Lakkia in China

The Lakkia have only been reported in China
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Lakkia have been officially included as part of the Yao nationality in China. Although they are culturally similar to some Yao groups, the Lakkia speak a language from the Dong-Shui linguistic branch. Lakkia is the self-name of this people group. The Chinese call them Chashan Yao, meaning "Yao of the tea mountains." Formerly they were called Changmao Yao meaning "long-haired Yao" because they used to wear their long hair in buns. The Lakkia should not be confused with the Laka of northern Yunnan, the identically named Lakkia of Vietnam, or the Laqua in Yunnan who have also been known to call themselves Lakkia.

Acknowledged to be the original inhabitants of the Dayaoshan Mountains, they are said to have arrived in the area from Guangdong, passing through Wuzhou in Guangxi before entering their present location via Teng and Pingnan counties. It is possible the Lakkia were originally a Tai group who, after centuries of living alongside the Yao, became assimilated to the Yao culture but still retained their original language.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Lakkia houses are long and deep and are approached through three or four successive gates. Inside the front gate are cattle and pigs. The living quarters are located in the rear of the house. Lakkia courting customs are simple. "At a suspension tower ... boys stand at one corner and girls at another, singing to each other. ... Through singing one looks for one's dream girl or ideal man and love songs are sung by way of courtship. When a boy and a girl come to like each other in the course of singing, they exchange bracelets or waist belts as a token of their love. The boy's family will then send a match-maker to the girl's and the two will get married on an auspicious day."


What Are Their Beliefs?

Most Lakkia could be considered animists, with fewer traces of Daoism in their beliefs than in those of the four other Yao groups in the Dayaoshan Mountains.

The area was mentioned in a 1922 report: "Just north of Pingnamyun there is a large area known as the Yao Mountain district still uncharted, where a local dialect prevails of which little is known." In 1998, gospel recordings in the Xinping language were produced for the first time.


What Are Their Needs?

Without the guidance of Christ, these people are like sheep without a shepherd. They need the good shepherd in their families and communities.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to intervene in their families, calling people to his side.

Pray for loving workers.

Pray for their hearts to be drawn to the Lord of lords.

Pray for a church planting movement to thrive in their communities.


Scripture Prayers for the Lakkia in China.


References

Operation China, Asia Harvest, Copyrighted © Used with permission


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Lakkia
People Name in Country Lakkia
Pronunciation Lah-kee-uh
Alternate Names Cha Shan Yao; Chashan Yao; Lajia; Laka; Lakia; Lakja; Lakkja; Tai Laka; Tea Mountain Yao
Population this Country 14,000
Population all Countries 14,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 18533
ROP3 Code 114150
Country China
Region Asia, Northeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 19  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country A 1987 source lists a figure of 11,068 Lakkia people in China. The number of speakers of the Lakkia language is less than the total population. Different linguists have listed figures of 8,000, 8,900, and 9,0004 speakers. The Lakkia are located along both banks of the Jinxiu River, in the Dayaoshan (Big Yao Mountains) in Guangxi. They live in a concentrated area and are not found in any other part of China.   Source:  Operation China, 2000
Country China
Region Asia, Northeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 19  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country A 1987 source lists a figure of 11,068 Lakkia people in China. The number of speakers of the Lakkia language is less than the total population. Different linguists have listed figures of 8,000, 8,900, and 9,0004 speakers. The Lakkia are located along both banks of the Jinxiu River, in the Dayaoshan (Big Yao Mountains) in Guangxi. They live in a concentrated area and are not found in any other part of China..   Source:  Operation China, 2000
Map of Lakkia in China Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
96.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
4.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Lakkia (14,000 speakers)
Language Code lbc   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Lakkia (14,000 speakers)
Language Code lbc   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Lakkia

Primary Language:  Lakkia

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1912-1936)
Bible-New Testament No
Bible-Complete No
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
None reported  
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Operation China, 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.


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