Keriya May 27 ➤

Location: Approximately 100 families and settled in the of the Keriya tribe live “at the Keriya River valley, southeastern edge of the great where they Taklimakan Desert… in a green reclaimed land, corridor that extends sporadically into hunted and herded the depths of the desert.”1 The animals and lived a largest Keriya community is self-sufficient life Tangzubast Village, about 300 until today.”2 The kilometers (185 mi.) north of the town Keriya live on the of Yutian, in the Uygur ruins of the ancient Autonomous Region. Tangzubast has city of Keladun, been placed under the jurisdiction of which is now buried Liuabuyi Township in Yutian County. beneath the sand. The only way for travelers to visit the Archaeologists have area is to follow the dry Keriya River found items of bed north, as there are no roads. The pottery dated from Record of Buddhist Countries, written the Han Dynasty by a fourth century pilgrim, described (206 BC – AD 220). the Taklimakan Desert: “Monstrous Ruins of twenty heat-waves are frequent in the desert. similar cities are Coming across such a phenomena found throughout means inevitable death. No birds can the desert. The be seen in the sky nor animals on the Keriya people were ground. The only things to catch the first “discovered” by Paul Hattaway eye are skeletons which mark the trail Swedish explorer Svan Anders von Religion: The Keriya have embraced of travelers.” Hedin in 1896 after he had traveled the Sunni Islamic beliefs of most of 12 days into the desert, following the the people groups in Xinjiang. They do Identity: The Keriya have been Keriya River. It recently dried up after not have their own mosques but are officially counted as part of the Uygur a sudden change in course and can careful to observe all Muslim rules nationality in China. Although they now no longer be followed. and regulations. speak Uygur as their own language, they claim to be descended from the Customs: The Keriya live in widely Christianity: The hidden Keriya people Gug tribe who fled into the desert scattered communities. When there is have never heard the gospel. They centuries ago to escape the attacking a wedding or other celebration, “the present a significant physical Ladakhis from Kashmir. invitation is written on a slip of paper challenge for any would-be evangelist and passed from family to family, who must venture deep into the Language: The Keriya once had their which usually takes a fortnight to do awesome and hostile Taklimakan own language, but today they speak the rounds.”3 Most Keriya families Desert to reach these precious souls. only the Yutian Uygur language. herd goats and sheep. Many also Taklimakan is a Turkic word which raise camels, horses, and donkeys. means “many go in, but few come History: After they were attacked by Mutton pancakes, called somitikubaxi, out.” Summer temperatures in the the Ladakhis, “a small number of Gug are the main staple of the Keriya’s area frequently rise to over 50˚ people crossed the Kunlun Mountains diet. Celsius (122˚F).

Status: Overview of the Status of Evangelization Keriya Officially included under Uygur Language: 100% XINJIANG Countries: China •Urumqi Altaic, Turkic, Eastern Turkic Pronunciation: “Kerr-yah” •Aksu •Korla Dialects: 0 • Other Names: Keriya Uygurs Religion: Sunni Islam Population Source: Christians: None known • •Minfeng •Yutian 600 (1996 AMO); Scale Scripture: None 0 KM 400 100 families 0% 0% (1996 China Tourism); Jesus film: None Population in China: Out of a total Uygur population of Gospel Recordings: None A B C 600 (1996) 7,214,431 (1990 census) Christian Broadcasting: None A = Have never heard the gospel 660 (2000) Location: B = Were evangelized but did not 830 (2010) S Xinjiang: Yutian County ROPAL code: None become Christians Location: Xinjiang C = Are adherents to any form of Religion: Islam Christianity Christians: None Known

242 KERIYA