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Aikana Language (Tubarão, Masaka, Munde)
Language: Aikana is a language of South America, spoken by 100 people in Brazil.
Some linguists believe it may be related to the Arawakan
language family. Aikana is a morphologically complex
tone language with many suffixes and primarily
SOV word order.
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Names: The name the people use to refer to themselves and their language is Aikanã, but several
other names have been recorded over the years, including Massaka, Tubarão, Huarí, Kasupá, Mundé, and Corumbiara. Most of these probably
either referred to particular Aikana bands or place names, or were names for the Aikanas in neighboring tribes.
("Mundé" is a
given name in the Aikana language, and may have referred to a particular Aikana leader.) Today these alternate names are sometimes
still used as synonyms of "Aikana." Other common spellings include Aicana, Aikaná, Masaká, Masaka, Masaca, Massaca, Massaká, Tubarao, Tubaro,
Warí, Huari, Wari, Uari, Cassupá, Kasupa, Mondé, Munde, Korumbiara, Kolumbiara, and Columbiara.
Aikana Vocabulary:
Our list of vocabulary words in the Aikana language, with comparison to words in other Arawakan languages.
Aikana Pronunciation Guide:
How to pronounce Aikana words.
Aikana Animal Words:
Illustrated glossary of animal words in the Aikana/Tubarao language.
Aikana Body Parts:
Online and printable worksheets showing parts of the body in the Aikana/Tubarao language.
Aikana Numbers:
Worksheet showing how to count in the Aikana language.
Aikana Language Resources
Aikaná:
Aikana language information including a map of Brazil. Page in Spanish.
House of Languages: Aikaná
Information about Aikaná language usage.
Tubarão Language:
Demographic information on Aikana from the Ethnologue of Languages.
Aikana Language Tree:
Theories about Aikana's language relationships compiled by Linguist List.
Aikaná Language Structures:
Aikana linguistic profile and academic bibliography.
Language use on the Tubarão-Latundê reserve, Rondônia, Brazil:
Linguistics article on Lakonde and Aikana language usage.
Native and National in Brazil:
Interesting book for sale on the role of indigenous people in Brazilian society.
Indigenous People of Brazil: The Aikanã:
Several articles on Aikana culture and history.
Aikaná:
Brief profile of the Aikana Indians.
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Links, References, and Additional Information
Wikipedia: Aikana:
Encyclopedia entry on the Aikana language.
OLAC: Aikana:
Reference list of Aikana language materials.
Os Aikanã 
Os Aicanãs:
Information about the Aikanas in Portuguese.
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