Wa in China

Introduction / History

The Wa are one of the most prominent groups in southern China. They have been granted official status by the Chinese, although the Kawa, Lawa and Ben are also included as part of the nationality. The name Wa means "mountaineer."

For centuries the Wa engaged in head-hunting for the purpose of ensuring a good harvest. The practice is still rumored to continue in remote parts of Myanmar's Shan State. The evil spirits that control the Wa demanded human sacrifice to guarantee a good crop. In 1962 a Wa man from Daigela Village cut off a person's head by mistake while working in the fields. The victim's village retaliated by cutting off the heads of more than 60 people from Daigela.

In the past, incidents like this often sparked a sequence of killings that would continue for generations. In 1936 more than 100 households in the Ximeng Mountains of China were butchered by the Wa of Zhongke. Only three people were able to escape. "The booty of severed heads was transported back in the loaded saddle-bags of eight cows." There are hundreds of stories of similar diabolical actions. The Wa have an expression, "There is no sight so beautiful as the three-pronged fork" - referring to the poles in their villages that they used to hang the heads of their victims on. Even in the 1950s, after the Communists came to power in China, no effective measures could be found to stop the Wa's head-hunting. There were 110 reported cases in 1956 and 34 in 1957.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Despite their violent past, the Wa people have had to live under the domination of the Han Chinese and the Chinese Communist Party. Though there might still be incidents of wanton violence, most of the Wa focus their energy in farming.

What Are Their Beliefs?

In the past, the Wa people would sacrifice hundreds or even thousands of cattle. This kept them trapped in dire poverty. Children were naked because their parents could not afford clothes.

American Baptist missionary William Young was used by God to first bring the gospel to the Burmese Wa in the early 1900s. In a remarkable testimony of God's love and power, thousands of Wa were swept into God's kingdom. Young moved to China in the 1920s. By 1948, 22,369 Wa in China had been baptized. Vincent Young translated the New Testament into Wa in 1938.

What Are Their Needs?

Although one report lists a figure of 75,000 Wa Christians in China, few of these "believers" have even a basic understanding of salvation. The Wa Church desperately needs biblical materials so they can understand their faith. Without the foundation of God’s word, the JESUS Film, radio, etc. the gospel gets tainted with animistic practices.

Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to thrust out Christ followers to disciple the Wa people.
Pray for an abundant harvest for the Wa people so they can see they can rely on God rather than making sacrifices.
Pray there will soon come a day when Wa society is transformed by the power of the gospel in such a way that God is glorified, even among Han Chinese government officials.

Text Source:   Joshua Project