Kachin Jingpo in Myanmar (Burma)


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Identity

Although there were 119,209 people in China counted under the Jingpo nationality in the 1990 census, the official Chinese classification includes members of the Zaiwa, Maru, Lashi, and Bela people groups, in addition to Jingpo proper. In China the Jingpo are known locally as the Dashan (Big Mountain) people.


History

The Jingpo claim to have originated on the Tibetan Plateau. The fact that some scholars believe the present-day Deng language in southeast Tibet is related to Jingpo, adds credence to their claims. During the Yuan and Ming dynasties (1271-1644) the Jingpo were known as the Yeren. They had probably arrived at their present location in western Yunnan by the start of the sixteenth century. From there they migrated south into northern Myanmar, where today they are the largest group in Kachin State.


Customs

Jingpo and Zaiwa are almost identical in every aspect of their historical and socioeconomic backgrounds, except for their political organization. The highest leader in Jingpo society is called Pumtu in Jingpo and Pumtsau in Zaiwa, meaning "master of the mountains." For centuries the Jingpo have practiced lashi or naji, meaning "snatching cows by military operation." This leads to on-going conflict with other nationalities. From 1980 to 1982 three Jingpo settlements reported 443 cases of lashi. The consequences were 7 deaths, 153 people wounded, and 338 cattle stolen.


Religion

Many Jingpo today are Christians, having been converted through the ceaseless efforts of missionaries starting in the 1870s. Jingpo legends "tell a story of the passage over a bridge, to the after-life ... these folk-myths came down from a long-gone past, like the far-carried boulders of the Glacial ages."


Christianity

The first missionary working among the Jingpo in Myanmar (formerly Burma) was Josiah N. Cushing in 1876. By 1941, the baptized Jinpo in Burma numbered 47,526. In the same year the Jingpo in China numbered 415 converts. Today, estimates for the total number of Christians among the five Jingpo groups in China range from 7,000 to 8,000 and as many as 55,000. Because the large Zaiwa group have proven highly resistant to the gospel, the higher figure is very unlikely. The Jingpo in Myanmar have evangelized many other people groups in their country.


Prayer Points

Scripture Prayers for the Kachin Jingpo in Myanmar (Burma).


Profile Source:   Operation China, Asia Harvest  Copyrighted ©   Used with permission  

The Kachin

Source:  Asia Harvest      Download

People Name General Kachin
People Name in Country Kachin Jingpo
Pronunciation
Alternate Names Chingpaw; Chingpo; Dashan; Dashanhua; Indian Kachin; Jinghpaw; Jingpaw; Jingpho; Ka Khyen; Keqin; Marip; Nhkum; Singfo; Sing-fo; Singhpo; Singpho; Singpo; कॅचाइन, जिंगफो
Population this Country 1,025,000
Population all Countries 1,104,000
Total Countries 3
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 5
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 6  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
People ID 12401
ROP3 Code 104372
ROP25 Code 303454
ROP25 Name Kachin
Country Myanmar (Burma)
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 14  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Very large area, mainly Kachin State, except for north and southwest; Shan State, Muse and Lashio districts; Sagaing region: western border strip.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Myanmar (Burma)
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 14  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Very large area, mainly Kachin State, except for north and southwest; Shan State, Muse and Lashio districts; Sagaing region: western border strip..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016

No people group map currently available. Use the above button to submit a map.


Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Christianity
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
10.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 43.52 %)
64.00 %
Ethnic Religions
26.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Jingpho (1,025,000 speakers)
Language Code kac   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Jingpho (1,025,000 speakers)
Language Code kac   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Jingpho
Photo Source Anonymous 
Video Source Asia Harvest
Profile Source Operation China, Asia Harvest  Copyrighted ©  Used with permission 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.