sonowar of India, numbering about 345,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Kachari community of Assam whose name derives from sone, meaning gold, for their traditional occupation of washing gold dust from the Subansiri river. They now also farm and raise silkworms, following Mahapurushia Vaishnavism.
They are an indigenous people in the Other Tibeto-Burmese people cluster of the Tibetan Peoples. Their primary religion is Hinduism, and they primarily speak Nepali (individual language).
Fast facts
- Country
- India
- Population
- 345,000
- Affinity group
- South Asian Peoples
- People cluster
- Other Tibeto-Burmese
- Primary language
- Nepali (individual language) (npi)
- Primary religion
- Hinduism
- Strategic Progress Index ?
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC ?
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority ?
- Pioneer Unreached People Group
- Region
- Southern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Arunachal Pradesh: Changlang and Lohit; Assam state; Meghalaya: west Garo Hills; Nagaland: Dimapur, Kohima, Mokokchung, Wokha, and Zunheboto; West Bengal: Jalpaiguri and Koch Bihar
Where they live
Gospel status
The Sonowar are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Sonowar
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
100% adherents
Primary language
Nepali (individual language) · Indo-European family
100% speak Nepali (individual language)
Gospel resources in Nepali (individual language)
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Darchuleli)
- JESUS (Baitadeli)
- JESUS (Acchami)
- JESUS (Bajureli)
- JESUS (Nepali)
- JESUS (Bajhangi)
- Magdalena (Nepali)
- The Savior (Nepali)
Bibles
- New Revised Version · video, audio
- New Revised Version - LUMO Christmas Film · video
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Sonowar
- Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
- John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.