Muda August 18

males and females: each groups. It will require a gender has its own room. specific, focused, cross- The family’s ancestral altar cultural church-planting stands in the center of the effort to see the Muda won main room. It is considered for Jesus Christ. sacred and must never be dishonored. When they move into a new house, the Muda must bring the •Mojiang household items into the •Lancang VIET- home in a prescribed NAM Menghai manner. First, the altar is • • LAOS carried in, followed by a Scale 0KM80 tripod that is used to cook rice. After that, the other Population in : 2,000 (1993) pieces of furniture and 2,320 (2000) belongings may be brought 2,850 (2010) in. Location: Yunnan Religion: Ancestor Worship Christians: None Known Religion: The ancestral altar is the focus for all ceremonies relating to the Overview of the Muda Muda’s ancestors. The Countries: China Muda share the Akha belief Pronunciation: “Moo-dah” in a supreme being, Apoe Other Names: Miyeh, who is also Muta, Gashai, Sangkong considered the link between Population Source: 2,000 (1993 J. Matisoff); Josie Plummer their ancestors and the Out of a total Hani population of Location: More than 2,300 History: Because of ethnic present-day generation. The 1,253,952 (1990 census) people belong to the Muda and linguistic differences Muda believe Apoe Miyeh to Location: SW Yunnan: Nanliang ethnic group in China. They from the Akha who dominate be their original male Mountains in Gashai District of Jinghong County in Xishuanbanna inhabit the Nanliangshan the area, it is likely the ancestor and the progenitor Prefecture (Nanliang Mountains) in the Muda are a tribe or group of of their race. Great care is Status: Gashai District of Jinghong people who migrated into taken during ancestral Officially included under Hani County. Jinghong is the the area from a different rituals to feed and honor the Language: Sino-Tibetan, prefectural seat for the location. The Akha have spirits of the deceased. In Tibeto-Burman, Burmese-Lolo, Lolo, Southern Lolo, Phunoi Xishuangbanna Dai been scattered throughout this way the Muda also Dialects: 0 in many parts of Southeast hope their children will take Religion: Ancestor Worship, southern Yunnan Province. Asia during the last 150 care of their souls after Animism, Polytheism years. It is possible that death. The Muda also Christians: None known Identity: The Muda are an ethnic Muda families have worship “inside” and Scripture: None ethnic subgroup of the Hani also participated in this “outside” spirits. Jesus film: None nationality in China. They diaspora, although no record Gospel Recordings: None call themselves Muda and exists of the Muda being in Christianity: In recent years Christian Broadcasting: None speak a different language surrounding countries. the church in Jinghong ROPAL code: None from other Hani groups in County has continued to China. The Muda are Customs: Muda villages are grow, but so far almost all of Status of Evangelization possibly called Sangkong in built, where possible, on the expansion has occurred Chinese. ridges along the among Han Chinese, Tai Lu, 87% Nanliangshan Mountains. and Jino believers. Language: The Muda Their houses are stilted, Christianity has failed to language was briefly studied with enveloping thatched make any impact among the 13% and documented in 1993; roofs that often reach down Muda. Because of their 0% this included lexical terms to touch the ground on the small population, the Muda and a phonetic inventory.1 It high side of the hill. Muda are likely to be passed over A B C is part of the Phunoi branch houses have no windows. by mission agencies and A = Have never heard the gospel B = Were evangelized but did not of the Tibeto-Burman family, Inside their homes, there is evangelists, in favor of become Christians closely related to Bisu. a strict division between larger, more influential C = Are adherents to any form of Christianity

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