Zokhuo in China

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

Introduction / History

The Zokhuo are a distinct ethnic group. They are proud of their unique ethnicity and history as a people and do not see themselves to be the same as any other people group. Despite these facts, the Chinese authorities have placed the Zokhuo under the large and all-embracing Yi nationality which contains 120 different groups. Jamin Pelkey notes, "The Zokhuo consider themselves different from the Poluo around them, and certainly do not consider themselves to be Yi." Some of the alternate names for the Zokhuo include Niuweiba (Cowtail), Changpu (Long Pu) and Baipu (White Pu). These are probably names given to them by other ethnic groups and are not used by the Zokhuo themselves.

According to Zokhuo oral history, they originally lived in the Dali area of west central Yunnan and migrated to Wenshan around the time of the Nanzhao Kingdom (possibly about AD 900).


What Are Their Lives Like?

Chinese anthropologist Lu Jinyu visited the Zokhuo extensively in the early 1990s. He studied Zokhuo culture in all 16 of their villages and published a 30-page paper in Chinese. Lu found that the Zokhuo culture and language are thriving. The Zokhuo practice a number of special customs and festivals throughout the year, when they dress up in their traditional attire.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Zokhuo are polytheistic animists. Their worldview is shaped by their belief in the spirit world. The Zokhuo live in simple houses near streams or some other water source. Traditionally, they do not dig wells, for fear of "striking the veins of the dragon" that they believe lives in the water underneath the earth.

The Zokhuo have no known Christians in their midst. Their close-knit communities and strong desire to maintain their culture possibly mean they will view Christianity as a threat to their way of life. To date, few Zokhuo have ever heard of Jesus Christ.


What Are Their Needs?

The Zokhuo people need to accept the warm embrace of the only Savior so they can enjoy spiritually meaningful lives.


Prayer Points

Pray for the authority of Christ to bind hindering spiritual forces to lead them from darkness to light.

Pray for signs and wonders to happen among them and for great breakthroughs with a rapid multiplication of disciples and house churches.

Pray for bold workers who are driven by the love of the Holy Spirit to go to them.

Pray for an unstoppable movement to Christ among them.


Scripture Prayers for the Zokhuo in China.


References

Operation China, Asia Harvest, Copyrighted © Used with permission


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Zokhuo
People Name in Country Zokhuo
Alternate Names Cowtail Phula; Nimitso; Niuweiba Phula,; Phula; Ruoke; Tshokha; Zekhe; Zuoke
Population this Country 17,000
Population all Countries 17,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 20617
ROP3 Code 116930
ROP25 Code 309121
ROP25 Name Zokhuo
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 Yunnan province: southeast Wenshan county, south Dongshan and north Zhuiligai townships; south Yanshan county.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
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 Yunnan province: southeast Wenshan county, south Dongshan and north Zhuiligai townships; south Yanshan county..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.60 %)
0.90 %
Ethnic Religions
99.10 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Zokhuo (17,000 speakers)
Language Code yzk   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Unknown
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Zokhuo (17,000 speakers)
Language Code yzk   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Zokhuo

Primary Language:  Zokhuo

Bible Translation Status:  Translation Needed

Resource Type Resource Name Source
None reported  
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Operation China, Asia Harvest  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source Joshua Project / Global Mapping International  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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