Western Cham in Vietnam


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Cham Western can be found near the delta provinces of Chau Doc and Tay Ninh in southwestern Vietnam near the Cambodian border. Surrounded by the Malay and Khmer ethnic groups, they live near the provincial capitals.

The precise origin of the Cham Western is unknown, but they are the survivors of the Champa kingdom, which flourished from A. D. 2 until A.D. 1471. When the Vietnamese invaded their kingdom, most aristocrats fled to Cambodia, whereas the poor peasants remained in Vietnam. Evidence remains of this once flourishing civilization: grandiose temples and sanctuaries, irrigation systems, woven cloth, sculpture, and jewelry.

The Cham Western are a mixture of Cham and Malay, with whom they traded during the time of their powerful kingdom. Their language, Cham, belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian linguistic family. Many Cham Western also speak Vietnamese, Khmer and/or Malayan.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Although they are descendants of a warlike people, the Cham Western today are very timid individually, but courageous as a group. They are extremely honest in word and deed, to the extent that stealing and lying are almost unknown among them. Since ancestral practices must sanction every action, progress tends to be slow among the Cham. As a people they are fond of chess, jewelry and music.

Since the downfall of the Champa Kingdom, the Cham Western has changed from a prosperous seafaring power to a small agrarian culture. Several rivers dissect the region inhabited by the Cham Western, and canals provide irrigation and transportation. In the delta area, extensive drainage projects have converted the marshy ground into cultivated land, where they grow several varieties of rice. To supplement their agricultural earnings, the Cham Western engage in small commerce, such as buying rice from neighbors and transporting it to the cities by boat. They sell corn, tobacco and hand-woven cloth. Some are involved in making carts or in beekeeping.

The Cham Western live clustered in groups on the banks of rivers or canals and along the two roads that connect Cambodia with southern Vietnam and lead into the city. Some occasionally build whole villages on huge, anchored rafts. Their villages are adjacent to the Khmer people, though they seldom intermarry; and they live in better harmony with the Malay, often sharing villages.

Houses are constructed with straw-covered mud walls and have three rooms and a common corridor. Clothes belonging to their ancestors are placed in a basket and hung from the ceiling in the center room. No decorations adorn their homes.

Before merging with the national community of Vietnam, Cham Western society had once been a feudal and matrilineal (lineage traced through the female) society. Under the impact of orthodox Islam, the Cham Western have become more patrilineal (lineage traced through the male), but matrilineal traces still exist. Today, the role of women in clans and families is prominent only in the cult of ancestors; yet women still bear the major responsibility for housework, childrearing, and agricultural activities.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Unlike most of the peoples of the region, the Cham Western along the border of Cambodia are Muslims. Each village has its own mosque where children are educated with the Q’ran. The date that Islam was introduced is undetermined, but Malay influence is res


What Are Their Needs?

Despite the fall of the Champa Kingdom, the Cham Western still maintained supremacy over the mountain tribesmen. They are key influential people to reach. Prayer and intercession are necessary to see their hearts opened to the gospel.


Prayer Items

Pray that there will be a movement of the Holy Spirit to result in church plants and discipleship.
Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out loving and dedicated laborers to the Cham Western of Vietnam.
Ask the Lord to raise up an army of intercessors who will pray for them.
Ask the Lord to bring forth a strong and growing Western Cham church to the glory of his name.


Scripture Prayers for the Cham, Western in Vietnam.


References

Peoples of Vietnam, Asia Harvest, Copyrighted © Used with permission.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Cham, Western
People Name in Country Cham, Western
Natural Name Western Cham
Pronunciation chom
Alternate Names Cambodian; Cambodian Cham; Chăm (Chàm); Chiem; Chiem Thanh; Hoi; Thanh; Tjam; West Cham; Western Cham
Population this Country 48,000
Population all Countries 330,000
Total Countries 7
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 15361
ROP3 Code 110776
Country Vietnam
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
Persecution Rank 44  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country An Giang and Tay Ninh provinces; Ho Chi Minh City.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Vietnam
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
Persecution Rank 44  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country An Giang and Tay Ninh provinces; Ho Chi Minh City..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.02 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
5.00 %
Islam
94.98 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Cham, Western
Language Code cja   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
Cham, Eastern
Primary Language Cham, Western
Language Code cja   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
  Cham, Eastern
People Groups Speaking Cham, Western
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2025  Cambodia Research Network  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source Bethany World Prayer Center  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.