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People group profile · PG022456

The Awyi of Indonesia

The Awyi of Indonesia, numbering about 800 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an indigenous borderland people of Keerom and Jayapura whose communities include Awyi-speaking and Sangke-speaking groups.

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 Papuan Malay.

Pray for the AwyiPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Awyi people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2025). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Awyi

Fast facts

Country
Indonesia
Population
800
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
New Guinea
Primary language
Papuan Malay (pmy)
Primary religion
Protestantism
Strategic Progress Index ?
No Longer Unreached
Evangelical
40% or Greater but Less than 50%
GSEC ?
10% or Greater Evangelical
Lostness priority ?
Significantly Reached People Group
Region
South-Eastern Asia, Asia
Location
Papua province: Keerom regency, Arso sub-district; northeast highland enclave near Papua New Guinea border

Where they live

Gospel status

The Awyi 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 Awyi

  • 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

45% adherents

Primary language

Papuan Malay · Austronesian family

100% speak Papuan Malay

Gospel resources in Papuan Malay

  • Bible available, published 2020
  • JESUS Film available
  • Radio programs not available
  • Gospel recordings available
  • Audio resources not available
  • Bible stories not available

Films

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

Pray for the Awyi

  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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