Prototype rebuild by the IMB Innovation Team. The official site is peoplegroups.org.

People group profile · PG010666

The Yey of Papua New Guinea

The Yey of Papua New Guinea, numbering about 2,300 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 Yei.

Pray for the YeyPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Papua New Guinea
Population
2,300
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
New Guinea
Primary language
Yei (jei)
Primary religion
Protestantism
Strategic Progress Index ?
No Longer Unreached
Evangelical
2% or Greater but Less than 5%
GSEC ?
2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
Lostness priority ?
Minimally Reached People Group
Region
Melanesia, Oceania

Where they live

Gospel status

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

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

Next steps for the Yey

  • 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

39% adherents

Primary language

Yei · Yam family

65% speak Yei

Gospel resources in Yei

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

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

Pray for the Yey

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

Download a prayer guide

Yey in other countries

The same people is also reported in 1 other country.

People groupCountryPopulationStatus
YeiIndonesia2,800No Longer Unreached

Know something we don't? Submit updates to IMB Global Research.