Niesu, Central September 6

Location: According to Jamin Pelkey, the Lowu 28,000 Central Niesu live along the nationality, as were common borders of Yangbi, Yunlong, the present-day and Yongping counties in the western Luowu people part of Dali Prefecture in group. Many Province. In Yangbi County, where centuries ago the 15,000 are found, the Central Niesu ancestors of the live in all the communities of Fuheng Central Niesu District; in the Goupi Community of migrated to their Taiping District; in the Baizhang present location Community of Shangjie District; and in and settled down in parts of Wanpo Community in the mountains. Shuangjian District. In , which contains 7,000 Central Customs: A Niesu Niesu, they inhabit the Lishuping, couple usually gets Shuanghe, Heidouchang, and Liumi married by one of communities of Beidou District. In two ways. First, the Yunlong County, the 6,000 Central couple needs the Niesu live in all of the communities consent of both within Tuanjie District.1 sets of parents. The couple then Identity: The Central Niesu have been customarily lives in officially included as part of the Yi the home of the nationality in . They are not the bride’s family until same as the similarly named Nisu, the first child is Neisu, Nasu, or Nosu groups in born. Only after the southern China who, even though they birth is the couple Paul Hattaway are all viewed as Yi groups, possess officially considered married. They are as helpful spirits that can bless and widely differing customs and free to move into their own home. protect them, but most they see as languages. They are also not the Alternatively, when a girl “reaches the vengeful and dangerous spirits that same as a group in Weining County of age of 16 she is given her own room must be continually appeased and Guizhou Province, also called Niesu. above the goat shed or cattle stall. feared. Her boyfriend then comes and spends Language: The Central Niesu the nights with her. When a child is Christianity: The gospel has yet to language has been placed in the born, the father of the child is her reach the ears of at least 90% of Central Yi group by Chinese linguists husband for life. Before a child is Central Niesu people in China. Dali apparently on the basis that it born… the ‘marriage’ may be broken Prefecture contains one of the lowest displays similarities with the Western off by a simple ceremony of splitting a percentage Christians of any area in Lipo language, which has been stick, but after the first child, divorce Yunnan Province. Not only are the classified a Central Yi variety. is very uncommon.”2 Central Niesu unreached, but they are surrounded by numerous other people History: According to past records, Religion: The Central Niesu worship groups in a similar unfortunate the Central Niesu were once part of many gods and spirits. Some they see position.

Status: Overview of the Status of Evangelization Central Niesu Officially included under Yi • SICHUAN Language: Sino-Tibetan, 90% Countries: China Tibeto-Burman, Burmese-Lolo, MYANMAR •Binchuan Pronunciation: “Nay-soo” Lolo, Northern Lolo, Yi, Central Yi •Dali YUNNAN •Baoshan Other Names: Dialects: 0 •Chuxiong Niesupo, Neisu, Luowu Religion: Polytheism, Animism, •Wanding •Yunxian Population Source: Ancestor Worship 10% Scale • 0% 0 KM 160 28,000 (1999 J. Pelkey); Christians: None known Out of a total Yi population of A B C 6,572,173 (1990 census) Scripture: None Population in China: Location: W Yunnan: Yangbi Jesus film: None A = Have never heard the gospel 28,000 (1999) B = Were evangelized but did not (15,000), Yongping (7,000), Gospel Recordings: None 28,700 (2000) become Christians and Yunlong (6,000) counties 36,050 (2010) Christian Broadcasting: None C = Are adherents to any form of Location: Yunnan ROPAL code: None Christianity Religion: Polytheism Christians: None Known

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