Southeastern Awu in China

The Southeastern Awu have only been reported in China
Population
Main Language
Awu
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Identity

The Southeastern Awu are part of the official Yi nationality in China. Neighboring people groups call them a variety of names, including Lawu and Mengwu. The Southeastern Awu speak a language completely different from the Northern Awu.


History

The Southeastern Awu entered Honghe Prefecture from Shizong and Luoping during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The ancestors of the Awu are thought to have originally been part of the ancient Luowu tribe.


Customs

The Southeastern Awu living in Chuxiong Prefecture engage in a number of festivals and celebrations throughout the year. Some are shared with other Yi groups. On the eighth day of the second month of the lunar calendar, the people living in the mountainous areas of Chuxong celebrate the Cattle Festival. The people wrap their cows' horns with flowers and place flowers above the cattle stall. They sing, dance, and pay homage to the mountain god. Other celebrations throughout the year include the Third Month Fair, when people gather in the marketplace and play games; and the New Rice Festival, when people taste the freshly harvested rice and sing and dance. All gatherings are opportunities for the Awu to meet with friends and relatives, catch up on events, and trade with one another.


Religion

The majority of Southeastern Awu practice a mixture of animism, polytheism, and ancestor worship. On the second day of the second lunar month, the Awu of Mile County worship the White Dragon god.


Christianity

Before 1949 Catholic missionaries established a church among the Southeastern Awu at Sunong Village in Dongshan District of Mile County. The number of Awu believers at one time numbered 94. In 1901 a church building was constructed in Aying Village of Xiangyang District in the eastern part of Luxi County. This church is still active today. By 1949 there were 132 Awu families professing faith in Christ in eastern Luxi. According to an official source there are presently 300 Awu believers in Luxi County. There may be many more Catholic believers among the Southeastern Awu in neighboring counties, although some reports suggest their faith has become extremely syncretistic since the departure of the missionaries almost 50 years ago. Idol worship and animistic rituals are practiced by many professing Christians, even inside the church buildings.


Prayer Points

Scripture Prayers for the Awu, Southeastern in China.


Profile Source:   Operation China, Asia Harvest  Copyrighted ©   Used with permission  

People Name General Awu, Southeastern
People Name in Country Awu, Southeastern
Natural Name Southeastern Awu
Pronunciation Ah-woo
Alternate Names A-wou; Awupuo; Lawu; Luopuo; Mengwu
Population this Country 32,000
Population all Countries 32,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 4
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
PeopleID3 18404
ROP3 Code 113998
Country China
Region Asia, Northeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 19  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Approximately 24,000 members of the Southeastern Awu ethnic group live in communities across a widespread area of southeastern Yunnan Province. Awu villages are located in parts of Mile (8,710 Awu people in 1984), Luxi (8,000), Shizong (5,000), and Luoping (400) counties.   Source:  Operation China, 2000
Country China
Region Asia, Northeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 19  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Approximately 24,000 members of the Southeastern Awu ethnic group live in communities across a widespread area of southeastern Yunnan Province. Awu villages are located in parts of Mile (8,710 Awu people in 1984), Luxi (8,000), Shizong (5,000), and Luoping (400) counties..   Source:  Operation China, 2000

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Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 2.41 %)
3.00 %
Ethnic Religions
93.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
4.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Awu (32,000 speakers)
Language Code yiu   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Unknown
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Awu (32,000 speakers)
Language Code yiu   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Awu

Primary Language:  Awu

Bible Translation Status:  Translation Needed

Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Operation China, Asia Harvest  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Profile Source Operation China, Asia Harvest  Copyrighted ©  Used with permission 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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