Pakpak Boang People Group Profile

"O LORD, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.” (Psalm 30:3, ESV).

The 18,000 Pakpak Boang live in the Singkil area of the Southern part of Aceh Province in Northern Sumatra, Indonesia. The Pakpak Boang are part of the Pakpak or Dairi Batak tribe. Boang is a derivation of the Indonesian word “buang” which means to discard or throw away. They chose this name for themselves because they felt discarded by the rest of the tribe when then decided to leave Christianity to follow Islam.

Most Pakpak Boang make their livelihoods as farmers and fishermen. Their extended families are called marga, showing cultural connections to the Batak and Nias people groups.  The Pakpak Boang follow Islam mixed with animistic beliefs. They especially revere the grave of Abdul Rauf, who was a great religious leader from the area. Like many people groups on Sumatra, the Pakpak Boang often seek the magical power of the shaman or dukun.

There are a few Pakpak Boang believers, but there is no indigenous church. Churches in the area have often been the target of community persecution. There is currently no consistent witness focused on this people group.

Pray that:

Believers in Singkil will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to show love even in the face of persecution.

Workers will hear the call of God to live among and share the Gospel with the Pakpak Boang.

Members of fanatic groups will encounter the risen Christ and will become apostles to their own people group.

The influence of animistic beliefs will be broken by the power of the Holy Spirit.

An indigenous Pakpak Boang church will come into being before the end of the year.

Many Pakpak Boang will be brought up from the pit and will be placed upon the rock of salvation.

The greater Pakpak tribe will show love and concern to the Boang so that they will not feel cast off or discarded.