The Dhuwaya of Australia

The Dhuwaya of Australia, numbering approximately 1,900 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Yolŋu Aboriginal people of northeastern Arnhem Land whose traditional homelands are centered on the Yirrkala region and who form part of the broader Yolŋu cultural and linguistic community. They mostly adhere to Animism and Dhuwaya is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash: Dhuwaya

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Pacific Islander Peoples
Country: Australia
People Cluster: Aboriginal Australians
Primary Language(s): Dhuwaya (dwy)
Primary Religion(s): Animism
Population: 1,900
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): No Longer Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): 10% or Greater Evangelical
People Group ID: PG007868
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Dhuwaya of Australia

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: Animism
Religious Affiliation: Ethnoreligion

45%
%
Animism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Dhuwaya
Language Family: Austronesian

30%
%
Dhuwaya Speakers

Media Resources in Dhuwaya:

Films:

No film resources are listed for this language.

Bible Resources in Dhuwaya:

No Bible resources are listed for this language.

Or check out the Dhuwaya bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: No longer Unreached

The Dhuwaya 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 Dhuwaya:
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 Dhuwaya of Australia

Claiming to be wise, they became fools.
readRomans 1:22

Ask God to pour out His mercy and bring those who are walking in their own wisdom to faith in Jesus.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
readMatthew 13: 45-46

Pray that they will recognize the treasure of knowing Christ Jesus and be willing to give up everything else to gain Him.

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.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
readRomans 1:16

Pray that God will raise up sons and daughters who, like Paul, will be bold to share the gospel across cultural barriers so that many might receive salvation.

Dhuwaya Across Countries (ROP3 - 102591) 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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