Walang in Bhutan


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* Data can be from various sources including official census, agencies, and local research. Data from these sources can sometimes differ even by orders of magnitude. Joshua Project attempts to present a conservative, balanced estimate.

Introduction / History

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.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Today some are still traders, but most engage in agriculture.


What Are Their Beliefs?

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.


What Are Their Needs?

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.


Prayer Points

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.


References

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 7,100
Total Countries 3
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 19198
ROP3 Code 117150
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
Western
2,900
Central
800
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
Nepali Walungge
Primary Language Bantawa
Language Code bap   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
  Nepali
  Walungge
People Groups Speaking Bantawa
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.


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