Jeng in Laos

The Jeng have only been reported in Laos
Population
Main Language
Oy
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Jeng are linguistically and historically related to the Oy and Brau people, but they possess certain customs that define their separate ethnicity.

In the past the Jeng lived in the mountains inside Vietnam, but they migrated en masse to the plains of southern Laos in 1936. Today the Jeng people living in six villages in southern Laos. The Jeng (also spelt Chieng) live in one small area in the districts of Samakkhixai and Sanamxai in Attapu Province. The Jeng live along the main roads near the Lao, Oy and Brau. Their houses are dispersed randomly among the rice fields, unlike many other Mon-Khmer groups who place their homes in a circle around a communal house.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Today only a few old women still wear traditional Jeng dress for festivals only; although in recent years there has been a strong desire to preserve Jeng culture, now that much of it has already been lost.

Some aspects of Jeng culture have survived well. Jeng men and women are easily distinguishable for wearing large cylinders in their earlobes. The Jeng own large jars and ancient brass gongs, which were used as currency in the past, probably while they were still in Vietnam. Their culture and worldview have been greatly influenced by the Lao since then, although they have firmly resisted Buddhism.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Jeng are traditionally animists, although many of their animistic ceremonies have now been abandoned. Their continuing fear of spirits can clearly be seen in their custom of building a miniature model village just for the spirits. Within these villages, which may measure up to 100 meters in length, each particular spirit has its own house. The spirit village is usually built a few hundred meters away from the nearest house in the community. It is the place where people come to make offerings and sacrifices.

The extent that Christianity has affected the Jeng is uncertain. Some may have heard the gospel from the small number of Brau and Oy Christians nearby.


What Are Their Needs?

The Jeng people need to put their trust and identity in the hands of the loving God of Creation who sent his son to make it possible for them to enter the Kingdom of God.


Prayer Points

Pray the Jeng people would be known as temples of the Holy Spirit, and not as communities for housing demons.

Ask God to send evangelists to the unreached Jeng as soon as possible.

Pray the Jeng would be saved, as a testimony of God's grace and a witness to Christ's power over sin.


Scripture Prayers for the Jeng in Laos.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Jeng
People Name in Country Jeng
Pronunciation jang
Alternate Names Cheng
Population this Country 9,500
Population all Countries 9,500
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 12341
ROP3 Code 104229
Country Laos
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
Persecution Rank 21  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Attapu province, Samakkhixai and Sanamxai districts   Source:  Faces of the Unreached in Laos, 1999
Country Laos
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
Persecution Rank 21  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Attapu province, Samakkhixai and Sanamxai districts.   Source:  Faces of the Unreached in Laos, 1999
Map of Jeng in Laos Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 2.00 %)
5.00 %
Ethnic Religions
95.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Oy (9,500 speakers)
Language Code oyb   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Unknown
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Oy (9,500 speakers)
Language Code oyb   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Oy

Primary Language:  Oy

Bible Translation Status:  Unspecified

Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
General Language Learning Phrasebook They Need the Bible
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Peoples of Laos, Asia Harvest  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source People Group location: IMB. Map geography: ESRI / GMI. Map design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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