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People group profile · PG010128

The Lele of Papua New Guinea

The Lele of Papua New Guinea, numbering about 4,500 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an indigenous ethnic group of Papua New Guinea.

They are an indigenous people in the New Guinea people cluster of the Pacific Islander Peoples. Their primary religion is Protestantism, and they primarily speak Lele (Papua New Guinea).

Pray for the LelePrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Lele people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Lele

Fast facts

Country
Papua New Guinea
Population
4,500
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
New Guinea
Primary language
Lele (Papua New Guinea) (lle)
Primary religion
Protestantism
Strategic Progress Index ?
No Longer Unreached
Evangelical
30% or Greater but Less than 40%
GSEC ?
10% or Greater Evangelical
Lostness priority ?
Significantly Reached People Group
Region
Melanesia, Oceania

Where they live

Gospel status

The Lele are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 10% evangelical.

  • Congregations exist Yes
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Lele

  • Pray for the churches among this group to grow in faithfulness and maturity
  • Equip believers to reach the unreached peoples around them
  • Send out laborers from this people to the nations

Primary religion

Protestantism · Christianity

40% adherents

Primary language

Lele (Papua New Guinea) · Austronesian family

65% speak Lele (Papua New Guinea)

Gospel resources in Lele (Papua New Guinea)

  • Bible available, published 1956
  • JESUS Film not available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.

Pray for the Lele

  1. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
  2. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
  3. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
  4. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.

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