Ruc people live in an extremely isolated part of Laos, along the Lao-Vietnam border in the Bouarapha District of Khammouan Province. The Ruc live in dense evergreen forested mountains at an altitude of around 2,000 meters (6,560 feet) above sea-level. The name Ruc means 'those who eat sago-palm flour'. The area is so remote that a species of deer, called saola, was only discovered by biologists in 1992 in the neighboring part of Vietnam. A saola was later captured on the Laos side of the border in 1996, enabling experts to study this previously unknown animal.
The Ruc are believed to have spoken their own dialect until recently, but now they speak a general Chut language, which serves as the lingua franca among the various tribes of Chut.
Because the Ruc do not know how to grow or weave cotton, they engage in trade with the Lao and Vietnamese for clothing. They also buy copper pots, axes and knives. In the summer, men wear only a simple loin cloth, but in the winter they cover their torso with a kche- a poncho made from tree bark that is beaten into thin strips and sewn together.
If someone is bitten by a tiger, bear or snake the Ruc believe them to be cursed. They are not allowed to return to their village for two or three months. The person must live deep within the forest for this time and cannot be visited by friends or relatives.
Ancestor worship is not practiced in each Ruc home, as is the case with many tribes, but is only observed in the home of the village chief. The Ruc also believe in a hierarchy of spirits, of which the spirits of the earth, humans, animals and the forest are considered the most powerful.
There is no record of Christians ever having focused on the Ruc (or any of the other Chut groups) in Laos with the gospel. They are completely unreached.
Pray that God would raise up bold laborers to take the Gospel to the Ruc, and persevere until they are reached.
Ask God to glorify His Name among the unique Ruc people.
Pray the Ruc would hear the Gospel in a culturally relevant manner, that they would not view Christ as foreign.
Scripture Prayers for the Chut-Ruc in Laos.
Peoples of Laos, Asia Harvest, Copyrighted © Used with permission
Profile Source: Joshua Project |
People Name General | Chut-Ruc |
People Name in Country | Chut-Ruc |
Alternate Names | Chứt; Ruc |
Population this Country | 300 |
Population all Countries | 300 |
Total Countries | 1 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | Yes |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 1 |
People ID | 14586 |
ROP3 Code | 108430 |
ROP25 Code | 307052 |
ROP25 Name | Ruc |
Country | Laos | ||
Region | Asia, Southeast | ||
Continent | Asia | ||
10/40 Window | Yes | ||
Persecution Rank | 21 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) | ||
Location in Country | Khammouan province, Bouarapha district Source: Faces of the Unreached in Laos, 1999 |
Country | Laos |
Region | Asia, Southeast |
Continent | Asia |
10/40 Window | Yes |
Persecution Rank | 21 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) |
Location in Country | Khammouan province, Bouarapha district. Source: Faces of the Unreached in Laos, 1999 |
Primary Religion: | Ethnic Religions |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent |
---|---|
Buddhism |
0.00 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical 0.00 %) |
0.00 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
100.00 %
|
Hinduism |
0.00 %
|
Islam |
0.00 %
|
Non-Religious |
0.00 %
|
Other / Small |
0.00 %
|
Unknown |
0.00 %
|
Primary Language | Chut (300 speakers) |
Language Code | scb Ethnologue Listing |
Primary Dialect | Ruc |
Dialect Code | 8953 Global Recordings Listing |
Language Written | Unknown |
Total Languages | 1 |
Primary Language | Chut (300 speakers) |
Language Code | scb Ethnologue Listing |
Primary Dialect | Ruc |
Dialect Code | 8953 Global Recordings Listing |
Total Languages | 1 |
People Groups | Speaking Chut |
Primary Language: Chut
Bible Translation Status: Unspecified
Resource Type ▲ | Resource Name | Source |
---|---|---|
None reported |
Photo Source | Copyrighted © 2024 Asia Harvest All rights reserved. Used with permission |
Map Source | Joshua Project / Global Mapping International |
Profile Source | Joshua Project |
Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more. |