People
Who they are
The Hre live in Vietnam, mainly in western Quang Ngai Province and in Binh Dinh, with some communities in Kon Tum. They speak Hre, a Mon-Khmer language in the Austroasiatic family. In the past, the names families used for themselves often came from the river near their village, such as the “Hre” of the Hre River and the “Krê” of the Krê River. Traditional songs include ca choi and ta lêu, and celebrations feature gongs, which are bronze drums, and bamboo instruments.
Where they live
1
Country
157K
Population
| Country | Share of the people | Population |
|---|---|---|
Vietnam Partially reached
|
100%
|
156.000 |
How they live
Most families make their living growing rice in flooded fields, while some depend mainly on hillside plots where vegetation is cut and burned before planting. They raise buffalo, pigs, dogs and chickens, and gathering, hunting and fishing help put food on the table. Traditional homes are long houses on stilts, built across the slope. They eat ordinary rice every day, and glutinous rice as well during celebrations. Basketry and weaving are practiced, but are now only limited activities.
What they believe
In traditional Hre belief, the soul continues to exist after death, and the dead live in a village of spirits. The people worship the Yang, deities who determine things such as the harvest and health; the highest is the sky god, and there are also Yang of the earth and water. They also worship their ancestors, and the most important celebration in their agricultural rituals honors the rice god, Yeang Sarì. There are Christians among the Hre, but most of the people follow traditional beliefs.
The Bible in this people's language
A people only truly understands the gospel when they hear it in the language of their heart. See how far the translation has come.
Hre
Complete Bible
- Translation started Done
- Portions Done
- New Testament Done
- Whole Bible Current stage
Audio recordings Available
Jesus Film Available
Translation data: Joshua Project.
Gospel progress among the unreached
Christians (all traditions)10%
Evangelicals7.7%
Needs
In 2019, an official Vietnamese government survey showed that about a third of Hre people aged 15 or older could not read or write, and that about 14% of children were not attending school. Some families also lacked clean water. Hre writing in the Latin alphabet, widely used before 1975, gradually fell out of use, and the complete Bible in Hre was not finished until 2019.
What to pray for
Intercede for this people
Pray for Hre adults who cannot read and for children who are not attending school.
Pray for Hre families who still lack clean water.
Pray for the Bible to be read in Hre so that more people will come to know and understand it.
Pray for Hre Christians to live out and teach their faith clearly, while showing respect for families.
Pray for Hre families who worship the Yang and their ancestors to hear about Jesus.
Pray for Hre
Intercede for this people alongside Christians around the world.
Open the Prayer Calendar