Bouyei
There
are over 2,545,000 Bouyei in China. There are major Bouyei
communities in Guizhou province, especially in the south,
southwestern, or central parts including near Guiyang, the
capital of Guizhou. A smaller number of them live in
southeastern Guizhou, the Wenshan area in Yunnan, and the
Ningnan area in Sichuan.
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More than 90%
are agricultural workers. The Bouyei grow rice, wheat,
maize, millet, sorghum, buckwheat, potatoes and beans.
Profitable cash crops include cotton, ramie (a fibrous plant
used for making cloth), tobacco, sugar cane and tea.
Industries like iron and steel, coal, machine-building,
chemicals, building materials and plastics are being
developed in the region. One of their best-selling
handicrafts is batik cloth in traditional Bouyei patterns of
swirls, geometric patterns and waves resembling the vines of
favored plants.
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The group
possesses rich folk literature. The Bouyeis like to sing and
are also skilled in drama. The Bouyeis believe in a mixture
of animism and Taoism. They worship the spirits of rocks,
trees and their ancestors. Their religious practices have
also absorbed the ancestral worship of Chinese folk religion
and the rituals of Taoist priests.
- After a century of mission work among the Bouyeis, only
about a hundred are known to be Christian. Most
remain unreached.
- No scripture exists in Bouyei language and a group
of Bible translators is currently determining the best
way to achieve this worthy goal. Chinese Bibles and
trained teachers are rare.
- There is no radio broadcasting, secular or
Christian, in the Bouyei language.
- We need workers for the Bouyei people group!
Bamar
The term “Bamar" or "Burman” refers to the largest and
culturally dominant ethnic group of Myanmar. The term
“Burmese” refers to the language and culture of the Burmans,
as well as to the other citizens of Myanmar. The Bamar
migrated from SW China more than 3,000 years ago. The
central plain formed by the Irrawaddy River and the Salween
River is the traditional home of the Burmans (or the Bamar,
as they are also known). About 68% of the population of
Myanmar is Burman (about 31 million).
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Logging, especially for teak, is an important export
industry. Mining of rubies and the export of jade are
successful industries. There is a small livestock industry,
some jute processing, and tin mining. The economy, however,
remains overwhelmingly agricultural. After the present
government seized power in 1962, they closed the country to
foreign residents in 1964. Since then, the economy has gone
from bad to worse.
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Buddhism is a pervading force in Burmese society. Almost all
Bamar (more than 95%) are Buddhist. Supplementary to the
Buddhist worldview are belief systems involved with crisis
management, prediction and divination. Spirits (“
nats”)
are the most important of these systems. These spirits are
mainly malevolent and must be propitiated at stated times
and places to avoid harm and evil. Burmese-style Buddhism is
tolerant of many influences, Christianity being one clear
exception.
- While official oppression of Bamar Christians is not
great, Bamar society as a whole is greatly opposed to
anyone who turns to Christ.
- The majority of Bamar people have had vigorous mission
activity directed toward them over several generations.
Despite the efforts of many missionaries as well as
Burmese Christians of other ethnic groups there are only 3,400 Christians among 31 million Bamar or 0.01%
of the Bamar population.
- In Thailand there are estimated to be 60,000 Bamar with
only 45 Christians among them.
- March is ‘Pray for Burma / Myanmar’ month!
