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People group profile · PG022726

The Tugutil of Indonesia

The Tugutil of Indonesia, numbering about 3,500 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are an Indigenous people of the forested interior of Halmahera, also known as O'Hongana Manyawa, whose identity is shaped by semi-nomadic rainforest lifeways, river-based settlements, and close cultural ties to the Tobelo peoples of North Maluku.

They are an indigenous people in the Maluku-Northern people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Tugutil.

Pray for the TugutilPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Indonesia
Population
3,500
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
Maluku-Northern
Primary language
Tugutil (tuj)
Primary religion
Animism
Strategic Progress Index ?
No Longer Unreached
Evangelical
5% or Greater but Less than 10%
GSEC ?
5% or Greater but Less than 10% Evangelical
Lostness priority ?
Moderately Reached People Group
Region
South-Eastern Asia, Asia
Location
North Maluku, north Halmahera Island, inland around Kusuri, inland in Kecamatan Tobelo, Taboulamo area in Kecamatan Kao, the pass between Lolobata and Buli in Kecamatan Wasilei, Dodaga and Tutuling rivers

Where they live

Gospel status

The Tugutil are No Longer Unreached, which means 2% or more are evangelical Christians. In GSEC terms, this people group is greater than or equal to 5% evangelical.

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

Next steps for the Tugutil

  • 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

Tugutil · North Halmahera family

76% speak Tugutil

Gospel resources in Tugutil

  • Bible available, published 2016
  • 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 Tugutil

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

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