Ho in India


Population
Main Language
Ho
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* Data can be from various sources including official census, agencies, and local research. Data from these sources can sometimes differ even by orders of magnitude. Joshua Project attempts to present a conservative, balanced estimate.

Introduction / History

The Ho of India, unlike most other peoples in India, are classified as Caucasian. Most live in the forest area of the Chota Nagpur Plateau in the Southern Bihar region of India. Groups also inhabit Northern Orissa as well as parts of West Bengal, Bangladesh, and Nepal, all areas clustered near the northeastern corner of India. Because they speak Ho (the Lahore dialect of the Maunder language), they are grouped with other Maunder-speaking groups such as the Saints and Mounds of India.

The word "ho" means "human being". According to Ho belief, all other groups of people are considered to be foreigners or outsiders, and not men. This may explain their independent and sometimes isolationist nature. A number of outsiders, such as the British and Muslims, have ruled the Ho tribe, but their fiercely independent nature has successfully kept them from the rule of the predominant Hindu.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Ho consider themselves to be a separate tribe and not part of the Hindu caste system, even though around one-third follow the Hindu belief system. Unlike the majority Hindus who make up India, the Ho eat meat and drink rice beer.

The tribe's culture is intertwined with the natural world. They are most comfortable in the forest environment that supplies many of the necessities they need for living. Roots, leaves and flowers of plants, grass, fruits, nuts, berries, mushrooms, and silk moth cocoons are used for food, trade, or medicine. Their major agricultural crop is rice, which they ferment to make beer. Mining for minerals found under the soil is the base for newly developing industries in nearby cities.

Villages are led by headmen who settle disputes and control the rent toll. Houses are usually made of mud and leaves of palm or other trees. Feasts or festivals mark the end of one season or the beginning of another. The major feast, called the "feast of contracts," is held after the annual harvest. The festival lasts about two months and includes singing, dancing, and drinking. All obligations and contracts end until the new year.

Many marriages also take place during the festival. Traditionally, a Ho marriage takes place when the groom's family pays a chari (bride price). In the past few years, however, a dowry (gifts or money from the bride's family to the groom) has begun to take the place of a chari.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The majority of the Ho are animists (believing that non-human objects have spirits) who worship clan gods such as a snake or monkey, and spirits which are approached through witchcraft or trances. They believe the world is full of bongas (spirits) that exist in objects of nature. Meat and beer are offered as a sacrifice to the bongas because they can cause disease and bad luck to those who do not appease them. Once a man worships a bonga, it becomes his teacher and the man becomes a shaman (medicine man or priest). The village protector spirit is asked by a priest to watch over the Ho activities and to protect them from evil spirits.

The Ho believe a man's shadow is his individuality, his character, which grows and develops throughout his life. The shadow never dies, but when a man dies, his shadow returns to his house where it is joined by other 'house dead' who dwell with his family. The 'house dead' either help or trouble the family depending on the amount of respect given to them.


What Are Their Needs?

The New Testament is printed in the Ho language and some missions agencies currently labor among these people. Although efforts are being made to evangelize the Ho, their response has been very low-only a small number are Christians, so there is a strong need for further prayer and evangelism.


Prayer Points

Pray that the truth of the Gospel will set them free.
Pray that the Ho who have heard the Gospel of the One True God will accept Him and work to reach their own people for Christ.
Ask the Lord to soften the hearts of the Ho so they will want to know Christ.
Ask God to grant wisdom and favor to missionaries trying to reach the Ho for Christ.
Pray that God will protect and encourage the small number of Ho Christians.


Scripture Prayers for the Ho in India.


Profile Source:   Bethany World Prayer Center  

People Name General Ho
People Name in Country Ho
Pronunciation hoh
Alternate Names Lanka Kol; हो
Population this Country 1,213,000
Population all Countries 1,311,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 4  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 24
PeopleID3 16944
ROP3 Code 112247
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States on file 14
Largest States
Jharkhand
1,048,000
Odisha
91,000
Assam
47,000
West Bengal
27,000
Bihar
800
Arunachal Pradesh
200
Chhattisgarh
200
Uttar Pradesh
100
Tripura
100
Delhi
80
Maharashtra
40
Tamil Nadu
20
Punjab
10
Andhra Pradesh
10
Districts Interactive map, listing and data download
Specialized Website South Asia Peoples
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States 14
  Jharkhand 1,048,000
  Odisha 91,000
  Assam 47,000
  West Bengal 27,000
  Bihar 800
  Arunachal Pradesh 200
  Chhattisgarh 200
  Uttar Pradesh 100
  Tripura 100
  Delhi 80
  Maharashtra 40
  Tamil Nadu 20
  Punjab 10
  Andhra Pradesh 10
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Unknown
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.03 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
2.38 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
14.49 %
Islam
0.09 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
83.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Ho (945,000 speakers)
Language Code hoc   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 51
Secondary Languages
(only 15 largest shown)
Odia
60,000
Assamese
20,000
Bengali
13,000
Hindi
10,000
Santhali
7,700
Kurux
7,600
Sadri
5,000
Mundari
4,500
Munda
700
Nepali
500
Kol (Bangladesh)
200
Kuvi
200
Bhojpuri
200
Maithili
100
Kudmali
80
Primary Language Ho (945,000 speakers)
Language Code hoc   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 51
Secondary Languages (only 15 largest shown)
  Odia 60,000
  Assamese 20,000
  Bengali 13,000
  Hindi 10,000
  Santhali 7,700
  Kurux 7,600
  Sadri 5,000
  Mundari 4,500
  Munda 700
  Nepali 500
  Kol (Bangladesh) 200
  Kuvi 200
  Bhojpuri 200
  Maithili 100
  Kudmali 80
People Groups Speaking Ho
Photo Source Ramesh Lalwani - Flickr  Creative Commons 
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project  
Profile Source Bethany World Prayer Center 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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