Tawang Monpa 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.

Introduction / History

The Tawang Monpa are different from other Monpa groups in terms of both language and culture. They are one of the largest Monpa groups in India and, due to their proximity to the large town of Tawang, one of the most influential. Tawang is strategically located a short distance from the meeting of the borders of the three nations of India, China and Bhutan. The Tawang Monpa are named after their town, which in turn is named after the Tawang Monastery located there. This tribe lives in the secluded state of Arunachal Pradesh in northeast India.


What Are Their Lives Like?

In recent years Arunachal Pradesh has opened to foreign tourism, and visitors from all around the world come to Tawang, though only in small numbers. Many major festivals and Buddhist ceremonies are held in Tawang, and visitors come from all parts of the state to participate.

The diet of the Tawang Monpa is varied. They consume pulses, vegetables and bung chung (local beer brewed from maize, rice, millet, wheat or buckwheat). They enjoy milk products. The Tawang Monpa eat fish, beef, pork, mutton, and the meat of fowl and yak. They also eat venison and the flesh of wild boar. For fruit they eat oranges, peaches, pomegranates, apples and sugarcane.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Tawang is the spiritual center of the area and home to several important Buddhist monasteries, including the Tawang Monastery, where they hold many festivities and traditional dances every year. Other important Buddhist landmarks include the 460-year-old Urgelling Monastery, which was the birthplace of the sixth Dalai Lama; the Rigyalling Monastery; and the more distant Taktsang Monastery.

In recent decades a few Tawang Monpa individuals, mostly young people, have believed in Jesus Christ. They immediately faced strong pressure from their families and communities to renounce their new faith. Some did, but others counted the cost and continue to follow Christ as Lord. The Christians who brought the gospel to Tawang have been persecuted.


What Are Their Needs?

These people need to realize that they cannot please God without being empowered by the Holy Spirit. They cannot have the Holy Spirit without Jesus Christ.


Prayer Points

Pray for a movement of Jesus to heal and strengthen Tawang Monpa communities.

Pray for a "Book of Acts" type of movement to Christ among the Tawang Monpa.

Pray for the Tawang Monpa people to understand and embrace that Jesus wants to bless their families and neighborhoods.

Pray for Holy Spirit anointed believers from the Tawang Monpa people to change their society from within.

Pray for a movement in which the Holy Spirit leads and empowers disciples to make more disciples.


Scripture Prayers for the Monpa Tawang in India.


References

Peoples of the Buddhist World, Asia Harvest, Copyrighted © Used with permission


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Monpa Tawang
People Name in Country Monpa Tawang
Natural Name Tawang Monpa
Alternate Names Awang; Monba; Monkit; Tawan; Tsangla Monpa; मोनपा, तवांग
Population this Country 8,000
Population all Countries 53,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 4  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 19197
ROP3 Code 113801
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)
Location in Country The Tawang Monpa tribe lives in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, near the town of Tawang. Tawang is located a short distance from the meeting of the borders of India, China and Bhutan.   Source:  Peoples of the Buddhist World, 2004
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)
Location in Country The Tawang Monpa tribe lives in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, near the town of Tawang. Tawang is located a short distance from the meeting of the borders of India, China and Bhutan..   Source:  Peoples of the Buddhist World, 2004
Total States 1
  Arunachal Pradesh 8,000
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Buddhism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
98.54 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.39 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.59 %
Islam
0.11 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.25 %
Unknown
0.11 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Monpa, Tawang (7,100 speakers)
Language Code twm   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Tawang Monpa
Dialect Code 20499   Global Recordings Listing
Language Written Unknown
Total Languages 7
Secondary Languages
Nepali
10
Hindi Bhojpuri
Apatani Garo Tagin
Primary Language Monpa, Tawang (7,100 speakers)
Language Code twm   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Tawang Monpa
Dialect Code 20499   Global Recordings Listing
Total Languages 7
Secondary Languages
  Nepali 10
  Hindi 10
  Bhojpuri 0
  Apatani 0
  Garo 0
  Tagin 0
People Groups Speaking Monpa, Tawang

Primary Language:  Monpa, Tawang

Bible Translation Status:  Unspecified

Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Oral Bible stories One Story
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Peoples of the Buddhist World, Asia Harvest  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
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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