The Santiago de Estero Quichua of Argentina

The Santiago de Estero Quichua of Argentina, numbering approximately 60,000 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are descendants of Quechua-speaking yanaconas brought from Peru and Chile by Spanish colonists who founded Santiago del Estero, Argentina in 1553, in an area earlier home to the Tonocote and Sanavirona peoples. They mostly adhere to Ethnoreligion and Santiago del Estero Quichua is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 2.5 Flash: Quichua, Santiago de Estero

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Latin American and Caribbean Peoples
Country: Argentina
People Cluster: Quechua
Primary Language(s): Santiago del Estero Quichua (qus)
Primary Religion(s): Ethnoreligion
Population: 60,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG017364
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Pray for the Santiago de Estero Quichua of Argentina

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Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Ethnoreligion
Religious Affiliation: Ethnoreligion

85%
%
Ethnoreligion Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Santiago del Estero Quichua
Language Family: Quechuan

50%
%
Quichua, Santiago del Estero Speakers

Media Resources in Santiago del Estero Quichua:

Films:

No film resources are listed for this language.

Bible Resources in Santiago del Estero Quichua:

No Bible resources are listed for this language.

Or check out the Santiago del Estero Quichua bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Santiago de Estero Quichua 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 Santiago de Estero Quichua:
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 Santiago de Estero Quichua of Argentina

The people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.
readMatthew 4:16

Pray that those living in darkness and the shadow of death will see a great light and turn to the Lord for salvation.

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.
readPsalm 19:1-2

Pray that the lost will see the glory of God revealed in the heavens, that they will hear the good news, and that their hearts will be softened to respond to God’s call, turning to Him in repentance and faith in Jesus Christ for salvation.

And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
readRomans 10:15

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will be eager to proclaim the good news of peace, knowing that the Lord has called them to this task.

Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!"
readIsaiah 40:9

Pray for God to send and sustain believers to go and herald the good news to the lost here.

Quichua, Santiago del Estero Across Countries (ROP3 - 108678) 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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