People group profile · PG047616
The Akha of China
The Akha of China, numbering about 311,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are part of the Hani people of Yunnan whose ancestors carved the Honghe rice terraces from forest over the past 1,300 years, a UNESCO World Heritage agroecosystem, with those who spread into Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand becoming known as Akha.
They are an indigenous people in the Hani-Akha people cluster of the Himalayan Peoples. Their primary religion is Chinese Folk Religion, and they primarily speak Hani.
Fast facts
- Country
- China
- Population
- 311,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Hani-Akha
- Primary language
- Hani (hni)
- Primary religion
- Chinese Folk Religion
- 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
- Eastern Asia, Asia
Where they live
Gospel status
The Akha 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 Akha
- 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
Chinese Folk Religion · Ethnoreligion
95% adherents
Primary language
Hani · Sino-Tibetan family
100% speak Hani
Gospel resources in Hani
- Bible available, published 2016
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories available
Films
- JESUS (Hani, Haya)
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Akha
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
Akha in other countries
The same people (ROP3 100185) is reported in 4 other countries.
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