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PEOPLE GROUP PROFILE

The Kanum of Indonesia

The Kanum of Indonesia, numbering approximately 750 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Marind subgroup of Merauke Regency near the PNG border, with their own Yam-family language closer to Yei than to Marind, organized into named clans including Mbanggu, Ndimar, and Sanggra across the swamp-and-savanna territory of Wasur National Park. They mostly adhere to Protestantism and Ngkâlmpw Kanum is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Kanum

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Pacific Islander Peoples
Country: Indonesia
People Cluster: New Guinea
Primary Language(s): Ngkâlmpw Kanum (kcd)
Primary Religion(s): Protestantism
Population: 750
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): No Longer Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): 10% or Greater Evangelical
People Group ID: PG022938
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Pray for the Kanum of Indonesia

Join others around the world in praying for the lost to be saved, the gospel to advance, the global Church to grow, and for laborers to be sent out and sustained in the harvest.

Pray Now!
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Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Protestantism
Religious Affiliation: Christianity

50%
%
Protestantism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Ngkâlmpw Kanum
Language Family: Yam

76%
%
Kanum, Ngkâlmpw Speakers

Media Resources in Ngkâlmpw Kanum:

Films:

No film resources are listed for this language.

Provided by the Jesus Film Project

View all resources

Bible Resources in Ngkâlmpw Kanum:

No Bible resources are listed for this language.

Provided by Faith Comes by Hearing

Or check out the Ngkâlmpw Kanum bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

View all resources

SPI: No longer Unreached

The Kanum are No Longer Unreached, which means there are more than 2% evangelical Christian populations and there are churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. There is still more to be done among them.

Next steps for the Kanum:
Empower local believers to begin praying for their own people
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting
Encourage local leaders to being leading church planting strategy and looking for Unreached and Unengaged groups nearby

Pray specifically for the Kanum of Indonesia

For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost.
readLuke 19:10

Pray that those who are lost will respond to the One who came to seek and save the lost, and experience the joy of being found.

The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.
readActs 17:24-25

Pray that the good news will reach everyone in this people group and that many will come to know and serve the one true God who made the world and everything in it and lives today.

But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.
read1 Peter 3:15

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will always be prepared to share the reason for the hope that they have in Jesus with gentleness and respect.

But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.
readJeremiah 29:7

Pray that God will lead the lost among them to followers of Jesus who will share the gospel with them so that they may believe and take the message of hope to their families and friends.

Kanum Across Countries (ROP3 - 104601) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

2 people groups

PhotoPeople Group IDNameCountryPopulation ▼Strategic Progress IndexLanguageReligion
KanumPG022938KanumIndonesia750No Longer UnreachedNgkâlmpw KanumProtestantism
KanumPG010028KanumPapua New Guinea550No Longer UnreachedNgkâlmpw KanumAnimism

To download a comprehensive people group list in spreadsheet form, visit our Research Data page.

Peoplegroups.org relies on updates from the field and other organizations for much of our data, so if you have any updates, please contact us. We use various international naming standards. For a list of these standards and fields, visit our Data Standards section.

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