People group profile · PG022833
The Tolaki of Indonesia
The Tolaki of Indonesia, numbering about 263,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an indigenous people of Southeast Sulawesi descended from the historic Konawe and Mekongga kingdoms dating to around the tenth century, traditionally guided by a subsistence ethic of house, sago, and fish.
They are an indigenous people in the Toraja of Sulawesi people cluster of the Malay Peoples. Their primary religion is Sunni Islam, and they primarily speak Tolaki.
Fast facts
- Country
- Indonesia
- Population
- 263,000
- Affinity group
- Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
- People cluster
- Toraja of Sulawesi
- Primary language
- Tolaki (lbw)
- 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
- Expanding Unreached People Group
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia, Asia
- Location
- Southeast Sulawesi province: Kolaka, North Kolaka, Konawe, North Konawe, and South Konawe regencies, Mekongga district; Point Kolono on southeast peninsula, northwest across plains to highlands; west coast, past Klaka town toward Bone bay narrows
Where they live
Gospel status
The Tolaki 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 Yes
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Tolaki
- 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
95% adherents
Primary language
Tolaki · Austronesian family
76% speak Tolaki
Gospel resources in Tolaki
- Bible available, published 2013
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs not available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- JESUS (Tolaki)
Bibles
- LAI 2013 · video, audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Tolaki
- John 17:3. Pray that many will come to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent.
- Psalm 27:1. Pray that new believers will be strengthened in the face of persecution, with the Lord as their stronghold.
- Romans 12:4–5. Pray that believers from many cultures will work together as one body so that the church is built up.
- Revelation 7:9. Pray for the day when people from this group stand before the throne with every nation, tribe, people and language.
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