Biga is a Raja Ampat-South Halmahera (Austronesian) language spoken in a single village on the south coast of Misool island, Raja Ampat. Languages spoken in other villages on Misool include Matbat [xmt] and Ma'ya [slz], both of which are closely related. Of all the Raja Ampat languages I've worked with, Biga is the most vital, in that children are still acquiring the language. However, there are early signs that this situation may change in the next few generations: for example, while children sometimes speak Biga to their parents and grandparents, they usually use Papuan Malay, especially with their peers.

According to their oral history, the Biga are relatively recent incomers to Misool, having left Waigeo in north Raja Ampat some 300 years ago. The Biga are important sago producers in the area – this socioeconomic role is reflected in the name Biga (bi 'sago' + ga 'place').