The Phana now living in Laos say they migrated from China eight generations ago, under the authority of a Chinese leader named Lateu Kouang. They first arrived in the Viangphoukha District of Laos before settling down in their present locations. In China the Phana came under the control of the Xishuangbanna Tai Lu rulers in the past, who extracted tax and tribute from them.
The Phana are an ethnic subgroup of the Akha who, in turn, have been officially placed under the Hani nationality in China. Because of this classification, few people know about the Phana, who view themselves as a distinct people group. In many areas today it has become difficult to tell the Phana apart from the Tai Lu.
Traditionally the Phana settled in the remote mountains, where they lived peacefully without trouble from other ethnic groups. Despite their small population, there are at least three separate clan divisions among the Phana. Each is named after a sacred type of bird, which the members of that clan are not allowed to kill. Most Phana no longer wear their traditional style of dress, except during festivals and other important occasions such as weddings and funerals.
The Phanas practice spirit and ancestor worship. In many respects the Phana rituals mirror those of their Akha neighbors and relatives, although it appears they do not follow the Akhazang system that is a dominant feature of the Akha throughout Southeast Asia.
Although few outsiders have ever heard of the Phana ethnic group of southern China and northern Laos, the Christian ministry Gospel Recordings in 1967 produced a cassette tape message of the good news in the Phana language. Unfortunately, because of the relative obscurity of the Phana, few mission organizations have ever made use of this resource to take the gospel to the Phana in their own language. Today, there are no known Christians among the Phana in either China or Laos. There are very few believers among any of the ethnic groups in Mengla County.
The Phana people need to submit to Jesus Christ so they can experience the abundant life he offers in John 10:10.
Pray for the spiritual blindness and bondage to the evil one to be removed so they can understand and respond to Christ.
Pray for the Lord to provide for their physical and spiritual needs as a testimony of his power and love.
Pray that the Phana people will have a spiritual hunger that will open their hearts to the King of kings.
Pray for an unstoppable movement to Christ among them.
Scripture Prayers for the Phana in China.
Operation China, Asia Harvest, Copyrighted © Used with permission
Profile Source: Joshua Project |
People Name General | Phana |
People Name in Country | Phana |
Pronunciation | Pa-nah |
Alternate Names | |
Population this Country | 5,200 |
Population all Countries | 5,800 |
Total Countries | 2 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | Yes |
GSEC | 1 (per PeopleGroups.org) |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 1 |
People ID | 18892 |
ROP3 Code | 114840 |
ROP25 Code | 306487 |
ROP25 Name | Pana (Phana) |
Country | China | ||
Region | Asia, Northeast | ||
Continent | Asia | ||
10/40 Window | Yes | ||
National Bible Society | Website | ||
Persecution Rank | 16 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) | ||
Location in Country | Several thousand ethnic Pana, or Bana, live in the extreme southern part of China along the border with Laos. The Pana live in Mengla County within the Xishuangbanna Prefecture in southwest Yunnan Province. An additional 350 Pana inhabit three villages in northern Laos. Two villages, Bopiet and Namtoung, are located in the Luang Namtha District of Luang Namtha Province, while one Pana village is in the Houaxay District of Bokeo Province near the Golden Triangle. Source: Operation China, 2000 |
Country | China |
Region | Asia, Northeast |
Continent | Asia |
10/40 Window | Yes |
National Bible Society | Website |
Persecution Rank | 16 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) |
Location in Country | Several thousand ethnic Pana, or Bana, live in the extreme southern part of China along the border with Laos. The Pana live in Mengla County within the Xishuangbanna Prefecture in southwest Yunnan Province. An additional 350 Pana inhabit three villages in northern Laos. Two villages, Bopiet and Namtoung, are located in the Luang Namtha District of Luang Namtha Province, while one Pana village is in the Houaxay District of Bokeo Province near the Golden Triangle.. Source: Operation China, 2000 |
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Primary Religion: | Ethnic Religions |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent |
---|---|
Buddhism |
0.00 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical 0.09 %) |
0.09 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
99.91 %
|
Hinduism |
0.00 %
|
Islam |
0.00 %
|
Non-Religious |
0.00 %
|
Other / Small |
0.00 %
|
Unknown |
0.00 %
|
Primary Language | Phana' (5,200 speakers) |
Language Code | phq Ethnologue Listing |
Language Written | Unknown |
Total Languages | 1 |
Primary Language | Phana' (5,200 speakers) |
Language Code | phq Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 1 |
People Groups | Speaking Phana' |
Primary Language: Phana'
Bible Translation Status: Translation Needed
Resource Type ▲ | Resource Name | Source |
---|---|---|
Audio Recordings | Audio Bible teaching | Global Recordings Network |
Photo Source | Copyrighted © 2023 Operation China, Asia Harvest All rights reserved. Used with permission |
Profile Source | Joshua Project |
Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more. |