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People group profile · PG022956

The Kombai of Indonesia

The Kombai of Indonesia, numbering about 6,100 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Papuan hunter-gatherer people of Mappi Regency who stayed hidden from outsiders until a Dutch missionary's first contact roughly 35 years ago, known for treehouses built for defense and flood protection, with types for residence, lookout, and seclusion.

They are an indigenous people in the New Guinea people cluster of the Pacific Islander Peoples. Their primary religion is Protestantism, and they primarily speak Wanggom.

Pray for the KombaiPrint profile

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

Fast facts

Country
Indonesia
Population
6,100
Affinity group
Asian Pacific Rim Peoples
People cluster
New Guinea
Primary language
Wanggom (wng)
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
Location
Papua province: Asmat regency, between upper Wideman and Digul rivers

Where they live

Gospel status

The Kombai 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 Kombai

  • 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

50% adherents

Primary language

Wanggom · Nuclear Trans New Guinea family

76% speak Wanggom

Gospel resources in Wanggom

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

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

Pray for the Kombai

  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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