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The Leke religion, founded around 1860, is a Buddhist-influenced prophet cult among the Karen hill peoples of Myanmar (Burma). This faith centers on a mythology where the restoration of a lost Golden Book by their "white younger brothers" signals a millennium. In their beliefs, a withdrawn high god, Ywa, would return to free the Karen from oppression. The cult historically prohibited animal sacrifice and emphasized a strict ethical code while preserving Karen culture. While some similar cults have declined or converted to Christianity, the Leke religion is still in existence. The Akha are a Lolo-speaking Tibeto-Burman people found in Myanmar and surrounding regions.12

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  1. Akha
  2. Telakhon

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