Maria Gond in India


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.

Subgroups: 2

Subgroup Name Population
Bada Maria 88,000
Chota Maria (Kamaria) 72,000

Introduction / History

The Maria are one of the Gond people groups and are a scheduled tribe. They live in the Bastar district of Madhya Pradesh in the hills. They speak Maria.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Cultivation is their main work, and they also collect forest products. They eat rice and meat. Beef is a delicacy for them.

They have several clans. Child marriages are common, often between cousins. Unlike most peoples in this region, they bury their dead. They have a traditional council to look after them.

The Abuj Maria are not keen on education, modern medicine nor family planning.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Though they are officially Hindu, the Maria Gond worship local gods and clan gods more than any of the Hindu deities.


What Are Their Needs?

Pray that the council leaders will come to Jesus Christ and lead others to him.

Pray for spiritually open hearts that will gravitate to the Lord of lords.

Pray that Indian Christians and gospel materials will become easily available.


Prayer Points

Scripture Prayers for the Gond Maria in India.


References

Singh, K. S., ed. "India's Communities A-Z", Oxford University Press, USA 1999


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Gond Maria
People Name in Country Gond Maria
Natural Name Maria Gond
Alternate Names Abuj Maria; Bada Maria; Bara Mariya; Chota Maria; Chota Mariya; Hill Maria; Maria; गोंद मरीया
Population this Country 1,706,000
Population all Countries 1,706,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 34
PeopleID3 21032
ROP3 Code 117053
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States on file 5
Largest States
Chhattisgarh
688,000
Madhya Pradesh
491,000
Maharashtra
485,000
Assam
42,000
Arunachal Pradesh
60
Districts Interactive map, listing and data download
Specialized Website South Asia Peoples
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States 5
  Chhattisgarh 688,000
  Madhya Pradesh 491,000
  Maharashtra 485,000
  Assam 42,000
  Arunachal Pradesh 60
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.04 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.89 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
88.52 %
Islam
0.13 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.01 %
Unknown
10.42 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Gondi, Northern (322,000 speakers)
Language Code gno   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 24
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Hindi
290,000
Maria (India)
223,000
Chhattisgarhi
210,000
Marathi
166,000
Bhatri
115,000
Halbi
80,000
Gondi, Adilabad
37,000
Maria, Dandami
25,000
Telugu
17,000
Assamese
13,000
Duruwa
5,900
Odia
4,100
Bengali
1,300
Sadri
1,300
Desiya
1,000
Primary Language Gondi, Northern (322,000 speakers)
Language Code gno   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 24
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Hindi 290,000
  Maria (India) 223,000
  Chhattisgarhi 210,000
  Marathi 166,000
  Bhatri 115,000
  Halbi 80,000
  Gondi, Adilabad 37,000
  Maria, Dandami 25,000
  Telugu 17,000
  Assamese 13,000
  Duruwa 5,900
  Odia 4,100
  Bengali 1,300
  Sadri 1,300
  Desiya 1,000
People Groups Speaking Gondi, Northern

Primary Language:  Gondi, Northern

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1872-1987)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1994-1996)
Bible-Complete No
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 Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Gondi, Northern Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
Text / Printed Matter Jesus Messiah comic book General / Other
Photo Source Shashank Deora - Wikimedia  Creative Commons 
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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