Hemshin in Kyrgyzstan

Introduction / History

The Hemshins originally lived in Armenia until the 8th century when they moved to the Black Sea’s Hamshen (due to Arab invasion) where they gradually became the distinct group we know as Hemshin. They stayed in Turkey for nearly 1200 years. Their later displacements happened at different times, some because of Ottoman policies and some because of religious tension after their forced conversion to Islam. Many fled to Georgia. Later, Stalin deported them from Georgia to Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan. But they originally lived in the Turkish region along the Black Sea before their forced/driven migration/displacement. Khemshin (and Hamshen) was a mispronunciation by various groups based on dialect or accent. All three are correct – Hemshin (English, Armenian pronunciation and historical writings), Hamshin (Turkish pronunciation and historical writing), and Khemshin (Uzbek Kazakh and Kyrgyz pronunciation, but even there it still sounds quite similar to Hemshin). For simplicity’s sake, we’ll use Hemshin.

Today, they live in Russia, Turkey and Kyrgyzstan.

What Are Their Lives Like?

The traditional occupations include cultivating tea and maize, raising livestock and beekeeping. Today, they still farm and hold modest jobs, sometimes in the cities where they mostly blend into the broader population. However, Hemshin migrants often do not know about the legal procedures required to leave the country, causing many to end up unregistered. Without proper registration, undocumented migrants often allow for underpayment, no social guarantees and bad treatment by employers.

The Hemshin are known for their clever jokes, riddles, and stories. Although they maintain some distinct cultural traditions, such as their language and cuisine, Soviet influences have softened their unique identity over time.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The Pa Hng believe a person has 12 souls. "When a body is placed in a coffin, it is sprinkled with 12 measures of grilled rice, and 12 sandstone bowls are put in along with the rice." Each Pa Hng home contains an ancestral altar. The Pa Hng believe the spirits of their ancestors are fed by placing rice and meat out on the table for them. The male head of the household calls on the spirits of his ancestors to come and share in the feast and to protect his family from sickness and injury.

What Are Their Needs?

This tribe has rarely been focused with the gospel and are an unevangelized people group. Their intricate rituals of ancestor worship create barriers that prevent them from embracing the gospel, yet some believe they are ready to embrace the gospel. Most

Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to call thousands of Hemshins to himself.
Pray that teachers will be sent to help them become firmly established in the truth of scripture and will help them learn to walk in the power of the Lord's Spirit.
Pray the Hemshin people will increasingly be drawn to Jesus (whom Muslims call Isa al-Masih), and that they will be prompted to seek the only true savior.
Pray for the Lord to visit them in dreams and visions.

Text Source:   Joshua Project