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People group profile · PG018312

The Niuafoou of Tonga

The Niuafoou of Tonga, numbering about 750 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Polynesian people of Tonga's remote volcanic Niuafo'ou island, settled by Lapita voyagers around 900 BC, nicknamed Tin Can Island for a postal system in which mail was tossed overboard for swimmers to retrieve until 1931.

They are an indigenous people in the Polynesian people cluster of the Pacific Islander Peoples. Their primary religion is Protestantism, and they primarily speak Niuafo'ou.

Pray for the NiuafoouPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Tonga
Population
750
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
Polynesian
Primary language
Niuafo'ou (num)
Primary religion
Protestantism
Strategic Progress Index
No Longer Unreached
Evangelical
20% or Greater but Less than 30%
GSEC
10% or Greater Evangelical
Lostness priority
Significantly Reached People Group
Region
Polynesia, Oceania

Where they live

Gospel status

The Niuafoou 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 Niuafoou

  • 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

Primary language

Niuafo'ou · Austronesian family

70% speak Niuafo'ou

Gospel resources in Niuafo'ou

  • Bible available, published 2023
  • JESUS Film not available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings not 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 Niuafoou

  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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