Western Lawa in Thailand

The Western Lawa have only been reported in Thailand
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Identity

More than 65,000 Western Lawa people live in two main regions of Asia. The majority (approximately 55,000) inhabit China's Yongle and Zhenkang counties in Yunnan Province, while numerous Western Lawa villages are also found in northern Thailand's Chiang Mai and Maehongson provinces. The Western Lawa generally inhabit thickly forested mountainous areas. There may also be a small number of Western Lawa in Myanmar. An additional 30,000 Bulang people in China speak Western Lawa as their mother tongue.

The Western Lawa language is unintelligible from the Eastern Lawa language spoken in northern Thailand. The majority of Western Lawa in China are now bilingual in Mandarin, while those in Thailand can speak Northern Thai. Western Lawa is related to other Mon-Khmer languages in southern China and northern Myanmar.


History

The Western Lawa in China are officially considered part of the Wa minority group, although they never participated in the head-hunting for which other Wa people are infamous. The Western Lawa adopted Theravada Buddhism under the influence of the Tais many centuries ago. Consequently, they became a more peaceful people than their wild head-hunting cousins.


Customs

Western Lawa women like to wear lots of jewelry and intricate embroidery and adornment on their blouses and dresses. Large earrings are common, especially in China. In the past the Lawa had no written form of their language, so they communicated by sending objects to other villages. 'Sugarcane, banana or salt meant friendship, but pepper meant anger, feathers urgency, and gunpowder and bullets the intention of clan warfare. '


Religion

A curious religious mix exists among the Western Lawa. Although the majority of this group professes Theravada Buddhism, their beliefs are mixed with animistic practices and spirit appeasement. Hundreds of Christian churches are also found among their villages in south-west China. Christianity has made less of an impact among the Western Lawa in Thailand, although there are small pockets of known believers among them.


Christianity

The forefathers of the 10,000 Western Lawa Christians first received the gospel from the American Baptist missionary William Young in the 1920s. Their conversion was not obtained by forceful preaching as much as by Young's sacrificial love. Once, in 1924, Young came across a sick woman left to die in a ditch outside a Lawa village. Guessing she was a victim of smallpox, 'Young immediately erected a shed and washed her sores continuously for three days. To draw out the puss, Young did not hesitate to use his own mouth. His devotion and compassion opened the hearts of countless [Lawa] to receive his message.' Many Western Lawa churches today are liberal and syncretistic. Many people attend church out of tradition rather than in pursuit of a living relationship with Christ.


Prayer Points

Scripture Prayers for the Lawa, Western in Thailand.


Profile Source:   Peoples of the Buddhist World, Asia Harvest  Copyrighted ©   Used with permission  

People Name General Lawa, Western
People Name in Country Lawa, Western
Natural Name Western Lawa
Pronunciation Lah-wa
Alternate Names Lava; Lavua; Lawa; Luwa; L'wa; Mountain Lawa; Tame Wa; Western Lawa
Population this Country 9,100
Population all Countries 9,100
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 5
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 6  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
People ID 15375
ROP3 Code 110791
ROP25 Code 304632
ROP25 Name Lawa
Country Thailand
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son provinces.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Thailand
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son provinces..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016

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Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Buddhism
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
70.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 14.00 %)
16.00 %
Ethnic Religions
14.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Lawa, Western (9,100 speakers)
Language Code lcp   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Lawa, Western (9,100 speakers)
Language Code lcp   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Lawa, Western

Primary Language:  Lawa, Western

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1961-1967)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1971-1983)
Bible-Complete Yes  (2001)
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 LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Lawa, Western YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Lawa, Western YouVersion Bibles
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Peoples of the Buddhist World, Asia Harvest  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Profile Source Peoples of the Buddhist World, Asia Harvest  Copyrighted ©  Used with permission 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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