Ngae in Laos

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

Introduction / History

More than 12,000 Ngae (pronounced "Ng-ehh") people live in the three provinces of Xekong, Saravan and Champasak in southern Laos. They inhabit 25 ethnically-mixed villages. Their communities are shared with other people from the Suay, Lao, Alak, Lavae and Tai Oi ethnic groups.

According to one source, the Ngae are called by the derogatory name Kha Koh ('mountain people') by outsiders, but they call themselves Nkriang.

The Ngae language is part of the East Katuic branch of the Mon-Khmer language family. It is closest to the Alak and Khlor languages. They can also understand Katu.

Ngae infants are forbidden to leave the house after birth until a buffalo has been sacrificed. The youngest child of a Ngae family is required to live with his or her parents for life. In many Ngae villages all people smoke tobacco from the age of 8 and older. In the past, the Ngae celebrated ceremonies with the use of traditional shields and swords, but this custom has not been practiced in most places for 50 years.

In Attapu Province the Ngae live in wild, rugged locations. Parts of Attapu are cut off from the rest of Laos for much of the rainy season. Tigers are still common in the area and there is rumored to still be a few rhinos near the Cambodian border. Attapu has little Lao influence, as demonstrated by the fact there are only 14 Buddhist temples in the entire province.

Shamans are still prevalent among the Ngae today. The shaman performs sacrifices in front of the communal spirit house, and oversees all contact between the Ngae people and the spirit world. Rice and eggs are offered to placate evil spirits. For seven days in April the Ngae worship their ancestors.

The Ngae are one of the most Christian groups in southern Laos today. There are at least 600 known believers among them, meeting in more than seven churches.

Before the advent of Communism in 1975, there was much missionary work among the Ngae. A leprosy mission was operated by OMF, which ministered God's love to hundreds of lepers.


Prayer Points

Thank God for the 600 Ngae Christians. Pray they would follow God with all their hearts.
Pray the Gospel would also spread to all animistic Ngae people.
Ask God to raise up Ngae evangelists to carry His Word to the unreached Mon-Khmer groups in southern Laos.


Scripture Prayers for the Ngae in Laos.


Profile Source:   Peoples of Laos, Asia Harvest  Copyrighted ©   Used with permission  

People Name General Ngae
People Name in Country Ngae
Alternate Names
Population this Country 9,300
Population all Countries 9,300
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 4
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 4  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
People ID 16145
ROP3 Code 111242
ROP25 Code 306010
ROP25 Name Ngae
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 Xekong, Saravan, and Champasak provinces. 25 villages.   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 Xekong, Saravan, and Champasak provinces. 25 villages..   Source:  Faces of the Unreached in Laos, 1999

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Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 3.50 %)
4.00 %
Ethnic Religions
96.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Kriang (9,300 speakers)
Language Code ngt   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Kriang (9,300 speakers)
Language Code ngt   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Kriang

Primary Language:  Kriang

Bible Translation Status:  Unspecified

Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Peoples of Laos, Asia Harvest  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Profile Source Peoples of Laos, Asia Harvest  Copyrighted ©  Used with permission 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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