Dawchhau theology: A theology from Maraland

Rev. Vako

"Dawchhau theology is a theology which links God's story and the experience of Dawchhaus (the low class people in Mara society, particular in Chin State). Dawchhau theology talks about three points 1) it speaks about how Dawchhaus understand God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, church and salvation 2) it speaks about how they could overcome the inferiority complex in the light of the gospel and 3) it challenges people to repent of their attitudes towards the poor people, the alienated, and to accept them and give them equal right in the community as well as in the church." Van Kung, Dawchhau Theology: Towards A Life-based Theology, p. 93-94.

Introduction to Dawchhau theology

Dawchhau Theology starts on one’s self realization. It is a theology from experience. Specifically, it is a theology from the poor people, low class people in any community. It is a theological reflection of the present to seek salvific blessing in the history of redemption.  It is reading the Bible through the eyes of the poor people in their community. This theology is rooted in the life of Dawchhau (Dawchhau is the Mara word derived from the word darchaung in their akin Hakha dialect). Its literally meaning is a small gong, used for the main marriage pride of the lowest class woman in the Mara society in the previous days. Here in this book Dawchhau stands for the low class people, the poor, alienated, marginalized in every place: such as in the office, in the church, in the community, in society and even in the family.

Why Dawchhau theology? Here the author points out three important facts concerning with how did people do theology. First, people did theology for theology self. This means people solely start their theologies with God. More or less these theologies talks about God. Secondly, people did theology for other people. Those theologies speak for other people. The writers of such theologies are not coming from the people for whom they wrote. Thirdly, people write theologies for the people with whom they are living together. This kind of theology is called a life-based theology. It is Dawchhau theology.

Who are the Dawchhau?  Inclusively, a Dawchhau is 1) the alienated person culturally, socially, and religiously because of his or her  low birth; 2) a marginal person in the community because of his or her poverty; 3) non-seen person because of his or her low social status; 4) the oppressed in the society because of his or her illiteracy; 5) despised person because of his or her impurity blood; 6) wounded people because of his or her self dignity is robbed; and 7) a broken person because he or she is the victim of the privileged all the time.

Where are Dawchhau? Generally speaking, there are two kinds of churches in Christianity. They are high churches and low churches. By high churches I mean is the official churches. We can say they are ecumenical churches. Low churches are the Pentecostal churches. As the official churches adopt the aristocratic social order of Roman government in their church governments, Dawchhau, the poor people could not have the places in such church governments, and then they became alienated in the churches. On the other hand, since Pentecostal churches more or less depend on the revelation of their pastors and their pastor’s words, those Dawchhau, the poor people were immersed in the Pentecostal movement because they want to be rich and accepted. However, the peace, the happiness they found is not a real peace but the peace of -ism which cannot set free them from their being of Dawchhauness. Dawchhau are excluded in the official churches. Even the popular churches or Pentecostal churches became as just a comfort zone for them and they are like the cave dwellers in the Plato's philosophy.

What to do? Therefore, we need to emphasize on a life-based theology. This is because life does not only refer to our inner force which enables the body to be active but it also refers to our whole being which we usually call "our life." Through this life we live with other, talk, and eat with other. Therefore, when I say myself that means how I understand myself. And my life is known within a certain time and space, controlled by a particular cultural, political and social setting.

Due to link with our life to theology we need to discuss a little bit theology again. Theology is the combination of the two Greek words; theos and logos which means talking about God and words about faith. Here theology is a faith reflection of life. This means theology must become theology-lived or lived theology. From this stand point, for the Dawchhau, theology must be linking with the real experience of Dawchhau's life in today. It must a life-based theology. Church must be a life-based church. The gospel which the church preaches must be a life-based gospel. It must speak for such Dawchhau. It must try to set free the oppressed, the marginalized and the low class people in every community. It must stand for the low class people in every community.

Notes:
1. About the Author: Rev. Vako B.Th, M.Div, M.Th & pursuing Th.M on specialized  subject (Seoul, S. Korea) is an ordained Pastor from Mara Evangelical Church (MEC) and one of the leading Theologians (according to US Presbyterian Church website article ) in Myanmar. He is teaching Systematic theology and Asian Theologies at the Lorrain Theological College in Yangon, Myanmar.

He is sometimes reffered as Rev. Van Kung in some circle which is a purely translated version in Lai (Chin official language) from his original name Vako which is in Mara Language. Rev. Vako website Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

2. How can one get this book?
This book was released way back in February 2006 and were sold off. Let's hope someone will come forward to publish more copies of this.

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