Khamti in Myanmar (Burma)


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Buddhism (Theravada)
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

Khampti people live in the border area where the three countries of Myanmar, India and China meet. Most Khampti live in northern Myanmar, having first settled along the Chinwin River in the 12th century AD. Those Khampti escaped enslavement by the Burmese and settled in their present location in the fertile triangle of northern Myanmar. More Khampti people live across the border in northeast India's states of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, where they are recognized as a scheduled tribe.

The Khampti speak their own language of Khampti. Only gospel recordings are available in Khampti at the present time. The Khampti language is related to Shan, but after centuries of geographical separation Khampti has developed its own characteristics. They have their own script, called Lik-Tai, which resembles the script used by the Mon in southern Myanmar.

In modern times, Myanmar has had a long history of coups, wars and rebellions. Ethnic divisions and political unrest have been common since the first Burmese kingdom in the eleventh century. Myanmar gained its independence from Britain in 1948. Much of modern Burmese history has been one of civil wars between the Burmese majority and the nation's minority groups that includes the Shan, Karen, Lahu and Rohingya. The military launched another coup in 2021 and is currently ruling the country.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Due to the almost complete lack of ethnographic material available in Myanmar, most of what is known about the Khampti comes from India. The staple food of the Khampti is rice. Along with rice the Khampti cultivate tropical fruits, vegetables, coconuts, and palm trees. They eat a variety of fish. They consume the meat of fowls, pigs, and goats. Eating beef is a forbidden.

Khampti society is hierarchical, with the village chief at the top, followed by the Buddhist monks, the common people and then then former slaves at the bottom.

When a Khampti couple gets married, a mediator accompanies the groom's relatives to the bride's house in a procession. The groom's party offers a basket of dried fish and rice beer to the bride's parents. When the entertainment is over the mediator negotiates with the bride's father, whereupon he hands over his daughter to the groom's party.

The Khampti are primarily an oral people. They have a rich tradition of songs, poetry, dances, and art which becomes apparent at their festivals and Buddhist holidays.


These peace-loving people make offerings of flowers and food.
What Are Their Beliefs?

Theravada Buddhism is the religion of almost every Khampti person. Most villages have their own monastery, where proud parents send their sons to study the teachings of Buddha. Buddhism is the major world religion based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama or the Buddha, who lived in the 6th and 5th century BC in ancient India. The Khampti's brand of Buddhism is heavily mixed with animism. The Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths by which one can gain spiritual knowledge and escape the endless cycles of reincarnation. Theravada, one of the two major branches of Buddhism, declares that by following the Noble Eightfold Path of right intentions and right actions that a Buddhist can achieve nirvana or a state of freedom and salvation.

To most Buddhists, however, these things have far less meaning than their traditional beliefs, which are usually animistic. In animism, evil spirits must be appeased through prayers, sacrifices and rituals. Buddhism allows people to mix Buddhist teachings with traditional folk religion.

Two of the important Buddhist yearly holidays are Vesak, the Buddha's birthday celebrated in May or June and Bodhi Day, the holiday in December or January which commemorates the day that the historical Buddha experienced enlightenment under a Bodhi tree.


What Are Their Needs?

Few Khampti have any awareness of the Son of God who died for their sins. Teams of workers can bring modern medicine to Khampti villages. The Khampti would also benefit from solar panels. Some isolated Khampti villages lack schools for their children. Christian teachers can come and start schools.


Prayer Points

Pray for the spiritual blindness and bondage to the evil one to be removed so the Khampti can understand and respond to Christ.

Pray for the Lord to provide for the Khampti's physical and spiritual needs as a testimony of His power and love.

Pray the Khampti people will have a spiritual hunger that will open their hearts to the King of kings.

Pray for an unstoppable movement to Christ among the Khampti of Myanmar in this decade.


Scripture Prayers for the Khamti, Khamti Shan in Myanmar (Burma).


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Khamti
People Name in Country Khamti, Khamti Shan
Natural Name Khamti
Pronunciation KAHM-tee
Alternate Names Bor-Khampti; Hkamti; Kam Ti; Kham-Tai; Khamti; Khamti Shan; Kmajang; Moonglair Khampti; Phakial; Tai Kam Ti; खंपति
Population this Country 9,000
Population all Countries 29,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 12650
ROP3 Code 104896
Country Myanmar (Burma)
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 17  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Kachin state: Putao district (4,500) and Myitkyina area (3,500); Sagaing region.   Source:  Ethnologue 2023
Country Myanmar (Burma)
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 17  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Kachin state: Putao district (4,500) and Myitkyina area (3,500); Sagaing region..   Source:  Ethnologue 2023
Primary Religion: Buddhism (Theravada)
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
99.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 1.00 %)
1.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Khamti (9,000 speakers)
Language Code kht   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Sinkaling Hkamti
Dialect Code 11931   Global Recordings Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Khamti (9,000 speakers)
Language Code kht   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Sinkaling Hkamti
Dialect Code 11931   Global Recordings Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Khamti

Primary Language:  Khamti

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes
Bible-New Testament Yes  (2023)
Bible-Complete No
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app direct APK download SIL
Mobile App Android Bible app: Khamti YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Tai Khamti Bible Wycliffe Bible Translators
Mobile App Download Bible App General / Other
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Khamti YouVersion Bibles
Photo Source Anonymous 
Map Source Bryan Nicholson / cartoMission  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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