The Central Alaskan Yupik of United States

The Central Alaskan Yupik of United States, numbering approximately 29,500 people, are Engaged yet Unreached. They are the largest Indigenous Alaska Native people group and the largest Yupik subgroup, with a deep cultural, linguistic, and historical presence in western and southwestern Alaska. They mostly adhere to Protestantism and Central Yupik is their primary language.

Photo by Google. (2026). Image generated by Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite: Yupik, Central Alaskan

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: North American Peoples
Country: United States
People Cluster: Arctic Peoples
Primary Language(s): Central Yupik (esu)
Primary Religion(s): Protestantism
Population: 29,500
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): Engaged yet Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): Less than 2% Evangelical, No Recent CP Activity
People Group ID: PG043680
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Central Alaskan Yupik of United States

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.

Dig Deeper (Religion):

Primary Religion: Protestantism
Religious Affiliation: Christianity

—
%
Protestantism Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: Central Yupik
Language Family: Eskimo-Aleut

40%
%
Yupik, Central Speakers

Media Resources in Central Yupik:

Films:

No film resources are listed for this language.

Bible Resources in Central Yupik:

No Bible resources are listed for this language.

Or check out the Central Yupik bible at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

SPI: Unreached yet Engaged

The Central Alaskan Yupik 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 Central Alaskan Yupik:
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 Central Alaskan Yupik of United States

Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other.
readIsaiah 45:22

Pray for many lost people to turn to the Lord, finding forgiveness and salvation in Him, for He is the only way to true life and restoration.

The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.
readActs 17:24-25

Pray that the good news will reach everyone in this people group and that many will come to know and serve the one true God who made the world and everything in it and lives today.

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
readPsalm 27:1

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, God will strengthen them when they face persecution of any kind for Jesus' name’s sake.

"Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."
readJohn 7:38

Ask God to raise up believers and sustain them as they cross cultures to share hope with those who need it. Pray that many might come to know Christ and that streams of living water will flow from their hearts so they will never thirst again.

Yupik, Central Across Countries (ROP3 - 110751) 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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