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PEOPLE GROUP PROFILE

The Northwestern Chinantec of Mexico

The Northwestern Chinantec of Mexico, numbering approximately 21,000 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Chinantecan people of northern Oaxaca's Papaloapan River basin near Tuxtepec, Mexico, whose language traces to settlement of the Chinantla region over 3,500 years ago, distinct from the neighboring Zapotec and Mazatec. They mostly adhere to Folk Catholicism and Tlacoatzintepec Chinantec is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite: Chinantec, Northwestern

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: Latin American and Caribbean Peoples
Country: Mexico
People Cluster: Zapotec
Primary Language(s): Tlacoatzintepec Chinantec (ctl)
Primary Religion(s): Folk Catholicism
Population: 21,000
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): No Longer Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): 10% or Greater Evangelical
People Group ID: PG039070
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Pray for the Northwestern Chinantec of Mexico

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.

Pray Now!
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Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Folk Catholicism
Religious Affiliation: Christianity

59%
%
Folk Catholicism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Tlacoatzintepec Chinantec
Language Family: Otomanguean

98%
%
Chinantec, Tlacoatzintepec Speakers

Media Resources in Tlacoatzintepec Chinantec:

Films:
TitleLink
JESUSView Film

1 film

Provided by the Jesus Film Project

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Bible Resources in Tlacoatzintepec Chinantec:

No Bible resources are listed for this language.

Provided by Faith Comes by Hearing

Or check out the Tlacoatzintepec Chinantec bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

View all resources

SPI: No longer Unreached

The Northwestern Chinantec are No Longer Unreached, which means there are more than 2% evangelical Christian populations and there are churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice. There is still more to be done among them.

Next steps for the Northwestern Chinantec:
Empower local believers to begin praying for their own people
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting
Encourage local leaders to being leading church planting strategy and looking for Unreached and Unengaged groups nearby

Pray specifically for the Northwestern Chinantec of Mexico

And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
readMatthew 6:7-8

Pray that those who don't have a relationship with their Creator will come to know a God who hears their every need, freeing them from empty rituals and drawing them into a real, trusting relationship with Him.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise).
readEphesians 6:1-2

Pray that God will bring young men and women to faith in Jesus and that the fruit of their faith will be a powerful testimony as they honor their parents.

We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near. We recount your wondrous deeds.
readPsalm 75:1

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will give thanks to the Lord for His wondrous works and declare His goodness to all people.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
readEphesians 6:12

Ask God to give those He sends to cross cultures the discernment they need to recognize the spiritual battle they are fighting. Pray God will protect their faith as they abide in Him.

Chinantec, Tlacoatzintepec Across Countries (ROP3 - 110094) reported in the following countries:

Strategic Progress Index
All

1 people group

PhotoPeople Group IDNameCountryPopulation ▲Strategic Progress IndexLanguageReligion
Northwestern ChinantecPG039070Northwestern ChinantecMexico21,000No Longer UnreachedTlacoatzintepec ChinantecFolk Catholicism

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

Peoplegroups.org relies on updates from the field and other organizations for much of our data, so if you have any updates, please contact us. We use various international naming standards. For a list of these standards and fields, visit our Data Standards section.

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