|
Tai |
| People Group: |
Tai Nua |
 |
 |
| Location: |
Myanmar |
| Population: |
101,000 |
| Religion: |
Buddhism |
| % Christian: |
0.50% |
| % Evangelical: |
0.35% |
| Ministry
Resources: |
Bible Portions,
Some Believers |
|
|
Total People Group
Population: |
311,000 |
Other countries People
Group Linked to: |
Laos |
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Additional Information:
Identity
Although the Tai Nua are part of the official Dai nationality in China,
they speak their own distinct language. They should not be confused with
the identically named but different Tai Nua of Laos.
Language
Linguists have pointed out that Tai Nua is "a name given to at least two
quite different southwestern branch groups." The Tai Nua profiled here
are members of the Southwestern branch of the Tai language family, while
the Tai Mao language spoken throughout Dehong Prefecture is similar to
the Shan language of Myanmar. The confusion of names is caused partly by
"the Chinese tendency to group languages together into nationalities,
exemplified by the Dai nationality, which includes all the Southwestern
Tai languages of China."
 History
The Tai Nua are historically part of the great Tai race of Asia, which
dispersed during the past millennia to now inhabit parts of China, Laos,
Vietnam, Myanmar, India, and, of course, Thailand. "Based on evidence
from Neolithic finds unearthed by archeologists during recent decades it
is now believed that before migrating southwards, the forefathers of the
present day Thais lived in most parts of Guangxi and Sichuan, plus parts
of Guizhou and Yunnan."
Customs
After a Tai Nua wedding ceremony the bridegroom goes to live with his
bride's family. Traditionally he must take with him gifts of tea, rice,
meat, bananas, four eggs, and two salted fish for his new in-laws. Upon
arrival, the village elder takes the packets of tea and rice out to the
road and calls on the spirits of heaven and earth to witness the
marriage. He then ties a white thread seven times around the wrist of
the bride and once around the wrist of the groom to indicate their
unbreakable commitment to each other.
Religion
Although they are nominally Theravada Buddhists, the Tai Nua have many
aspects of animism and polytheism mixed into their beliefs. The very
first Tai god was Shalou, the god of Hunting. "Before a hunt, sacrifices
were offered to Shalou to avert danger and to ensure success in the
hunt."
Christianity
There are no known Christians among the Tai Nua and very little outreach
is presently focused on bringing the gospel to them. Little improvement
in their spiritual condition has taken place since the 1920s when one
missionary lamented, "There is not a missionary working south of [Kunming]
to Mohei, I am here alone and my little candle is the only light. Yet in
these mountains are thousands of tribesmen who have never heard of the
Gospel."
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