People-in-Country Profile

People Selector:
Print version:
Step 1 - Select a Country:   Send us your updates!
Step 2 - Select a People:  

Mru in Bangladesh

Mru

Send us a photo of this people.  [1]

Mru in Bangladesh map

Flash Map
Population [2] Language Religion % Christian % Evangl Online NT Jesus Film Progress
73,000 Mru Buddhism 3.94 % Unknown No   

Mru in Bangladesh

People Group Video [7]
Source:  Asia HarvestWatchDownload
 
Profile Text
Submit Profile Text:

Introduction / History
The Mru are primarily located in the region where the borders of India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar intersect. Some live in one of the nearly two hundred villages located in the tropical forests of the Chittagong Hills in southeast Bangladesh. Most however, are concentrated in the plains and hills of western Myanmar's Arakan Yoma district, or in the Jalpaiguri district of northeastern India.

The native language of the Mru is also called Mru. The Mru of Bangladesh believe that Torai ("the great spirit") gave all peoples-except the Mru-a written language and rules to guide their social lives. They believe that by some accident, they themselves were excluded.

The tribal Mru are a very isolated people, mainly because of a national policy restricting visitors in the strategic border areas and prohibiting outsiders from obtaining land there. However, since last year, there have been reports in Bangladesh of armed Bengali farmers backed by a large army, who have moved into the surrounding hills. The Mru have taken up arms to fight against them.

What are their lives like?
A majority of the Mru are farmers. Although they have been introduced to the irrigation methods of wet-rice farming, most of them continue to practice "slash and burn" agriculture on the hill sides. This makes them a semi-nomadic tribe since they must go to new fields every two years. Both the men and women share in the fieldwork. Rice is the dominant crop for the Mru who live in Myanmar.

The Mru are a very poor people. Although they inhabit a region that is rich in lumber and hydroelectric potential, the villagers lack the technology and knowledge to improve their economic conditions. For this reason, they continue to live as poor farmers.

The Mru excuse their poverty because they believe that Torai intended them to live this way. At the same time, they pride themselves in their self-sufficiency. Each household produces its own goods. They also travel to the lowlands to visit the weekly markets where they exchange cotton for items such as cloth, salt, knives, and pottery.

The Mru typically live in houses made of timber or bamboo. The roofs are either made of thatch or tiles. Some of the homes are built on stilts to give protection from wild animals or floods. The farm animals live under the houses at night. In some small towns in Myanmar, a few Mru live in brick homes with concrete floors.

The Mru society is divided into clans, phratries (related clans), and kinship groups. They may marry outside their clans, and maybe even outside the phratries. Politically, the village community is democratic. Though there is a village headman, he has only nominal authority. There are no educational facilities among the Mru.

When a young Mru man reaches the age of 16, he begins seeking attention by arranging his hair in braids on the top of his head. He also puts floral headpieces as adornments on his turban. The young people are generally free to choose their own marriage partners. They need only parental permission. Promiscuity before marriage is freely tolerated, although accidental pregnancy leads to immediate marriage. Young married couples usually live with the bride or groom's family after marriage. Once the couple has several children of their own, they build a separate home.

In addition to farming, many of the Mru men are skilled in producing bamboo items. Mru women are especially fond of wearing jewelry and other ornaments made by local craftsmen.

What are their beliefs?
Virtually all of the Mru of India and Bangladesh practice ethnic religions that have some elements of Buddhism. They worship the gods of fire, water, and the forest. Their belief in the legend of Torai rules their lives. This legend says that the Mru's ancestors sent a cow to Torai, the great spirit, to seek help when they realized other tribes had a written language and rules for living. Torai wrote the rules on banana leaves, but an evil animal ate them, leaving the Mru destitute. The highlight of their year is a two-day festival in which a cow is sacrificed in memory of this occasion.

The Mru of Myanmar have been heavily influenced by Buddhism. Although they are almost completely Buddhist, animism (belief that non-living objects have spirits) is still practiced to some degree.

What are their needs?
The Mru are a very needy people, both physically and spiritually. They struggle with poverty and illiteracy, as well as the ideology that their god, Torai, desires them to remain that way. Additional laborers, Christian broadcasts, and evangelistic materials in the Mru language are desperately needed.

Prayer Points
Ask the Lord to call people who are willing to go to India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar to share the Light of Christ with the Mru, and bring His riches to their souls.
Ask God to strengthen, encourage, and protect the small number of Mru Christians, and use them to spread the Gospel to their people.
Ask the Holy Spirit to soften the hearts of the Mru towards Christians so that they will be receptive to the Gospel.
Pray that God will open the hearts of the governmental leaders of India, Bangladesh, and Myanmar to the Gospel.
Ask the Lord to raise up a strong local church among the Mru.

View Mru in all countries.

Prayer Links  
PrayerGuard.net
Global Prayer Digest: 2007-08-08
 
Prayer Links
Rakhine State
  Submit Update:
Country: Bangladesh
Continent: Asia
Region: Asia, South
Persecution Rank:30 (Only top 50 ranked, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
10/40 Window: Yes
Population in Country:73,000
Largest Provinces:
Chittagong (66,000)Khulna (2,300)
Dhaka (1,700)Rangpur (700)
Location in Country:Chittagong Hills.
(Source: www.ethnologue.com)
   
 
Maps
Submit Map:
Country Map:Political map
Ethnolinguistic Map:University of Texas or other map
Linguistic Map:Ethnologue language map
 
  Peoples [3]
Submit Update:
People Name in Country: Mru
People Name General: Mru
Alternate People Names:
KhammiMro
MrungMurong
MurungNiopreng
मृू
ROP3 Code: 106847
Joshua Project People ID: 13849
Indigenous: Yes
Population in Country: 73,000
Population all Countries: 99,000
Least-Reached: Yes
   
 
Affinity Bloc: South Asian Peoples
People Cluster: South Asia Tribal - other
People Name General: Mru
Ethnic Code: CNN25
Ethnic Relationships: Affinity Bloc -> People Cluster -> Peoples Ethnicity Tree
   
 
Language
Submit Update:
Primary Language: Mru (69,000 Speakers)
Language Code (ISO): mro    Ethnologue Listing
Secondary Languages:
Chittagonian (2,900)Bengali (600)
Total Languages: 3
   
 
Religion [4]
Submit Update:
Primary Religion: Buddhism
Major Religions:
Buddhism96.02 % 
Christianity3.94 %(Evangelical: Data not available)
Ethnic Religions0.00 % 
Hinduism0.05 % 
Islam0.00 % 
Non-Religious0.00 % 
Other / Small0.00 % 
Unknown0.00 % 
Christianity Segments:
Anglican0.00 %
Independent0.00 %
Protestant0.00 %
Orthodox0.00 %
Other Christian0.00 %
Roman Catholic0.00 %
 
(Evangelicals distributed across Christianity segments)
   
 
Progress Indicators [5]
Progress Scale[6]   Few evangelicals and few who claim to be Christians. Little, if any, history of Christianity.
Least-Reached: Yes
GSEC Status:Level 4   Greater than or equal to 2% Evangelical
 
 
Bible Translation Status
Submit Update:
Bible Portions: 1934
New Testament:
1994
Complete Bible: None Reported
Possible Bible Sources: Forum of Bible Agencies
 World Bible Finder
 World Christian Resource Directory
 Gospel Go
 
 
Ministry Resources [7]
Audio RecordingsMegaVoice Audio Bible and Stories
Audio RecordingsAudio Bible teaching
Film / VideoJesus Film: view in Mru
GeneralGospel resources links
Text / Printed MatterLiteracy primer for Mru
 
 
Ministry Activity
Register Ministry Activity:
Networking: Visit LinkingGlobalVoices.org for networking possibilities.
Description: Register your ministry activity among this people group. Contact the Adopt-A-People Clearinghouse and Unleashed for the Unreached to learn about others that might be focused on this people group.
 
Data Notes
Data Sources
 
 

Mru in Bangladesh

Peoples
               
Geographic
Global                 Global
           
  Affinity Bloc             Global  
           
   
People Cluster
       
Region
   
    South Asia Tribal - other     Asia, South    
     
People-Group-Across-Countries
   
Country
   
      Mru Bangladesh    
            People-by-Country (Profile)          
            Mru in Bangladesh          
      Religion Language  
      Buddhism     Mru  
    Global    
Language
 
    All Religions                              
   
Religion
                             

Direct link:  http://legacy.joshuaproject.net/people-profile.php?peo3=13849&rog3=BG