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Akwawa Language (Asurini do Tocantins, Akwaya)

Language: Akwawa is a Tupian language of South America. It is an agglutinative language which uses the unusual OVS word order. Akwawa is spoken by about 300 people in Brazil today. The younger generation has shifted to using Portuguese.

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Names: Akwawa is the people's own name for themselves. They are also known as the Asurini, which comes from their name in the language of the neighboring Juruna tribe and means "red people." Alternate spellings of these names include Akuawa, Akuáwa, Akwáwa, Akwawa-Asuriní, Akua'wa-Asurini, Akwaya, Assurini, Assuriní, Asuriní do Tocantins, Asuriní do Trocará, and Asurine do Tocantins.

The Akwawa tribe is frequently confused with the Awaete tribe, which is also known as Asurini do Xingu. This confusion is worsened by the fact that a third tribe, the Parakana are sometimes also referred to as "Awaete"-- and the Parakana language is so closely related to Akwawa that they are often considered dialects of the same language. The Awaete/Asurini do Xingu language, however, is more distinct from the other two--similar to the difference between Spanish and Portuguese.

Akwawa Language Resources

Languages of Central Brazil:
Map showing where in Brazil the Tocantins Asurini language is spoken.

Asuriní do Tocantins:
Linguistic chart of phonemes in the Akwawa language.

Akwawa Language Tree:
Theories about Akwawa's language relationships compiled by Linguist List.

Lengua Akuawa:
Information about the Akwawa language in Spanish.

Asuriní Language Structures:
Asuriní Tocantins linguistic profile and academic bibliography.

Asuriní Words of Life:
Translations of Bible stories into Asurini do Tocantins.

Wikipedia: Akwawa Language:
Encyclopedia article about the Akwawa language.

OLAC: Asurini do Tocantins:
Reference list of Akwawa language materials.

Endangered Languages Project: Akwawa:
Bibliography of Akwawa language resources.

Akwawa Culture and History Links

Tribal Map of Brazil:

Awaete Tocantins Region:
Maps showing the location of indigenous communities in Brazil, including Tocantins.

Assurini do Tocantins:
Online ethnographies of the Awaete tribes.

Asurini Tribe:
Article about Asurini culture including family traditions and religion.

Ritual do Povo Assurini:
Videos of Asurini do Trocara ceremonial music and dance.

Links, References, and Additional Information

Povo Asurini do Tocantins

Os Indios Assurinis:

Tribo Asurini do Tocantins:
   Information about the Akwawa tribe in Portuguese.
  Brazilian Culture:
   Information and links about the indigenous culture of Brazil.
  Assurini Indians:
  Assurini links pages.

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