Bari Language (Dobocubi, Motilon)

Bari is a Chibchan language of South America, spoken by 3000 people in in northeastern Colombia and western Venezuela. It is not to be confused with an African language also called Bari, which is spoken by nearly half a million people in the Sudan--most of the Bari language information you will find online is related to the African language. Also, although both the Bari tribe and the Yukpa tribe are commonly known as "Motilones" and their languages are both frequently called "Motilon," the two languages are entirely unrelated to each other. "Motilon" simply means "shaved head" in Spanish, and has been used to refer to several different South American tribes who wear their hair this way.

Our Online Bari Materials

Bari Words:
Our list of vocabulary words in the Bari language, with comparison to words in other Chibchan languages.

Bari Pronunciation Guide:
How to pronounce Bari words.

Bari Animal Words:
Illustrated glossary of animal words in the Bari language.

Bari Body Parts:
Online and printable worksheets showing parts of the body in the Bari language.

Bari Numbers:
Worksheet showing how to count in the Bari language.

Bari Colors:
Worksheet showing color words in the Barí language.

Bari Language Resources

Bari (Barira):
Bari language information including a linguistic map of Colombia. Page in Spanish.

House of Languages: Barí
Information about Bari language usage.

Motilon Bari Language:
Demographic information on Bari from the Ethnologue of Languages.

Wikipedia: Barí:
Encyclopedia article on the Motilon Bari language.

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

Bari Language Structures:
Bari linguistic profile and academic bibliography.

Bari Culture and History

Motilone Bari Indians:
Photographs and cultural information about the Bari tribe from a missionary who lives among them.

Motilon Bari rise up for their rights

The Bari people in defense of their territory:
Articles about the Bari Indian struggle for indigenous rights.

Books for Sale on the Baris

Bruchko and the Motilone Miracle:
Recent history of the Bari tribe from missionary Bruce Olson.

Native American Books:
Evolving list of books about American Indians in general.

Links, References, and Additional Information

Bari People

Motilon:
Encyclopedia articles on the Bari/Motilon Indians.
Los Indios Bari

El Pueblo Bari

Los Bari:
Information about the Bari tribe in Spanish.

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