The Cupeno of the United States

The Cupeno of the United States, numbering approximately 850 people, are No Longer Unreached. They are a Native American tribe from Southern California, traditionally located in the San José Valley near Warner Springs and can also be known as Kuupangaxwichem. They are an Indigenous people, in the North American Indigenous people cluster of the North American Peoples affinity bloc. Their primary religion is Ethnoreligion - Native American religions. They primarily speak English.

Photo by OpenAI. (2025). Image generated by ChatGPT: Cupeno

Fast Facts:

Affinity Group: American Peoples
Country: the United States
People Cluster: North American Indigenous
Primary Language(s): English (eng)
Primary Religion(s): Ethnoreligion - Native American religions
Population: 850
Strategic Progress Index (SPI): No Longer Unreached
Global Status of Evangelical Christianity (GSEC): 2% or Greater but Less than 5% Evangelical
People Group ID: PG043218
View on Joshua Project

Pray for the Cupeno of the 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: Ethnoreligion - Native American religions
Religious Affiliation: Ethnoreligion

%
Ethnoreligion - Native Am… Adherents

Dig Deeper (Language):

Primary Language: English
Language Family:

%
English Speakers

Bible Resources in English:

Or check out the English bible resources at Bible.com

Linked from YouVersion

Next steps for the Cupeno

The Cupeno are Unengaged and Unreached, which means there are less than 2% evangelical Christian populations among which there are no known efforts focused on establishing self-sustaining churches consistent with evangelical faith and practice.

Begin signifcant prayer and fasting for this group
Send cross-cultural teams to discover and research this people group
Begin gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group

Next steps for the Cupeno

The Cupeno 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.

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

Next steps for the Cupeno

The Cupeno 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.

Empower local believers to begin praying for their own people
Continue gospel seed sowing and church planting among this group
Encourage local leaders to being leading church planting strategy and looking for Unreached and Unengaged groups nearby

Pray specifically for the Cupeno of the United States

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.
readGenesis 3:15

Pray that those without Christ will hear the words of Genesis 1-3 in their own language, and desire to know their Creator and His provision of salvation.

Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!
readPsalm 96:9

Pray that many who do not yet know Jesus will come to know Him and worship Him in the splendor of His holiness.

Remember the wondrous works that he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he uttered.
readPsalm 105:5

Pray that as people place their faith in Christ, they will rejoice as they remember His wonders, miracles, and perfect judgements.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
readHebrews 4:12

Pray that God will make His living and active Word available to everyone in this people group so that many will respond to the gospel. Ask Him to provide Jesus-followers to walk with new believers as they grow in Him.

Cupeno (ROP3 - 102335) reported in the following countries:

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

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