The Makura of Vanuatu

The Makura of Vanuatu, numbering approximately 6,800 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a small Oceanic-speaking people of the Shepherd Islands in Vanuatu's Shefa Province, whose Namakura language uniquely preserves an ancient Proto-Oceanic sound lost in most neighboring North-Central Vanuatu tongues. They mostly adhere to Protestantism and Namakura is their primary language.

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

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Pacific Islander Peoples
Country: Vanuatu
People Cluster: Vanuatu
Primary Language(s): Namakura (nmk)
Primary Religion(s): Protestantism
Population: 6,800
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): No Longer Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): 2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
People Group ID: PG011015
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Makura of Vanuatu

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.

Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Protestantism
Religious Affiliation: Christianity

—
%
Protestantism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Namakura
Language Family: Austronesian

100%
%
Namakura Speakers

Media Resources in Namakura:

Films:

No film resources are listed for this language.

Bible Resources in Namakura:

No Bible resources are listed for this language.

Or check out the Namakura bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: No longer Unreached

The Makura 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 Makura:
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 Makura of Vanuatu

He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him
readLuke 10:34

Pray that the lost among them will experience the kind of compassion Jesus taught His followers to show others, and that they will trust in Him because He is the one who brings healing to the broken and lost.

...I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
readPsalm 13:5

Ask God to bring many to trust in His unfailing love and cause their hearts to rejoice in His salvation.

I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope.
readPsalm 130:5

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will wait on the Lord and have patience and trust, knowing His ways and His timing are always perfect.

For the needy shall not always be forgotten, and the hope of the poor shall not perish forever.
readPsalm 9:18

Pray that God will raise up believers who can help meet emotional and physical needs among this people group. Ask Him to open doors for them and give them the courage to walk into difficult situations and share the hope of the gospel boldly.

Namakura Across Countries (ROP3 - 107052) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

1 people group

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

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