Luoluopo, Southeastern July 11 ➤

Luoluopo in who live tools exist in their language near the townships or in the and no ministries are known valleys have started mixed to be targeting them for communities with the Han salvation. Chinese and are rapidly losing their language and culture. GUIZHOU • GUANGXI •Mile Customs: When a Luoluopo Qiubei •Mojiang • •Guangnan dies, his or her relatives •Kaiyuan Pingbian Jiangcheng • organize a “dance of the • Scale spirits.” They believe this 0 KM 160 VIETNAM

dance will help the soul find Population in China: its way back to the resting 35,800 (1999) place of its ancestors. At 36,700 (2000) the dance the son-in-law of 46,050 (2010) Location: Yunnan the deceased carries a bag Religion: Polytheism on his shoulder. Inside the Christians: None Known bag is a cloth ball which represents the head of the Overview of the deceased person. Southeastern Luoluopo Religion: The Luoluopo are Countries: China, Vietnam a very superstitious people. Pronunciation: “Luoh-luoh-po” Even their homes are Other Names: Lolo, Hanluo, arranged to reflect this. The Hualuo, Bailuo, Heiluo Population Source: altar to the “spirit of the 35,800 (1999 J. Pelkey); house”stands against the Out of a total Yi population of back wall. A room on the 6,572,173 (1990 census);

Paul Hattaway 3,134 in Vietnam (1989 census) right side contains a Location: A total of more been added to distinguish Location: S Yunnan: Maguan bedroom with a fireplace (20,000), Funing (5,200), Xichou than 35,000 Southeastern this group from the other and the room on the left (5,000), Malipo (4,000), and Luoluopo live in southern Luoluopo groups in China side contains the kitchen Honghe (1,600) counties Yunnan Province of China. who speak completely and the ancestral altar. The Status: The majority, more than different languages, even Officially included under Yi oldest surviving member of Language: Sino-Tibetan, Tibeto- 20,000, live in Maguan though they share the same each family is expected to Burman, Burmese-Lolo, Lolo, County. Some live in Funing autonym. maintain the altar and to Northern Lolo, Yi, Southeastern Yi and Xichou counties (5,000 Dialects (4): Han Lolo, Hua Lolo, faithfully execute all the Bai Lolo, Hei Lolo each). An additional 4,000 Language: As their name ancestral ceremonies and live in Malipo County and suggests, this group speaks Religion: Polytheism, Animism, 1 rituals. In addition to their Ancestor Worship 1,600 in Honghe County. a language belonging to the intricate system of ancestor Christians: None known The Southeastern Luoluopo Southeastern group of Yi worship, the Lolo believe in Scripture: None also spill across the border languages. Yi, in turn, is just two gods who created the Jesus film: None into northern Vietnam where one of the branches of the world, Mit Do and Ket Do. Gospel Recordings: None approximately 3,200 are Tibeto-Burman language Ket Do created the entire Christian Broadcasting: None recognized as the official family. universe and mankind, while ROPAL code: None Lolo minority group. Mit Do governs the earth Status of Evangelization History: According to and watches over the 94% Identity: Although they have Vietnamese sources, the Luoluopo. received status as a Luoluopo migrated to separate ethnic group in Vietnam in two different Christianity: The Vietnam, the Southeastern waves: one in the fifteenth Southeastern Luoluopo are Luoluopo have not been so century and the other in the one of the most neglected 6% 0% fortunate in China where eighteenth century. This and gospel-starved peoples they are considered to be suggests that the Luoluopo in the region. There are no A B C just one subgroup of the have been living in southern known believers in their A = Have never heard the gospel massive Yi nationality. The China for more than 500 midst in either China or B = Were evangelized but did not become Christians self-name of this group is years. In recent years, many Vietnam today. No C = Are adherents to any form of Luoluopo. Southeastern has of the Southeastern Scriptures or evangelistic Christianity

LUOLUOPO, SOUTHEASTERN 315