Religion

Unreached People. The Sila in both Vietnam and Laos are an unreached people group; however, there are a few known Christians in Laos. They are surrounded by other tribal peoples who are largely unreached themselves.

Their bondage is to a mix of traditions, but the dominant belief system is ancestor worship, with aspects of animism, shamanism and polytheism. The Sila clearly understand that life is more than materialism. In this, they are correct. Unfortunately, they know no other way to deal with spiritual things than to try to worship or appease spirit beings, ancestral spirits or false gods.

Ancestor Worship. Like the Tay, Nung, Lahu and many other minority peoples, the Sila worship their ancestors. They believe that the spirits of their ancestors can assist and bless them. The Sila worship deceased parents in every house, and in the home of the head of the family, the altar honors grandparents and more remote ancestors. Major ceremonies are held during the 5th and 6th Lunar Month Festival. Each family keeps an ancestral altar in the home with cups on the altar saved from funeral ceremonies of the deceased to represent the spirits of the dead. At least one cup must also be on the altar for each son in the family. The fireplace hearth in the center of the house is made of three stones. The Sila believe these stones to be the dwelling place of the souls of their ancestors. Twice a year, on the lunar new year or Tet, and the new rice festival, a ceremony is held by the chief of the clan to pay tribute to the ancestors. Special food is offered, such as squirrel meat, crabs, pigeons, homemade wine, taro, and barley. Beeswax candles are burned on the altar, which holds a number of cult objects, such as drums, bells and the cups.

Animists. The Sila are also animists. They worship and attempt to appease a large number of disembodied spirits. However, the religious world-view of the Sila, like most minority groups in Vietnam, is complicated. Their beliefs combine elements of ancestor worship, shamanism, and polytheism, as well as other superstitious ideas. Animism holds that both living and non-living things possess spirits. These beliefs create a life of fear that involves a dread of the spirit world. The Sila hold regular rituals determined by the lunar calendar. At the end of the first and second lunar month, each village prays to local gods. Other ceremonies are made to the rice god, often timed just before and after sowing. A major rice god festival is held every seven years. Corporate prayers are offered to preserve the village from plague and protection of pigs and chickens from being caught by predators. They are often assisted by a sorcerer or shaman (called a Mo), who assists in performing the proper ceremony.

Other Beliefs. Their belief system, like that of most tribal groups, includes a system of taboos or forbidden actions which are designed to avoid offending the spirits. They live lives dominated by fear of the evil spirits, who beset them on all sides. Fear of the spirit world and ceremonies to placate spirit beings are serious matters of life and death. These people are trapped in their belief system, living in darkness, waiting for the light.

Funerals. Each Sila village has a graveyard, and the deceased of each clan are buried together. When a burial place is chosen, the ground is spaded up and mixed with charcoal to show that the spot is taken. Like many tribal groups, the Sila have complicated funeral and burial customs. All of these are designed to enable the soul of the departed to find its way to the Sila heaven, called Mo U. After death, the body is prepared for burial by placing it in a coffin made from a split and hollowed tree trunk. A ceremony is held in the home for several nights preceding the funeral to instruct the soul of the deceased on the proper route to take to find heaven. A grave is dug and a funeral house is built, usually with the assistance from everyone in the village. The Si La often build a funeral house first, then dig the grave inside the house. At the funeral, a long ritual invocation is read, reminding all of the legends of the Sila people, and to say farewell to the deceased. A cup used in the funeral ceremony is set aside and preserved on the family altar. After the funeral, all fires in the home of the deceased are put out by pouring water on them. Then all charcoal from the fireplaces are carefully cleaned out, and a new fire is lit. Children of the deceased are expected to observe public mourning. Boys tie up their hair, and girls remove their jewelery. Children must delay marriage for three years following the death of a parent.

Christian Witness. Most Sila in Vietnam have never heard a clear presentation of the claims of Jesus Christ. There is not even a single known Christian believer or church among the Sila in Vietnam. They are a distinct and unique people group without any Gospel witness and without any knowledge of the Name of Jesus Christ. There is no So;a version of the Jesus film available, nor are there gospel recordings. There is no Sila Bible available, nor are there even portions of the Bible translated. Similarly, there are no Sila radio broadcasts. About 1% of the Sila in Laos are thought to be Christian, with an estimated 225 Sila church members in that country.

This means that the Christian literature needs of the Sila have received no attention from the Christian community. These are precious people for whom Jesus died, but they remain spiritually isolated from Christian influence.