::Shan of Southeast Asia::

Brief History
The Shan people migrated from China in the twelfth century, and are mostly located throughout Myanmar.

Shan State
Shan State is located on a high plateau 5000-6000 ft above sea level. The land is made up of dense evergreen forests, streams, rivers and waterfalls.

Major Religion
The major religion is Theravada Buddhism though it is heavily influenced by animism. The Shan believe in are multiple gods and spirits which can cause good or evil in peoples’ lives. They believe their next life is determined by the good or evil they have done, so to atone for wrongs a person must participate in merit-building activities.

Population
The Shan are a people group located in SE Asia – namely Myanmar, Thailand, and China, 98% of them being in northern Myanmar. According to Joshua Project, there are approximately 4,369,000 Shan people distributed throughout SE Asia.

• Myanmar – 4,269,000
• Thailand – 96,000
• India – 2600
• Laos – 1000
• China – 600
• Sri Lanka – 60

Economy
Many Shan are farmers who specialize in rice, fruit, soybeans, and vegetables. Others are miners of precious stones like rubies. Some are tree cutters, where teak is the focus. At one point opium was the main crop of this region, but 1996 saw it's banning through a drug eradication policy.

Culture
“The Shan have a rich cultural heritage and are a proud and sophisticated race… They are a gentle and peaceful people.” Instead of handshakes they greet one another with a “wai,” where the palms are placed together and lifted to the head. How high the hands are raised is determined by status. The Shan have a cooperative, community mindset and are much less focused on individualism.  Monks and the monastery are highly respected and play a vital role in educating in Buddhist ways and in schooling.

::Current Situation::

Refugees/Injustice
The Shan are spread throughout Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, China and Laos.  As an ethnic minority they struggle daily with illiteracy, human rights abuses, and poverty. Many are refugees with no rights in foreign countries; some are even displaced and persecuted within their own country. Still, they are an ancient and proud civilization with a rich heritage and history.

Shan Project
Currently a team of people closely connected to YWAM TV are setting up an inductive Bible school project in SE Asia. It’s aimed at equipping Shan believers to study the Word for themselves and to teach this skill to others. Several of those who attend have to travel far to get to the school, as their country has restricted access.

The school has unique challenges in contextualizing the methods of Bible study to an Asian style of learning.

::Links::

Joshua Project
http://www.joshuaproject.net/people-profile.php?peo3=18205&rog3=BM
http://www.joshuaproject.net/peoples.php?peo3=18205
Shan Inform.org
http://www.shaninform.org/About/shan_state_01.php
Britannica
http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/538388/Shan
YWAM
http://www.ywam.no/shan/eng/i_kultur.html
Shan Refugee Schools
http://shanrefugeeschools.org

Works Cited
1. “People In Country Profile.” Shan of Myanmar (Burma). U.S. Center for World Missions, n.d.Web. 7 Dec. 2010.<http://www.joshuaproject.net/people-profile.php?peo3=18205&rog3=BM>
2.. "Shan State.” Shan Inform.org. Tai CSS. 2007. Web. 08 Dec, 2010. <http://www.shaninform.org/About/shan_state_01.php>
3. "Shan." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2010. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 08 Dec. 2010 <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/538388/Shan>.
4. “Religion and Culture.” YWAM. Ungdom i Oppdrag2003. <http://www.ywam.no/shan/eng/i_kultur.html>
5. Shan Tai.” Joshua Project. U.S. Center for World Missions, n.d.Web. 7 Dec. 2010 <http://www.joshuaproject.net/peoples.php?peo3=18205>
6. “Helping the Shan Refugees in Thailand.” Shan Refugee Schools. 2010. Web. 9 Dec 2010.  <http://shanrefugeeschools.org/>