Walung people (who are also known as Olangchung, Walungchung, Holung and Walungge) live in the northern part of the Taplejung District of Mechi Zone in far eastern Nepal. They inhabit about a dozen villages. One source notes: 'The upper Tamur in Taplejung District has a number of Bhotia [Tibetan] settlements. The largest is Walungchung, once a flourishing gola (mart) for transaction of goods between Tibet and Darjeeling.’ The Walang are believed to have migrated south from Tibet several hundred years ago, before settling in their present location. Their language has evolved over the years. For generations the Walang dominated trade in this part of Nepal, earning their livelihoods as middlemen on the route between Tibet and India.
Today some are still traders, but most engage in agriculture.
Tibetan Buddhism is the religion of almost all Walang people. The main village of Walungchung has a large monastery that was built more than 200 years ago. Monks from Lhasa were often invited to come down to the Walang area to reside at the monastery. The people adhere to Buddhism and their chief deity at the Walungchung gompa is Chenrezi.
The Walang are a desperately needy unreached people group. Few have ever been exposed to the gospel in a meaningful way that would allow them to intelligently accept or reject Christ. In 1958 the first four Walang boys attended a missionary school in Darjeeling, but the Walang homeland in Nepal and Bhutan remains a spiritually barren land.
Pray for the authority of Christ to bind hindering spiritual forces and lead them to the Light of the World.
Pray for signs and wonders among the Walang people and for great breakthroughs with a rapid multiplication of disciples and house churches.
Pray for bold workers who are driven by the love of the Holy Spirit to go to them.
Scripture Prayers for the Walang in Bhutan.
Peoples of the Buddhist World, Asia Harvest, Copyrighted © Used with permission
Profile Source: Joshua Project |
People Name General | Walang |
People Name in Country | Walang |
Pronunciation |
wah-LAHNG
|
Alternate Names | Holung; Keccya; Olangchung; Ulang; Ulung; Walung; Walungge; वालांग |
Population this Country | 3,700 |
Population all Countries | 7,200 |
Total Countries | 3 |
Indigenous | No |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | Yes |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 1 |
People ID | 19198 |
ROP3 Code | 117150 |
ROP25 Code | 308688 |
ROP25 Name | Walang |
Country | Bhutan | |||
Region | Asia, South | |||
Continent | Asia | |||
10/40 Window | Yes | |||
Persecution Rank | 36 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) | |||
Location in Country | Nepal border areas Source: Ethnologue 2010 | |||
Total States on file | 2 | |||
Largest States |
|
Country | Bhutan |
Region | Asia, South |
Continent | Asia |
10/40 Window | Yes |
Persecution Rank | 36 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) |
Location in Country | Nepal border areas. Source: Ethnologue 2010 |
Total States | 2 |
Western 2,900 | |
Central 800 | |
Website | South Asia Peoples |
Primary Religion: | Buddhism |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent * |
---|---|
Buddhism |
85.37 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical 0.00 %) |
0.00 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
0.00 %
|
Hinduism |
14.63 %
|
Islam |
0.00 %
|
Non-Religious |
0.00 %
|
Other / Small |
0.00 %
|
Unknown |
0.00 %
|
* From latest Bhutan census data. Current Christian values may substantially differ. |
Primary Language | Bantawa | |||
Language Code | bap Ethnologue Listing | |||
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing | |||
Total Languages | 3 | |||
Secondary Languages |
|
Primary Language | Bantawa |
Language Code | bap Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 3 |
Secondary Languages | |
Nepali | |
Walungge | |
People Groups | Speaking Bantawa |
Primary Language: Bantawa
Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
---|---|
Bible-Portions | Yes (2006) |
Bible-New Testament | Yes (2020-2021) |
Bible-Complete | No |
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) | Online |
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) | Online |
Possible Print Bibles | |
---|---|
Amazon | |
World Bibles | |
Forum Bible Agencies | |
National Bible Societies | |
World Bible Finder | |
Virtual Storehouse |
Resource Type ▲ | Resource Name | Source |
---|---|---|
Audio Recordings | Audio Bible teaching | Global Recordings Network |
Audio Recordings | Story of Jesus audio | Jesus Film Project |
Film / Video | Jesus Film: view in Bantawa | Jesus Film Project |
General | Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video | Faith Comes by Hearing |
General | Gospel resources links | Scripture Earth |
General | YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio | YouVersion Bibles |
Mobile App | Android Bible app: Bantawa | YouVersion Bibles |
Mobile App | iOS Bible app: Bantawa | YouVersion Bibles |
Photo Source | Anonymous |
Map Source | People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project |
Profile Source | Joshua Project |
Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more. |