When the Chinese authorities first surveyed the ethnolinguistic composition of Guizhou Province in the 1950s, they found the Youmai people group so distinct that they were unable to place them under any of the officially recognized nationalities that had been created. By the time of the 1982 census, the government still did not classify them and placed them in a generic list of undetermined minorities. The government changed the status for this small group in 1985 and classified the Youmai as part of the Yao nationality. The Youmai did not appreciate this classification who see themselves as a completely distinct group with no relationship to other minorities in southern China. Living in a nation where governmental decisions are not open to debate, the Youmai have little choice but to accept their bureaucratic identity. The people living near them, however, recognize them as a distinct ethnic group.
The Youmai may be related to the various Bunu people groups in Guizhou Province, who are culturally Yao but linguistically Hmong people. After more than a thousand years of living near the Yao, these groups have absorbed many of their customs and habits.
The Youmai people only live in China's Guizhou Province.
The Youmai observe several key festivals throughout the year, including the Zhuzhu Festival. The Youmai believe the date set for the festival is the birthday of their foremother, Miluotuo, in the fifth month of the lunar calendar. They hold the Huiqi Festival at the same time as the Autumn Festival in other parts of China. They hold traditional singing contests and people from the countryside crowd into the village which has been chosen as the sponsor for that year. Hosts entertain guests with sumptuous food. The Youmai only hold a festival or celebration with copious amounts of rice wine and whiskey.
The Youmai worship spirits, ancestors and Daoism as their three most prevalent religious beliefs.
No one knows about the status of Christianity among the Youmai. Few people groups in this part of China, however, have ever heard the gospel.
Like people everywhere, the Youmai people need to allow the loving Savior to direct their lives. They need his forgiveness for sin.
Pray for the Lord to intervene in Youmai families, calling many to his side.
Pray for loving, Holy Spirit led workers to go to them.
Pray for the Lord to raise up many persons of peace from among the Youmai people to welcome Christ's ambassadors.
Pray for a church planting movement to thrive in their communities.
Scripture Prayers for the Youmai in China.
Operation China, Asia Harvest, Copyrighted © Used with permission
http://www.globalprayerdigest.org/issue/day/2020/12/04
http://www.globalprayerdigest.org/issue/day/2017/07/11
Profile Source: Joshua Project |
Global Prayer Digest: 2017-07-11 |
Global Prayer Digest: 2020-12-04 |
People Name General | Youmai |
People Name in Country | Youmai |
Pronunciation | You-my |
Alternate Names | Youmairen |
Population this Country | 2,700 |
Population all Countries | 2,700 |
Total Countries | 1 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | Yes |
GSEC | 1 (per PeopleGroups.org) |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 1 |
People ID | 18732 |
ROP3 Code | 114367 |
Country | China | ||
Region | Asia, Northeast | ||
Continent | Asia | ||
10/40 Window | Yes | ||
National Bible Society | Website | ||
Persecution Rank | 16 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) | ||
Location in Country | About 2,000 people belonging to the little-known Youmai ethnic group live in an unspecified part of southern Guizhou Province in southern China. Although no location for the Youmai has ever been given, the few members of the Yao nationality - under which the Youmai were included - in Guizhou Province live in a few pockets along the southeast and southern parts of the province. Source: Operation China, 2000 |
Country | China |
Region | Asia, Northeast |
Continent | Asia |
10/40 Window | Yes |
National Bible Society | Website |
Persecution Rank | 16 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) |
Location in Country | About 2,000 people belonging to the little-known Youmai ethnic group live in an unspecified part of southern Guizhou Province in southern China. Although no location for the Youmai has ever been given, the few members of the Yao nationality - under which the Youmai were included - in Guizhou Province live in a few pockets along the southeast and southern parts of the province.. Source: Operation China, 2000 |
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Primary Religion: | Ethnic Religions |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent |
---|---|
Buddhism |
0.00 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical 0.00 %) |
0.00 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
95.00 %
|
Hinduism |
0.00 %
|
Islam |
0.00 %
|
Non-Religious |
5.00 %
|
Other / Small |
0.00 %
|
Unknown |
0.00 %
|
Primary Language | Iu Mien (2,700 speakers) |
Language Code | ium Ethnologue Listing |
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing |
Total Languages | 1 |
Primary Language | Iu Mien (2,700 speakers) |
Language Code | ium Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 1 |
People Groups | Speaking Iu Mien |
Primary Language: Iu Mien
Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
---|---|
Bible-Portions | Yes (1932-1996) |
Bible-New Testament | Yes (1975-1991) |
Bible-Complete | Yes (2007-2008) |
Bible-NT Audio | Online |
Bible-NT Text | 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 |
Audio Recordings | Online Audio Scripture | Talking Bibles |
Audio Recordings | Online New Testament | Faith Comes by Hearing |
Audio Recordings | Story of Jesus audio | Jesus Film Project |
Film / Video | Jesus Film: view in Iu Mien | Jesus Film Project |
Film / Video | World Christian Videos | World Christian Videos |
General | Bible for Children | Bible for Children |
General | Gospel resources links | Scripture Earth |
Text / Printed Matter | Bible: Iu Mien | YouVersion Bibles |
Text / Printed Matter | Bible: Iu Mien | YouVersion Bibles |
Text / Printed Matter | Bible: Iu Mien | YouVersion Bibles |
Text / Printed Matter | Bible: Iu Mien | YouVersion Bibles |
Photo Source | Copyrighted © 2023 Operation China, Asia Harvest All rights reserved. Used with permission |
Profile Source | Joshua Project |
Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more. |