People group profile · PG022053
The Rumai Palaung of Myanmar
The Rumai Palaung of Myanmar, numbering about 218,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Palaung subgroup of Myanmar's northern Shan hills who settled the region before the Shan arrived from China in the twelfth century, sustaining themselves through tea cultivation on mountain slopes near Namhsan.
They are an indigenous people in the Mon-Khmer people cluster of the Southeast Asian Peoples. Their primary religion is Theravada Buddhism, and they primarily speak Rumai Palaung.
Fast facts
- Country
- Myanmar
- Population
- 218,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Mon-Khmer
- Primary language
- Rumai Palaung (rbb)
- Primary religion
- Theravada Buddhism
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Pioneer Unreached People Group
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Rumai Palaung are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Rumai Palaung
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
Theravada Buddhism · Buddhism
95% adherents
Primary language
Rumai Palaung · Austroasiatic family
100% speak Rumai Palaung
Gospel resources in Rumai Palaung
- Bible available, published -
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Palaung, Rumai)
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Rumai Palaung
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
- Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
- John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
Rumai in other countries
The same people (ROP3 108436) is reported in 1 other country.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rumai De`ang | China | 6,300 | Unengaged and Unreached |
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