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People group profile · PG022459

The Baburiwa of Indonesia

The Baburiwa of Indonesia, numbering about 600 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Papuan people of the grasslands north of Lake Holmes and west of the Mamberamo River, related linguistically to Sikaritai and Obokuitai communities.

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 Eritai.

Pray for the BaburiwaPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Indonesia
Population
600
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
New Guinea
Primary language
Eritai (ert)
Primary religion
Protestantism
Strategic Progress Index ?
No Longer Unreached
Evangelical
50% or Greater but Less than 75%
GSEC ?
10% or Greater Evangelical
Lostness priority ?
Significantly Reached People Group
Region
South-Eastern Asia, Asia
Location
Papua province: Sarmi regency, Mamberamo Hulu and Mamberamo Tengah sub-districts, Erai, Haya, and Kustera villages; low mountains, Kustera airstrip area

Where they live

Gospel status

The Baburiwa 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 Baburiwa

  • 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

49% adherents

Primary language

Eritai · Lakes Plain family

76% speak Eritai

Gospel resources in Eritai

  • 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 Baburiwa

  1. Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
  2. Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
  3. Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
  4. John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.

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