A’ou January 17

numbers of Gelao have has ever been recorded. been assimilated by the With a small population and . living in a remote location, groups like the A’ou are History: The ancestors often overlooked when of the A’ou have lived in Christian ministries plan Province since their evangelism and church- time immemorial. Jacob planting strategies. Lee explains, “Some 2,000 years ago, many tribes lived in this southwestern part of GUIZHOU • •Qianxi , each with its own •Weining • • Lupanshui • ruler and territory. The Gelao, known in ancient •Panxian Scale GUANGXI times as the Liao, were 0 KM 160 one of the largest tribes and they called their Population in China: 1,500 (1987) country the 2,060 (2000) Kingdom. During the Han 2,650 (2010) Dynasty (206 BC – AD Location: Guizhou 220), the imperial court Religion: Ancestor Worship Christians: None Known sent armies to conquer the southwest, and then the king of Yelang Overview of the A’ou submitted peacefully by Countries: China the persuasion of the Pronunciation: “Ah-ow” dispatched Other Names: A’ou Gelao Population Source: ambassadors. 1,500 (1987 Zheng Guo-qiao); Paul Hattaway Subsequently, most of Out of a total Gelao population of Location: With a population Language: A’ou is part of the tribal rulers were 437,997 (1990 census) of approximately 2,000 the Kadai branch of the Tai defeated, leaving only the Location: Guizhou: Zhijin, Qianxi, speakers, the A’ou ethnic language family. The Gelao king of Yelang still in control and Dafang counties 3 Status: Officially included group inhabits three languages seem to be a of his territory.” under Gelao counties in the north central complicated mixture of many Language: Daic, Kadai, Lati-Kelao part of Guizhou Province in different languages. This is Customs: Most A’ou are Dialects: 0 southern China. They are shown by a linguistic study hardworking farmers who Religion: Ancestor Worship, concentrated in the which found one Gelao earn a meager income Animism, No Religion Longjiazhai of Zhijin language to have 45% cultivating rice from the poor Christians: None known County; in the Shawo, lexical similarity with Guizhou soil. As a result, Scripture: None Lannigou, and Xinkaitian Southern Zhuang and Dai, many youth have moved to Jesus film: None districts of Qianxi County; 40% with Dong, 36% with the cities in recent years in Gospel Recordings: None and in and around the town Lati, 32% with Pubiao, 29% search of work. Christian Broadcasting: None 1 of Pudi in . with Buyang, 27% to 40% ROPAL code: KKF02 The number of people who with Li, 24% with Northern Religion: Most A’ou do not identify themselves by the Zhuang, 22% with Lakkia, consider themselves Status of Evangelization ethnic name A’ou may be 10% to 15% with Hmong, religious, although they do 90% substantially higher than the and 5% to 15% with Lu honor their ancestors; many total number who can still Mien.2 The reason Gelao is elderly people still make speak the language. related to so many different sacrifices to various spirits widespread languages today and gods. 10% Identity: Although they have may be because it was once 0% been officially counted as the lingua franca (common Christianity: There are no part of the Gelao nationality speech) for many peoples. It known Christians among the A B C A = Have never heard the gospel in China, the A’ou have their absorbed characteristics A’ou today. Catholic workers B = Were evangelized but did not own ethnic identity and which remain today. targeted the Gelao in other become Christians C = Are adherents to any form of speak a language not Ironically, the Gelao parts of Guizhou in the late Christianity mutually intelligible with any languages are now in danger 1800s, but no mission work of the other Gelao varieties. of extinction as vast specifically among the A’ou

44 A’OU