People Group Profiles

“All nations will come and worship before you."

- Revelations 15:4

Triqui, Copala of United States


People Group Info

Total Population: 5,600

ROP3 Code: 108607
IMB Affinity Group: American Peoples
Affinity Bloc: Latin-Caribbean Americans
People Cluster: Mixteco
Language: Copala Triqui - (trc)
Religion: Christianity - Roman Catholic
Country of Origin: Mexico

Photo courtesy of Joshua Project.

By Duane Frasier

Majority Located Where

  Salinas, CA - 4,000

  Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR - 210

  San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA - 200

  Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA - 200

  Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY - 200

Click here to recommend other locations where this People Group resides.

Learn More

Brief Profile

The Copala Triqui are an indigenous group who have migrated from the mountainous western part of the Mexican state of Oaxaca and who maintain their pre-Columbian language and culture. Their primary language is Copala Triqui, but some do speak Spanish and children in the public school system in the USA are frequently bi or tri lingual.

The Triqui peoples are known for their distinctive woven handbags and baskets. Like many other Southern Mexicans, many Triqui men travel to the United States as migrant workers, and remittances sent back to Oaxaca confer economic benefits to both migrant Triqui and their families in Oaxaca. Copala Triqui migrants have scattered widely across the USA in search of economic opportunity and are found from New York to California.

The primary religion practiced by the Copala Triqui is a form of Cultural Catholicism layered over their traditional religion, and is rooted in the reverence of santos, their ancestors, and spirits in nature. Their religion is expressed through traditional fiestas, rites, and customs.

Prayer Points

  • Pray for Copala Triqui believers to boldly proclaim the gospel to their people.
  • Pray that the barriers of traditional Triqui religion would be broken down.
  • Pray for more workers for the harvest, both for the Copala Triqui in the United States, as well as those in Mexico.


Learning Resources

Learn more about "Learning Paths"
Online Courses for embracing, encountering and engaging diaspora people. Work at your own pace. Begin anytime and complete the course according to your schedule. Interactive, Hands-On Application.

Learn more about "Reaching the Nations"
This book delineates five disciplines Christians should develop in order to effectively reach the nations. More specifically, it will guide Christians to develop an engagement strategy in their locale.

World Religions - Beliefs Overview
An overview of major world religions and cults - their beliefs and practices.


Other Resources

Prayer Guide for Unreached Peoples
A 30 day guide to pray for unreached people groups.

Prayer Guide using the GOSPELS acronym
A prayer guide that utilizes the acronym GOSPELS to pray for workers among diaspora.

Scripture Earth Resources in Triqui, Copala
Scripture Earth Resources in Triqui, Copala

Scripture Earth Resources in Various Mixtec Languages
Scripture Earth Resources in Various Mixtec Languages

Scripture Earth Resources in Various Triqui Dialects
Scripture Earth Resources in Various Triqui Dialects

Displaying 1-22 of 22 results.
Country City Metro Area Name State / Prov. Baseline Population
United StatesGreenfieldSalinasCA4,000
United StatesAlbanyAlbany-Schenectady-TroyNY200
United StatesAtlantaAtlanta-Sandy Springs-RoswellGA200
United StatesHollisterSan Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa ClaraCA200
United StatesMcMinnvillePortland-Vancouver-HillsboroOR200
United StatesLakewoodSeattle-Tacoma-BellevueWA200
United StatesNew YorkNew York-Newark-Jersey CityNY100
United StatesSanta MariaSanta Barbara-Santa Maria-GoletaCA100
United StatesGreshamPortland-Vancouver-HillsboroOR10
United StatesUnion CityNew York-Newark-Jersey CityNJ10
United StatesIndianapolisIndianapolis-Carmel-AndersonIN10
United StatesColumbusColumbusIN10
United StatesCoachellaRiverside-San Bernardino-OntarioCA10
United StatesRamonaSan Diego-Carlsbad-San MarcosCA10
United StatesSan MarcosSan Diego-Carlsbad-San MarcosCA10
United StatesOxnardOxnard-Thousand Oaks-VenturaCA10
United StatesMaderaMaderaCA10
United StatesSacramentoSacramento--Arden-Arcade--RosevilleCA10
United StatesFairfieldVallejo-FairfieldCA10
United StatesWindsorSanta Rosa-PetalumaCA10
United StatesAnchorageAnchorageAK10
United StatesWoodburnSalemOR10