Kikim People Group Profile

“Let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy” (Psalm 96:12, ESV).

The 80,000 Kikim [key-KEEM] live in the Lahat Regency of Southern Sumatra. They are a Malay people group who speak a dialect called Kikim. They live mainly along the Kikim River. People from the area quip that there are more trees than people in this region of Sumatra. Most Kikim work on palm oil or rubber plantations. The farming they do on their own land is often not enough to support their families

The Kikim follow Folk Islam with vestiges of animistic beliefs from pre-Islamic times. The Kikim are known for a traditional ceremony called Sedekah Rame. In this ceremony the entire village gathers to sit in the middle of a rice field and eat a religious meal. The field is called Tanah Badahe Setue (Land of Future Graves). The ceremony is concluded with a large bonfire. This spot is then designated as the place to make ritual offerings and burn incense to appease spirits for the rest of the year.

 

There are no known believers among the Kikim. There are no known cross cultural workers focused on reaching the Kikim with the Gospel. Lahat is the nearest city that has a concentration of believers to reach out to the Kikim.  

Pray that:

God will call a workers to live in Lahat and focus on reaching the Kikim.

The Holy Spirit will break the spiritual bondages that have been forged by generations of participation in community wide occult ceremonies.

Believers in Lahat will experience revival and then get training to share the Gospel with the Kikim and other people groups that live near this strategic city.

Believers will be guided to people of peace among the Kikim and they will boldly share the Gospel.

Education and economic opportunities for the Kikim will improve.

New Kikim believers will be given good discipleship and gathered into Kikim house fellowships.

Many intercessors will adopt the Kikim for prayer until the church is firmly established among them.