Introduction / History

Aiklep (also recorded as Agerlep, Eklep, Kaul, Moewehafen) is one of the West Arawe varieties spoken on the southwest coast and inland areas of West New Britain Province. The variety sits within a dialect chain that includes Apalik and Gimi and has been shaped by long-standing coastal settlement, inter-village exchange, and the historic movement of people across the Arawe coastal zone.

What Are Their Lives Like?

Aiklep people live in villages along the southwest coast from the Anu to the Johanna rivers and in nearby inland hamlets. Daily life combines fishing, gardening (root crops and vegetables), coconut cultivation, and participation in local markets; canoe travel and coastal exchange remain important for trade and social ties. Many community members also use Tok Pisin and, where schooling exists, some Cameroonian English or regional lingua francas for wider communication. Community organization centers on extended families, village leaders, and cooperative labor for planting and harvest.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The Aiklep (Loko) community is predominantly Christian, with churches playing a central role in worship, social life, and community gatherings. Christian practice often coexists with ancient spiritual observances tied to land, kinship, and local ritual specialists.

What Are Their Needs?

Aiklep communities face typical rural PNG challenges: limited access to consistent healthcare and secondary education, vulnerability of subsistence livelihoods to weather and market shifts, and pressures on language transmission as younger people increasingly use Tok Pisin or migrate for work. Infrastructure constraints—roads, reliable transport, and market access—affect income diversification. Support that strengthens local schooling, basic health services, sustainable fishing/agriculture practices, and community language documentation would address immediate needs and cultural resilience.

Prayer Items

Pray for Aiklep believers to grow in spiritual maturity and to become Christian workers who share the gospel in nearby unreached or lightly reached villages.
Pray for wisdom for local leaders, unity among families, and provision for improved health and education.
Pray for the preservation of the Aiklep language and cultural knowledge, and for sustainable livelihoods that protect coastal and garden resources.

Scripture Prayers for the Aiklep, Loko in Papua New Guinea.