Bo in Laos

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

Introduction / History

Wurm and Hattori's 1981 linguistic reference book, The Language Atlas of the Pacific Area, listed a population of 2,000 Bo people living in central Laos. The 1996 Ethnologue, which includes a brief description of every known language in the world, places the location of the Bo as "Central Laos inland from the bend of the Mekong, Nhang River, around Nape and Lak Sao."40 This description would place the Bo in Hinboun District within the northern part of Khammouan Province.

Other recent studies, including the 1995 census and Laurent Chazee's Atlas des Ethnies et des Sous-Ethnies du Laos, do not mention the Bo either as an ethnic group or a language. More research is needed to determine if the Bo qualify as a distinct people group or not.

Intriguingly, the Bo language is listed as being part of the Viet-Muong branch of the Mon-Khmer language family. It is therefore related to Muong in Vietnam, Nguon in Laos and other varieties. These languages are believed to be distantly related to Vietnamese.

The Bo live near the east bank of the Mekong River-one of the world's greatest waterways. The Mekong rises on the Tibetan Plateau and flows through six countries. One early Western visitor vividly described his fascination with the Mekong.... "Few can regard the Me Kawng [Mekong] without feeling its peculiar fascination. That narrow streak connecting far countries with the distant ocean,-what scenes it knows, what stories it could tell! Gliding gently here, and thundering with fury there where it meets with opposition; always continuing its great work of disintegration of hard rocks and of transport of material; with infinite patience hewing down the mountain sides, and building up with them new countries in far climes where other tongues are spoken.... How few men have seen its upper waters!"

Little is known about the Bo people group, including whether or not Christianity has made an impact on them. Many people have come to Christ in Khammouan Province in recent years, but the believers have endured intense persecution from local authorities. Christians meet in fields, forests and caves, as it is not safe to meet in a building or in their own homes.


Prayer Points

Pray the glory of God would take its rightful place among the Bo people, who were created in His image.
Ask the Holy Spirit to draw the Bo to Christ.
Pray the Bo would soon be a redeemed people, declaring the praises of God to other peoples trapped in darkness.


Scripture Prayers for the Bo in Laos.


Profile Source:   Peoples of Laos, Asia Harvest  Copyrighted ©   Used with permission  

People Name General Bo
People Name in Country Bo
Alternate Names
Population this Country 4,400
Population all Countries 4,400
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 4
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 0  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
PeopleID3 18906
ROP3 Code 114864
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, Hinboun 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, Hinboun district.   Source:  Faces of the Unreached in Laos, 1999
Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 4.40 %)
5.00 %
Ethnic Religions
95.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Bo (Laos) (4,400 speakers)
Language Code bgl   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Unknown
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Bo (Laos) (4,400 speakers)
Language Code bgl   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Bo (Laos)

Primary Language:  Bo (Laos)

Bible Translation Status:  Translation Started

Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Asia Harvest  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source Joshua Project / Global Mapping International  
Profile Source Peoples of Laos, Asia Harvest  Copyrighted ©  Used with permission 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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