Kombai in Indonesia

The Kombai have only been reported in Indonesia
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

They maintain their livelihood by primarily subsistence farming, hunting, and some eaglewood logging in the lowlands of south Papua. With their land at an altitude of less than 100 meters above sea level the Kombai people can best be accessed by boat. Boats can be rented in Kouh. It is a 5 days trip up river from Merauke on a boat from Kapal Motor Perintis. They enjoy dressing up traditionally with gourds and kasuari bird feathers to greet visitors. They also perform welcome dances with drums and arrows.

There is one junior high school in the language area but no high schools.

The women primarily gather food and garden. The clothing the Kombai people wear is usually modern but rarely washed. The people eat vegetables, sago, pig and wild animals that they hunt. The Kombai use knives, steel axes, bows/arrows, and shovels as tools. Houses are generally framed by log posts with palm or cement floors and plank or stem walls. A tin or pleated-leaf roof tops off each house. The infrastructure in the area consists of a SSB radio in Kombai and another 6 in Kouh, some personal generators, and a community satellite TV. The people get their drinking water usually straight from the river, a well, or rainwater. No clinics are in the northern part of Kombai land and malaria, skin & lung diseases are common. A Reformed church is in the language area.

The Kombai are sometimes known as the Komboy people. They prefer to be called Wanggom. There are several known dialects within the language: Central Kombai and Tayan. The Kombai people use Kombai at home with family members and use both Kombai and Indonesian with friends. The church services are normally in Indonesia and at home Kimaama people usually speak in the Kimaama language.


Prayer Points

Scripture Prayers for the Kombai in Indonesia.


Profile Source:   GMI Papua  

People Name General Kombai
People Name in Country Kombai
Alternate Names
Population this Country 18,000
Population all Countries 18,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 4
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 6  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
PeopleID3 12759
ROP3 Code 105147
Country Indonesia
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 42  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Interior south coast area, Papua Province, Asmat regency, on plain between upper Wideman and Digul rivers, east of Senggo city.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Indonesia
Region Asia, Southeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 42  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Interior south coast area, Papua Province, Asmat regency, on plain between upper Wideman and Digul rivers, east of Senggo city..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Primary Religion: Christianity
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 3.00 %)
60.00 %
Ethnic Religions
40.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Kombai
Language Code tyn   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
Malay, Papuan
Primary Language Kombai
Language Code tyn   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
  Malay, Papuan
People Groups Speaking Kombai

Primary Language:  Kombai

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (2020-2022)
Bible-New Testament No
Bible-Complete No
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Photo Source GMI Papua 
Map Source GMI Papua  
Profile Source GMI Papua 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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