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People group profile · PG018416

The Paama of Vanuatu

The Paama of Vanuatu, numbering about 12,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a small Melanesian island people of Vanuatu's Malampa Province, subsistence gardeners and fishers who embraced Christianity in the early 20th century while retaining traditional kastom beliefs in ritual and divination.

They are an indigenous people in the Vanuatu people cluster of the Pacific Islander Peoples. Their primary religion is Protestantism, and they primarily speak Paama.

Pray for the PaamaPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Vanuatu
Population
12,000
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
Vanuatu
Primary language
Paama (pma)
Primary religion
Protestantism
Strategic Progress Index ?
No Longer Unreached
Evangelical
5% or Greater but Less than 10%
GSEC ?
5% or Greater but Less than 10% Evangelical
Lostness priority ?
Moderately Reached People Group
Region
Melanesia, Oceania

Where they live

Gospel status

The Paama are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 5% evangelical.

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

Next steps for the Paama

  • 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

Paama · Austronesian family

100% speak Paama

Gospel resources in Paama

  • Bible available, published 2016
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

Bibles

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

Pray for the Paama

  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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