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People group profile · PG022464

The Ma'ya Salawati of Indonesia

The Ma'ya Salawati of Indonesia, numbering about 5,400 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an indigenous ethnic group from Salawati Island, which is part of the Raja Ampat Islands in West Papua, Indonesia.

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 Ma'ya.

Pray for the Ma'ya SalawatiPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Ma'ya Salawati people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3 Flash: Ma'ya

Fast facts

Country
Indonesia
Population
5,400
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
New Guinea
Primary language
Ma'ya (slz)
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
Also known as
Ma'ya Salawati, Ma'ya
Region
South-Eastern Asia, Asia
Location
West Papua province: Raja Ampat archipelago on east Bantanta, central Salawati islands, and Misool island

Where they live

Gospel status

The Ma'ya Salawati 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 Ma'ya Salawati

  • 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

30% adherents

Primary language

Ma'ya · Austronesian family

76% speak Ma'ya

Gospel resources in Ma'ya

  • 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 Ma'ya Salawati

  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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