Soboro in India

Introduction / History

Soboros live mainly in southern Odisha, and they speak Odia, the language of that state.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Most Soboros engage in subsistence agriculture. They grow rice, millet, vegetables, and raise chickens. By gathering firewood, honey, medicinal herbs, and mushrooms in the forest, they can earn cash. They are economically poor, with limited opportunities for formal employment due to their lack of education.

Soboro families have strong kinship ties with either nuclear or extended families. Their community lives are centered around agricultural cycles and Hindu religious rituals.

What Are Their Beliefs?

Hinduism is a flexible religion that can accommodate traditional beliefs. Thus, the Soboros are all Hindu, but their practices reflect their tribal past. The gods they worship are usually local gods, not the gods of Hinduism. They worship nature spirits and their ancestral spirits.

What Are Their Needs?

Soboros face a bleak future unless they can get higher education. They are small in number, and most speak Odia, the broader language of Odisha, rather than their own tongue.

Prayer Points

Pray for loving Christians to establish good trade schools for the Soboros.
Pray for Soboro elders and village leaders to have the spiritual hunger it takes to seek and find the only savior.
Pray that soon Soboro disciples will make more disciples.
Pray for power encounters that will establish the Lord as the ultimate power in Odisha.

Text Source:   Joshua Project