Miguba in China

The Miguba have only been reported in China
This people group’s population is unknown or estimated to be extremely small. This people group may have assimilated into larger surrounding groups and may no longer be recognizable as a distinct group. To ensure every people group is represented, Joshua Project includes unknown and very small population people groups until on-site research determines they do not exist. More info at Small People Group Policy.
Population
Main Language
Adi
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Identity

The Miguba ethnic group was only recently discovered. They may have been officially counted as part of the small Lhoba nationality by the Chinese authorities. The Miguba share linguistic similarities with the Bogar and Yidu, two tribes combined by the Chinese to form the Lhoba minority.


History

According to Miguba mythology, Abo Tani was the first human. They say they migrated across the Himalayas to their present location from a place named Padong-Among, which means "land of rain." Child marriages were prevalent in the past, but today most Miguba marry when they are 15 to 17 years of age.


Customs

In the past, the Miguba wore hats made of cane. The men still wear a long coat and a langoti (loincloth). The Miguba love to eat meat, especially deer, tiger, pork, and chicken. Their diet is supplemented by vegetables and fruit such as jackfruit, bananas, pineapples, guavas, and oranges. Premarital sexual relations are not only allowed by the Miguba but are encouraged. A boy's hut called bango and a girl's hut called rasheng are located in their village. Girls are not allowed to enter the bango, but boys are permitted to spend a night with a girl of their choice in the rasheng.


Religion

The Miguba live in constant fear of demons and the spirit world. Numerous aspects of their lives reflect their bondage. Before a woman gives birth, "pre-delivery rituals are observed to avoid future complications, but in case of certain problems a ritual becomes a must to ward off evil spirits. The nature of animal sacrifice in the ritual depends upon the financial condition of the person concerned, as well as on the severity of the case. A name is given to the baby immediately after birth, either by the family or relatives, in order to save the baby from the clutches of evil spirits." Some Miguba outwardly profess to be Buddhists, but this is done only to please the Tibetans.


Christianity

The whole region of southeast Tibet is somewhat of a mystery to outsiders. Few people have ever traveled to the area inhabited by the Miguba. The gospel has also failed to enter the thick forests and deep valleys of the northern Himalayas. There are no known Christians in the area to impact the Miguba, who have yet to be exposed to the gospel.


Prayer Points

Scripture Prayers for the Miguba in China.


Profile Source:   Operation China, Asia Harvest  Copyrighted ©   Used with permission  

People Name General Miguba
People Name in Country Miguba
Pronunciation Mih-goo-bah
Alternate Names Damu
Population this Country 90
Population all Countries 90
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 18595
ROP3 Code 114214
Country China
Region Asia, Northeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 19  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country According to linguist Jackson Sun, 80 speakers of the Miguba language live in just one village in southeastern Tibet: Damu Village is located in a densely forested area of Motuo County. The region is one of the least populated places in China. The few other inhabitants in the vicinity, mostly Lhoba and Tibetans, call the members of this group Damu after the name of their village. The Miguba may be the same ethnic group as the Ashing Adi people in Arunachal Pradesh, India. The legends of the Miguba closely match those of the Ashing, who numbered 959 people in India according to the 1971 census.   Source:  Operation China, 2000
Country China
Region Asia, Northeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 19  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country According to linguist Jackson Sun, 80 speakers of the Miguba language live in just one village in southeastern Tibet: Damu Village is located in a densely forested area of Motuo County. The region is one of the least populated places in China. The few other inhabitants in the vicinity, mostly Lhoba and Tibetans, call the members of this group Damu after the name of their village. The Miguba may be the same ethnic group as the Ashing Adi people in Arunachal Pradesh, India. The legends of the Miguba closely match those of the Ashing, who numbered 959 people in India according to the 1971 census..   Source:  Operation China, 2000
Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
30.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
65.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
5.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Adi (90 speakers)
Language Code adi   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Adi (90 speakers)
Language Code adi   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Adi

Primary Language:  Adi

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1932-1986)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1988-2003)
Bible-Complete Yes  (2005-2012)
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
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Adi Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Gospel website in this language General / Other
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible app: Adi YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Adi YouVersion Bibles
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Operation China, Asia Harvest  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source Joshua Project / Global Mapping International  
Profile Source Operation China, Asia Harvest  Copyrighted ©  Used with permission 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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