Miyako Ryukyuan in Japan

The Miyako Ryukyuan have only been reported in Japan
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Kunigami of Japan are made up of seven closely related people groups living in the Ryukyu Islands. This small chain of islands, which includes Okinawa, is located to the southwest of Japan, between Kyushu (the southern tip of Japan) and northeastern Taiwan. The Ryukyuan peoples are of Japanese and southeast Asian descent. Long ago, the Ryukyuan lived as independent merchants who sailed to China, Japan, and other Asian seaports. During the early 1400s the Ryukyuan had their own kingdom. Unfortunately for them, there were powerful empires in nearby China and Japan, both of which had an interest in taking control of their island kingdom. The Japanese were more adept at taking these nearby islands, and the process of making them more Japanese began. Their languages vary from island to island and their dialects from village to village. Although their dialects are all quite similar to Japanese, these people groups are not able to understand one another. All of their languages, including Miyako, spoken by the Ryukyuan people, are being replaced by standard Japanese.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Ryukyuan people live mainly in these southern islands, but also in mainland Japan, Hawaii, and Brazil. Many of them identify first with their island home, and secondly with the nation state we call Japan.


Their beliefs leave no room for a powerful savior who can save them from sin and death.
What Are Their Beliefs?

The Ryukyuan had their own traditional shamanistic religion where women were the shamans. In the 1920s they endured a time when Shintoism and Buddhism vied for prominence in their land. Like the Japanese, the Ryukyuan people today adhere to a mixture of both of these religions. They mix these two with shamanism, but the younger generation does not seriously practice their ancient ways.


What Are Their Needs?

The Ryukyu and other Kunigami peoples need the self-respect that comes from a relationship with the King of kings. They need to know they have much worth in the eyes of their maker.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to somehow get through to Ryukyu elders so they can open the door to allow the King of kings to enter their lives.
There are believers among some of the Ryukyu people. Pray they will take Christ to the others.
Pray for a movement to Christ among the Ryukyu people.


Scripture Prayers for the Miyako, Ryukyuan in Japan.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Miyako, Ryukyuan
People Name in Country Miyako, Ryukyuan
Natural Name Miyako Ryukyuan
Pronunciation mee-YAH-koh ree-YOO-kyoo-un
Alternate Names Irabu-Jima; Miyako; Okinawan; Ryukyuan, Southern; Southern Ryukyuan
Population this Country 64,000
Population all Countries 64,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 4  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 13718
ROP3 Code 106630
Country Japan
Region Asia, Northeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Southern Okinawa; Miyako, Ogami, Ikema, Kurima, Irabu, Tarama, Minna islands.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Japan
Region Asia, Northeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Southern Okinawa; Miyako, Ogami, Ikema, Kurima, Irabu, Tarama, Minna islands..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Map of Miyako, Ryukyuan in Japan
Primary Religion: Buddhism
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
97.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.51 %)
3.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Miyako
Language Code mvi   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Unknown
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Miyako
Language Code mvi   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Miyako

Primary Language:  Miyako

Bible Translation Status:  Unspecified

Resource Type Resource Name Source
None reported  
Photo Source Matt Watts - Flickr  Creative Commons 
Map Source People Group location: IMB. Map geography: ESRI / GMI. Map design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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