People group profile · PG022522
The Musi of Indonesia
The Musi of Indonesia, numbering about 705,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a Malay people of South Sumatra whose communities are centered along the Musi River and its tributaries, reflecting a shared riverine heritage and a regional identity closely linked to the historic Musi heartland.
They are an indigenous people in the Musi of Sumatra people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Musi.

Fast facts
- Country
- Indonesia
- Population
- 705,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Musi of Sumatra
- Primary language
- Musi (mui)
- Primary religion
- Sunni Islam
- Strategic Progress Index
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority
- Frontier Unreached People Group
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia, Asia
- Location
- South Sumatra province: widespread in northern 2 thirds of province from Musi river upstream to Bukit Barisan mountains, downstream to coastal swamplands; Lampung province: northeast; border areas in Jambi and Bengkulu provinces
Where they live
Gospel status
The Musi are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist No
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Musi
- Continue prayer and fasting for this group
- Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
- Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people
Primary religion
Sunni Islam · Islam
96% adherents
Primary language
Musi · Austronesian family
100% speak Musi
Gospel resources in Musi
- Bible available, published 2019
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources not available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Palembang)
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Musi
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
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