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People group profile · PG022620

The Wahau Kayan of Indonesia

The Wahau Kayan of Indonesia, numbering about 900 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an ethnolinguistic community of Indonesia.

They are an indigenous people in the Borneo-Kalimantan people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Wahau Kayan.

Pray for the Wahau KayanPrint profile

AI-generated illustration representing the Wahau Kayan people
AI-generated illustration, not a photograph. Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Wahau Kayan

Fast facts

Country
Indonesia
Population
900
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
Borneo-Kalimantan
Primary language
Wahau Kayan (whu)
Primary religion
Animism
Strategic Progress Index ?
No Longer Unreached
Evangelical
2% or Greater but Less than 5%
GSEC ?
2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
Lostness priority ?
Marginally Reached People Group
Region
South-Eastern Asia, Asia
Location
East Kalimantan province: Kutai Timur regency, Telen river north tributary

Where they live

Gospel status

The Wahau Kayan are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 2% evangelical.

  • Congregations exist Yes
  • Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted

Next steps for the Wahau Kayan

  • 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

Animism · Ethnoreligion

95% adherents

Primary language

Wahau Kayan · Bookkeeping family

76% speak Wahau Kayan

Gospel resources in Wahau Kayan

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

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

Pray for the Wahau Kayan

  1. Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
  2. 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
  3. Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
  4. Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.

Download a prayer guide

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