People group profile · PG022608
The Iban of Indonesia
The Iban of Indonesia, numbering about 20,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Dayak people of Indonesian Borneo's Kapuas River basin, the Iban ancestral homeland before groups crossed into Sarawak, historically renowned as headhunters under Singalang Burung, their bird-god of war, until outlawed after World War Two.
They are an indigenous people in the Borneo-Kalimantan people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Protestantism, and they primarily speak Iban.

Fast facts
- Country
- Indonesia
- Population
- 20,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Borneo-Kalimantan
- Primary language
- Iban (iba)
- 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
Where they live
Gospel status
The Iban 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 Iban
- 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
44% adherents
Primary language
Iban · Austronesian family
100% speak Iban
Gospel resources in Iban
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Iban)
Bibles
- Today's Iban Version · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Iban
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- 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.
Iban in other countries
The same people is also reported in 2 other countries.
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