The Heikum of Namibia

The Heikum of Namibia, numbering approximately 88,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are a northern Namibian San people traditionally associated with the Etosha region. Historically reliant on hunting and gathering, they maintained extensive ecological knowledge of savannah and semi-arid environments. They mostly adhere to Animism and Sekele is their primary language.

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

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Sub-Saharan African Peoples
Country: Namibia
People Cluster: Khoisan
Primary Language(s): Sekele (vaj)
Primary Religion(s): Animism
Population: 88,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG043066
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Heikum of Namibia

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

90%
%
Animism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Sekele
Language Family: Kxa

100%
%
Northwestern !Kung Speakers

Media Resources in Sekele:

Films:

No film resources are listed for this language.

Bible Resources in Sekele:

No Bible resources are listed for this language.

Or check out the Sekele bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Heikum are Engaged yet Unreached, which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations but there are sustained efforts at establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.

Next steps for the Heikum:
Continue prayer and fasting for this group
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
Begin training up local leaders to lead and develop strategies to reach their own people

Pray specifically for the Heikum of Namibia

For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens.
read1 Chronicles 16:26

Pray that those among them who are lost and seeking after worthless idols will have the opportunity to hear and respond to the good news, seeing that Jesus is better than any idol.

He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.
readIsaiah 40:11

Pray that the lost will come to know the tender care of the Good Shepherd, who gathers the lambs in His arms and carries them close to His heart.

For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.
read2 Thessalonians 3:5

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will persevere according to God's command, walk in faith, and be strong so that they can resist the evil one’s deception.

After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to go.
readLuke 10:1

Ask God to raise up, send out, and sustain Christians who can go together to share the good news of Jesus with those who need it.

Heikum, San Across Countries (ROP3 - 108589) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

3 people groups

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

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