Khlor in Laos

The Khlor have only been reported in Laos
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

Khlor speakers inhabit areas within the Laongam District and possibly the Khongxedon District of Saravan Province in southern Laos. Most Khlor live in ethnically-mixed villages with families from other tribes.

The Khlor have possibly been officially included as part of the Ngae ethnic group in the 1995 Lao census. The Khlor language does appear to be closely related to, or a dialect of Ngae, but the two groups maintain a different ethnicity and have different cultural practices.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Khlor have gradually lost their culture over the course of the past century. They have not practiced their traditional dances or used their ancient swords and shields for about 50 years.


The Khlor people have gradually lost their culture over the course of the past century.
What Are Their Beliefs?

Shamans are still used today by the Khlor to mediate between the community and the spirits in time of great need. In the past the influence of shamans was far greater, but today they still have a lot of respect in the eyes of the Khlor people.

Author Grant Evans explains that even politicians in Laos are afraid of the influence shamans, or spirit mediums, have over people... "Female nang tiam, and male moh cham, through their possession of spirits (sometimes from the historical past), represented uncontrollable forces within a political structure aiming at total social control. Mediums act as conduits for the social and cultural concerns of the people around them and therefore, through the words of the spirits, can express dissatisfaction and discontent. There were obviously fears that the spirit of dead kings or recently dead RLG [Royal Lao Government] politicians could come to life in these ceremonies to, for example, predict the coming demise of the regime."

To placate their fears, communist officials have tried to stamp out spirit worship among many of the groups in Laos. Khlor shamans once presided over the annual buffalo sacrifice ceremony, which was the focal point of the year to the Khlor. This too appears to have been discontinued.

There are a small number of Christian believers among the Khlor, the fruit of pre-1975 missions work by OMF.


What Are Their Needs?

Like people everywhere, the Khlor people need to allow the loving Savior to direct their lives. They need his forgiveness for sin.


Prayer Points

Pray that the Kingdom of God would come in its full power among the Khlor people of southern Laos.

Ask God to bless and strengthen the few known Khlor believers.

Pray they will follow Christ rather than worshiping spirits and sacrificing animals to them.


Scripture Prayers for the Khlor in Laos.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Khlor
People Name in Country Khlor
Pronunciation klor
Alternate Names Hrlak; Kriang; Lor; Ngeh; Ngeq; Nkrian; Nkriang
Population this Country 9,300
Population all Countries 9,300
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 13955
ROP3 Code 107361
ROP25 Code 303978
ROP25 Name Khlor
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 Saravan province, Laongam and possibly Khongxedon districts   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 Saravan province, Laongam and possibly Khongxedon districts.   Source:  Faces of the Unreached in Laos, 1999
Map of Khlor in Laos Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.40 %)
0.50 %
Ethnic Religions
99.50 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Kriang (9,300 speakers)
Language Code ngt   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Kriang (9,300 speakers)
Language Code ngt   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Kriang

Primary Language:  Kriang

Bible Translation Status:  Unspecified

Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Asia Harvest  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source People Group location: IMB. Map geography: ESRI / GMI. Map design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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