Yakthumba Limbu in Bhutan


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* From latest Bhutan census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.

Introduction / History

The Yakthumbas are commonly called the Limbu people. The Limbu are a sub-group of the Kirant people. They speak a dialect of Kirant which is a Tibeto Burman language.

The origin of the Limbu is uncertain, but they are clearly of Mongolian descent. In the later part of the 1700s, Nepal was formed by uniting various ethnic groups and principalities under a high caste Hindu dynasty. This conquest resulted in ethnic and cultural splits with the Limbu.

There are 13 Limbu sub-groups. Legend says that five of the groups came from Varanasi, India and the other eight from Lhasa, Tibet. There is no social discrimination among the Limbu sub-groups, although there are a number of different clans and sects.


Where Are they Located?

The Limbu live mainly in eastern Nepal between the Arun River and the border of the Sikkim state in India. They have a significant population in India, and a small one in Bhutan.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Agriculture is the main source of income for the Limbu. Rice and maize are their principal crops. Although the abundance of land has made cultivation of new acreage possible, productivity is greatly limited by insufficient technology. Excess crops are often traded for food that cannot be grown in the region or for necessary items.

The men generally plow the fields and the women plant the seeds. However, at harvest time, both men and women work together to bring in the crops. Extended families often unite to help each other during harvest time.

In the past, marriages were arranged by the families. Neither the bride nor the groom had much say about the marriage payments or ceremonies. Modern times have changed this; today, both parties have an opportunity to make decisions about the wedding. There are three types of legal marriages: adultery, arrangement, and abduction. In the case of adultery, a compensation must be paid to the previous husband.

Women are quite influential within Limbu families, especially if the husbands are in the military and stay away for long periods of time. However, a woman is not fully recognized until she bears her first child.

Drinking and dancing are very important to the Limbu. Weddings, mourning, gift exchanges, and settlements of conflicts all involve much consumption of liquor. Dances are held if visitors come to the village. These affairs give the young people a chance to meet and enjoy dancing and drinking.

The Limbu society is patrilineal, which means that the line of descent is traced through the males. Related families make up clans. When a clan member dies, the entire group is considered polluted. They then must all go through a period of re-purification.


Many of the men are in military service and leave their families for long periods. Consequently, women have much responsibility and influence within their families,
What Are Their Beliefs?

The Limbu are predominantly Buddhists but participate in many popular Hindu festivals. They also have a number of worship practices that involve blood sacrifices. They believe that when a woman marries, she inherits her mother's gods. The woman and her husband then recognize the deities as their household gods. Fortunately, there are some Limbu believers who can be Christ-bearers to this people group.


What Are Their Needs?

The Limbu people need the hope and joy of knowing their Creator and following the Savior who alone can forgive sins and direct their lives.


Prayer Points

Pray for a "Book of Acts" type of movement to Christ among the Limbu people in Bhutan.
Pray for the Limbu people to understand and embrace that Jesus wants to bless their families and neighborhoods.
Pray for Holy Spirit anointed believers from the Limbu people to change their society from within.
Pray for a movement in which the Holy Spirit leads and empowers disciples to make more disciples.
Pray for a movement of Jesus to heal and strengthen Limbu communities.


Scripture Prayers for the Yakthumba, Limbu in Bhutan.


References

https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/13065/NP
https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/13065/IN


Profile Source:   Keith Carey  

People Name General Yakthumba, Limbu
People Name in Country Yakthumba, Limbu
Natural Name Yakthumba Limbu
Pronunciation yahk-THOOM-bah lim-BOO
Alternate Names Black Mountain; Chaang; Chang; Monpa; Ole Monpa; Olekha; Tsono; लिम्बू
Population this Country 1,800
Population all Countries 615,000
Total Countries 3
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 13065
ROP3 Code 105776
ROP25 Code 304724
ROP25 Name Limbu
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 5 villages: Adha, Rukha, Wangling, Jangji, Thrumzur. The 2 dialects are separated by the Black Mountains   Source:  Ethnologue 2010
Total States on file 3
Largest States
Western
1,300
Eastern
300
Southern
200
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 5 villages: Adha, Rukha, Wangling, Jangji, Thrumzur. The 2 dialects are separated by the Black Mountains.   Source:  Ethnologue 2010
Total States 3
  Western 1,300
  Eastern 300
  Southern 200
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Other / Small
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
10.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
3.75 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
15.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
71.25 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest Bhutan census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Nepali
Language Code npi   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
Bengali Limbu
Primary Language Nepali
Language Code npi   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 3
Secondary Languages
  Bengali
  Limbu
People Groups Speaking Nepali

Primary Language:  Nepali

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1850-1961)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1821-2010)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1914-2012)
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Text / Printed Matter Bible: Comic Book Version Super Bible / Comic Bible Society
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Denis Belitsky - Shutterstock  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source People Group Location: Omid. Other geography / data: GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Keith Carey 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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