Lish Monpa in India

The Lish Monpa have only been reported in India
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.

Introduction / History

The Lishpa Monpa, who actually call themselves Kishpi in their own language, are considered the most different of all the Monpa groups in India with regards to language, origin and culture. Their distinctiveness is because they came from Tibet. Other Monpa groups say they migrated from Bhutan and areas to the west.

The Lishpa Monpa people inhabit hilly terrain near the Dirang administrative centre in the West Kameng District of Arunachal Pradesh in north-east India. They are distributed in three villages—Lish, Lish Gompache and Lish Gompalok. Their habitat is surrounded by dense pine forests. It has a cool and salubrious climate with moderate to heavy rainfall.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Like the other peoples in this region, the Lishpa Monpa people grow grain and raise livestock in their mountain homeland.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Despite this almost complete profession of Buddhism, the Lishpa Monpas practice a curious mixture of traditional Tibetan Buddhism combined with shamanism and witchcraft. The lama imparts religious teaching among them. The Lishpa practice witchcraft and sorcery and are engaged in curing diseases.

Besides Lord Buddha and his different incarnations, the Lishpas have a traditional community deity known as Phu or Lishpu (the hill deity). The Lishpas also send their sons to different monasteries in India to acquire training in Lamaism.

There has never been a single known Christ follower among the Lishpa Monpa. Outreach to them has proven difficult. Prospective missionaries to them should be trained in spiritual warfare. A group of Naga evangelists who moved to Arunachal Pradesh to reach the Monpa in 2001 faced tremendous demonic opposition and intimidation.


What Are Their Needs?

These people need to realize that they cannot please God without being empowered by the Holy Spirit. They cannot have the Holy Spirit without Jesus Christ.


Prayer Points

Pray for a movement of Jesus to heal and strengthen Lish Monpa communities.

Pray for a "Book of Acts" type of movement to Christ among the Lish Monpa.

Pray for the Lish Monpa people to understand and embrace that Jesus wants to bless their families and neighborhoods.

Pray for Holy Spirit anointed believers from the Lish Monpa people to change their society from within.

Pray for a movement in which the Holy Spirit leads and empowers disciples to make more disciples.


Scripture Prayers for the Monpa Lish in India.


References

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


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Monpa Lish
People Name in Country Monpa Lish
Natural Name Lish Monpa
Alternate Names Kishpi; Kishpi Monpa; Lish; Lish Monpa; Lishpa; Lishpa Monpa; Monba; मोनपा, लिश
Population this Country 2,700
Population all Countries 2,700
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 17374
ROP3 Code 112766
ROP25 Code 305594
ROP25 Name Monpa
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country They inhabit hilly terrain near the Dirang administrative centre in the West Kameng District of Arunachal Pradesh. They are distributed in three villages, Lish, Lish Gompache and Lish Gompalok.   Source:  Peoples of the Buddhist World, 2004
Districts Interactive map, listing and data download
Specialized Website South Asia Peoples
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country They inhabit hilly terrain near the Dirang administrative centre in the West Kameng District of Arunachal Pradesh. They are distributed in three villages, Lish, Lish Gompache and Lish Gompalok..   Source:  Peoples of the Buddhist World, 2004
Total States 1
  Arunachal Pradesh 2,700
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Buddhism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
98.12 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
0.67 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.76 %
Islam
0.18 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.09 %
Unknown
0.18 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Lish (2,700 speakers)
Language Code lsh   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Unknown
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Lish (2,700 speakers)
Language Code lsh   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Lish

Primary Language:  Lish

Bible Translation Status:  Translation Started

Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Peoples of the Buddhist World, Asia Harvest  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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