Eka in China

The Eka have only been reported in China
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Eka are believed to have moved into the area at least 300 years ago, possibly from areas close to Kunming City. Much of the land was unclaimed at the time, but after the Eka moved onto it and cultivated it, waves of new Chinese entered the area, claimed the land for themselves, and drove the Eka off into the mountains.

Eka is one of more than 100 distinct people groups of Yi in Yunnan Province alone, and one of 120 throughout all of China. The Eka formerly possessed a strong cultural identity, but their uniqueness and cohesiveness as a people has eroded over the past century as they have been swamped by Chinese immigrants entering the Shuangjiang area in large numbers.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The members of this tribe lead simple lives. They keep pigs, goats, and chickens, as well as grow rice and maize.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Eka are polytheists, worshiping many gods and deities. Their beliefs are similar to other tribes in Yunnan. One early visitor, commenting on the beliefs of another Yi group, wrote, "They are, as a matter of fact, pure theists. They have no religious worship properly so called; neither temples, nor priests nor ceremonies in which the people can participate. But they believe in one God, perfect and omnipotent, and in a magnificent Spirit. After their death the good are called to God and the wicked are tormented by the demon. But as a rule the dead man has been neither wholly good nor wholly bad; he therefore spends three years in roaming the earth around his home, intervening in events, and the celestial judgment is deferred until the end of that period. That is why the [Yi] keep for three years in their houses, either in a box or under the roof, a kind of effigy of the deceased, made of wood, or hemp, or the root of an orchid, in which magical formulas have fixed the soul of the deceased. On certain anniversaries this figure is brought out and they recite prayers. At the third year's end the figure is thrown away; the soul is judged."

According to one source, there were two Eka believers reported in 1933. These may have come under the influence of missionary work among their Lahu neighbors, hundreds of whom came to Christ in the early part of the twentieth century. Most members of this group have yet to receive an intelligible witness of the gospel. Some Eka remain who need to hear the message in their own tongue, but most are now adequately bilingual in Chinese or Lahu for effective evangelization to occur in those languages.


What Are Their Needs?

Without the guidance of Christ, these people will be spiritually lost in this life and the life to come. They need someone to go to them as Christ-bearers.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to intervene in their families, calling people to his side.

Pray for loving workers.

Pray for their hearts to be drawn to the Lord of lords.

Pray for a church planting movement to thrive in their communities.


Scripture Prayers for the Eka in China.


References

Operation China, Asia Harvest, Copyrighted © Used with permission


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Eka
People Name in Country Eka
Pronunciation Ee-kah
Alternate Names Menghuaren
Population this Country 3,300
Population all Countries 3,300
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 18448
ROP3 Code 114048
ROP25 Code 302287
ROP25 Name Eka
Country China
Region Asia, Northeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 19  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country With a population of more than 2,500 people, the Eka are the largest Yi group living in Shuangjiang County of Yunnan Province in southwest China. The only other Yi group located in Shuangjiang are the 500 Mishaba Laluo. Shuangjiang is an extremely remote and mountainous area. Many villages are only accessible by foot.   Source:  Operation China, 2000
Country China
Region Asia, Northeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 19  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country With a population of more than 2,500 people, the Eka are the largest Yi group living in Shuangjiang County of Yunnan Province in southwest China. The only other Yi group located in Shuangjiang are the 500 Mishaba Laluo. Shuangjiang is an extremely remote and mountainous area. Many villages are only accessible by foot..   Source:  Operation China, 2000

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Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.78 %)
0.80 %
Ethnic Religions
95.20 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
4.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Lahu
Language Code lhu   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
Chinese, Mandarin
Primary Language Lahu
Language Code lhu   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
  Chinese, Mandarin
People Groups Speaking Lahu
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Operation China, Asia Harvest  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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