Falam Chin in Myanmar (Burma)


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Identity

In their own language, the Falam Chin traditionally called themselves “Riam,” which simply means “human beings.” In Myanmar, 11 tribes are linguistically linked to the Falam language. Because those tribes live in the Falam District they are automatically labeled “Falam,” even though many of them are distinct groups with their own names and customs. These tribes have been profiled separately in Operation Myanmar. Coincidentally, in India the Falam are also divided into 11 officially-recognized Scheduled Tribes, although they are not the same groups as in Myanmar. Those 11 groups will all be profiled in the upcoming Operation India series.

Location: An estimated 77,000 Falam Chin people live in and around Falam District in western Myanmar’s Chin State. The town of Falam sits at 4,500 feet (1,372 meters) above sea-level near the border with Mizoram, India. Approximately 50,000 Falam people also live in northeast India, where they are officially labeled “Halam.” Most live in the state of Tripura, although others are found in Assam and Mizoram. In recent decades, thousands of Falam Chin people have successfully migrated to countries such as Australia and the United States.

Language: Most Falam Chin youth, and some older people, can read the Falam script. Although the Falam Chin Bible was published in 1991 and is used by many Christians, there has been a push for groups with different dialects to have their own Bible translations, as fresh spiritual life has invariably come to churches when believers have read God's Word in their heart language for the first time.


History

Although Falam is a small town with only about 10,000 people, it has played a large role in the history of Chin State. The British took control of Falam in 1892 and turned it into a major hub for their regional operations. For decades, armed clashes broke out in the area as various Chin tribes combined to resist colonial rule. Today, several key government agencies have offices in Falam, including the departments of forestry, health, agriculture, customs, and education.


Customs

In the past, the Falam Chin had many unique customs that caught the attention of the early missionaries, including one called “dancing the corpse,” where the dead were held up by two bamboo poles as a circle of people danced around them.3 Falam life has been disrupted by decades of violence in the region, especially since the outbreak of the Myanmar civil war in 2021. Reports of random killings and rape have become common, with the Burmese junta even launching airstrikes against Baptist churches in Falam in 2023.


Religion

The animistic beliefs practiced by the Chin in Falam for centuries is evidenced by many of their legends. Rih Dil is a small heart-shaped lake near the Indian border that Chin people believed was a corridor to the Chin heaven, a place called Pialral. All souls had to pass through the lake to reach Pialral. When the Falam people were enslaved to demons, “Every kind of sickness was ascribed to the influence of supernatural beings and evil spirits. Their animistic belief made trees, forests, streams, and rivers the abode of all kinds of deities. Christian faith has radically changed this belief, helped remove the superstitions, and transformed their way of life.”


Christianity

In India, it is thought the Welsh Presbyterian Mission led the first Falam man to Christ in 1925, and the New Zealand Baptist Mission commenced work among them in 1943. Momentum increased as more turned to Christ in the 1960s, and today almost all Falam Chin people are followers of Jesus Christ. It has been said: “the impact of Christianity in the socio-economic and cultural life of the Falam tribes was profound. It has brought enlightenment to the minds of common people…centered around the themes of the love of Jesus Christ, good neighborliness, tolerance, and non-violence. Christian teaching has brought radical change in their thinking and tamed the temperament of Falam Chin people.”6 The town of Falam now serves as the headquarters of the entire Chin Baptist Convention.


Prayer Points

Scripture Prayers for the Chin, Falam in Myanmar (Burma).


Profile Source:   Asia Harvest  

People Name General Halam
People Name in Country Chin, Falam
Natural Name Falam Chin
Alternate Names Hallam; Rupai; हलम; Fallam; Halam; Hallam Chin; Kwangli; Riam; Yahow
Population this Country 77,000
Population all Countries 124,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 5
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 6  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
PeopleID3 16900
ROP3 Code 112190
Country Myanmar (Burma)
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 13  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Chin State: Falam township.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Myanmar (Burma)
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 13  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Chin State: Falam township..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016

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Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Christianity
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 60.00 %)
90.00 %
Ethnic Religions
10.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Chin, Falam (77,000 speakers)
Language Code cfm   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Chin, Falam (77,000 speakers)
Language Code cfm   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Chin, Falam

Primary Language:  Chin, Falam

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1933-1994)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1951-2006)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1991-2018)
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
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Chin, Falam Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Gospel website in this language General / Other
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Chin Standard Bible Bibles International
Mobile App Android Bible app: Chin, Falam YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Falam Bible Bible Society of Myanmar
Mobile App Android Bible app: Khualsim Bible Bible Society of Myanmar
Mobile App Android Bible app: Zanniat Bible Bible Society of Myanmar
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Chin Standard Bible General / Other
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Chin, Falam YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Falam Chin Bible Cing Sian Dal
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Chin, Falam Literacy & Evangelism International
Photo Source Ramesh Lalwani - Flickr  Creative Commons 
Profile Source Asia Harvest 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.