Kri in Laos

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

Introduction / History

Surprisingly, the Kri were given status as an officially-recognized ethnic group in Laos, despite the fact they are the third smallest such group acknowledged by the Lao authorities. Just why they include some small groups and exclude others is not known. The ethnographic processes and methodology employed by Lao officials and scholars has never been explained to the public.

The Kri themselves claim "some families migrated to the Ta-Oy District of Saravan Province. These groups pick fruit and gather food in the forests and move their camps every 3-5 days in search of food. Typical agriculture doesn't interest them."

The area inhabited by the Kri in Khammouan is extremely remote, and still contains numerous tigers. Whole communities live in daily terror of these ferocious beasts. One early missionary wrote, "When a tiger becomes a man-eater, he usually haunts a certain community, living in the neighboring woods and roaming forth into the villages when hungry. In such communities the pigpens and buffalo stalls are usually built of heavy logs. Cats, dogs, and chickens are brought up into the house at nightfall, and the ladder drawn up after them. During the day no person would dare go alone from village to village, but the inhabitants move about in groups of a dozen or more with their long sabers in hand."

Kri people, live in Laos' Bouarapha District of Khammouan Province.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Little is known about the Kri. "The [Kri] in eastern Khammouan Province, in the Bouarapha District, are called Toong Luang by the Lao majority. Almost all were made to live normal sedentary lives in 1993 by local authorities." Previously they lived in trees and caves.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Geographic, cultural and linguistic barriers have separated the Kri from all gospel influence throughout their history. Not only are there no churches in the region, not even a single Kri is known to have placed their faith in Jesus Christ.


What Are Their Needs?

Pray God would show himself stronger than the obstacles preventing the Kri from knowing him.

Pray Jesus Christ would be lifted up above the Kri people, leading to an unstoppable movement to Christ among them.

Pray for Kri hearts to be ready and willing to accept the good seed of the gospel.


Prayer Points

Scripture Prayers for the Kri in Laos.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Kri
People Name in Country Kri
Alternate Names Kree; Salang Kri; Toong Luang
Population this Country 1,100
Population all Countries 1,100
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 11241
ROP3 Code 105307
Country Laos
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
Persecution Rank 31  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Khammouan province, Bouarapha district   Source:  Faces of the Unreached in Laos, 1999
Country Laos
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
Persecution Rank 31  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Khammouan province, Bouarapha district.   Source:  Faces of the Unreached in Laos, 1999
Map of Kri in Laos Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.63 %)
0.63 %
Ethnic Religions
99.37 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Language unknown (1,100 speakers)
Language Code xxx   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Unknown
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Language unknown (1,100 speakers)
Language Code xxx   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Language unknown

Primary Language:  Language unknown

Bible Translation Status:  Unspecified

Resource Type Resource Name Source
None reported  
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2023  Asia Harvest  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source People Group location: SIL / WLMS. Map geography: ESRI / GMI. Map design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.