People group profile · PG049294
The Ocotlan Zapotec of the United States
The Ocotlan Zapotec of the United States, numbering about 1,700 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are an Indigenous people of southern Mexico, primarily concentrated in the state of Oaxaca, with a long history of cultural continuity from pre-Columbian times to the present.
They are a diaspora people in the Zapotec people cluster of the Latin American and Caribbean Peoples. Their primary religion is Animism, and they primarily speak Spanish.

Fast facts
- Country
- United States
- Population
- 1,700
- Affinity group
- American Peoples
- People cluster
- Zapotec
- Primary language
- Spanish (spa)
- Primary religion
- Animism
- Strategic Progress Index ?
- Engaged yet Unreached
- Evangelical
- Less than 2%
- GSEC ?
- Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
- Lostness priority ?
- Expanding Unreached People Group
- Region
- Northern America, Americas
Where they live
Gospel status
The Ocotlan Zapotec are Engaged yet Unreached, which means fewer than 2% are evangelical Christians, but there are sustained efforts to establish self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. In GSEC terms, this people group is less than 2% evangelical, some evangelical resources are available, but there has been no active church planting among them within the past two years.
- Congregations exist No
- Church planting in the last two years No Churches Planted
Next steps for the Ocotlan Zapotec
- 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
Primary religion
Animism · Ethnoreligion
97% adherents
Primary language
Spanish · Indo-European family
100% speak Spanish
Gospel resources in Spanish
- Bible available
- JESUS Film available
- Radio programs available
- Gospel recordings available
- Audio resources available
- Bible stories not available
Films
- Magdalena (Spanish, Castilian)
- Magdalena (Spanish, Latin American)
- The Savior (Spanish, Latin American)
Bibles
- 1569 Sagradas Escrituras · text
- 1602 Reina-Valera Antigua · text
- Biblia de América · video, audio, text
- Dios Habla Hoy · audio
- La Biblia · text
- La Palabra de Dios para Todos · audio
- La Santa Biblia, Nueva Versión Internacional® · video
- Lenguaje Actual · audio
- Reina Valera 1995 · audio
- Reina Valera Contemporánea · video
- Reina Valera, Revisada y Corregida (1865) · text
- The Word of God for All - 2000 World Bible Translation Center · audio, text
- The Word of God for All 2014 · audio, text
Find more at the JESUS Film Project, Bible.com and Faith Comes by Hearing.
Pray for the Ocotlan Zapotec
- 2 Timothy 2:2. Pray for faithful local leaders who will teach others, so that the church multiplies.
- Ephesians 5:8. Pray that those walking in darkness will turn to the light and live as children of light.
- Romans 10:14–15. Ask God to send messengers, so that people can hear, believe and call on the name of the Lord.
- Matthew 9:37–38. Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest field.
Ocotlan Zapotec in other countries
The same people is also reported in 1 other country.
| People group | Country | Population | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ocotlan Zapotec | Mexico | 17,500 | No Longer Unreached |
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