The Seget people are an indigenous Papuan people of the Bird's Head (Doberai) region of western New Guinea, living principally in parts of Sorong Regency (including Seget and Segun districts and villages on Salawati and nearby coastal areas). Their language, Seget (also called Moi Lemas / Moi Sigin in some references), belongs to the West Bird's Head group of Papuan languages and sits within the West Bird's Head (sometimes grouped under West Papuan) family.
Historical contact with coastal trade networks, migration and later Indonesian administration has brought gradual social change, but Seget communities retain strong ties to coastal and riverine lifeways and local customary identity.
Seget people typically live in small coastal and near-coastal villages (for example Walian, Sailolof, Seget and Segun) on Salawati Island and adjacent mainland/coastal areas of Sorong Regency. Daily life is closely linked to marine and river resources: fishing, sago and root-crop processing, small-scale gardening and canoe travel are important for subsistence.
Village life is organized around kinship and clan relationships, with customary land-and-sea rights shaping access to resources. Increasing use of Bahasa Indonesia, schooling, and migration to regional towns are changing patterns of language use and livelihood among younger Seget people.
Religious identity in the Seget area reflects the broader coastal mix of western New Guinea: many coastal communities have been influenced by mission activity and Christian churches, while some coastal groups have also had historic contact with Muslim traders and other outside faiths.
In practice, Seget villages commonly exhibit a mixture of Christianity (where mission churches are active) together with customary beliefs and ritual obligations tied to ancestors, the sea and forest spirits. Church congregations and mission activities are present in the Sorong/Salawati area and serve as centers for schooling and social services in many communities.
The Seget people need Scripture and discipleship materials available in Moi Lemas so that new and maturing believers can worship and study the Bible in the language they best understand. The Seget people need training and equipping of indigenous church leaders—pastors and small-group teachers—so that congregations become locally led, culturally rooted and sustainable.
They also need holistic community development—improvements in access to education, appropriate health care, sustainable livelihood opportunities and secure customary land/sea rights—so that spiritual growth is accompanied by social and economic flourishing.
Pray that Seget believers would receive God's word in their heart language and that scripture would shape village life, family faith, and local teaching.
Pray for the raising up of faithful indigenous leaders from Seget communities who can disciple others, plant churches and contextualize the gospel in Seget culture.
Pray for holistic ministry among the Seget: that churches and partners would meet spiritual needs and also help with education, health, livelihood sustainability.
Pray for Seget Christians to faithfully preach the gospel and make disciples of their own people and the Muslims outside their community.
Scripture Prayers for the Seget in Indonesia.
Seget language — Wikipedia. Overview of classification, region, and villages (Walian, Sailolof, Seget, Segun).
Glottolog — Seget (sege1235). Linguistic classification and references for West Bird's Head family.
Preliminary Bibliography / Ethnobotanical note referencing Kampung Seget (sago processing studies). Local livelihood and sago-processing context for Seget village.
| Profile Source: Joshua Project |
