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The Chiripa or Nhandeva are one of the tribes of the Guarani nation of South
America, and also the name of their dialect of the indigenous Guarani language.
The Chiripa language is different enough from other forms of Guarani that many linguists consider it a distinct language.
Chiripa is spoken by about 15,000 people in Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia and Argentina.
The name "Chiripa" refers to the style of long loincloth traditionally worn by this band. "Nhandeva" means "our community."
"Ava," which means simply "men," is commonly used by the Chiripa to refer to themselves and "Ava-Guarani" for their language,
but this has caused a certain amount of confusion since the word ava is the same in nearly all Guarani languages, so many
Guarani people from different communities call themselves Ava as well. Chiripa subgroups include the Apapocuva and the Tapiete.
Alternate spellings of these names include Chiripá, Tsiripá, Txiripá, Txiripa, Xiripa; Nandeva, Ñandeva; Tapieté;
Avá, Abá, Aba, Awá, Awa, Áwa, Avá-Guarani, and Avaguaraní.
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Chiripa Guarani Language Links
Words of Life: Chiripa:
Translations of Bible stories and Christian prayers into the Chiripa Guarani language.
Guarani Language Tree:
Theories about Guarani's language relationships compiled by Linguist List.
Tapiete:
Information about Tapiete language usage.
Musica Guarani:
Audio recordings of several traditional Mbya and Ñandeva Guarani songs. Page is in Portuguese.
Wikipedia: Guaraní:
Encyclopedia article on Guarani and its dialects.
Books for sale on the Chiripa Guarani
Our organization earns a commission from any book bought through these links
Jabuti the Tortoise: A Trickster Tale from the Amazon:
Colorful picture book telling the story of the trickster turtle Jabuti from the Tupi-Guarani tribes of Brazil.
Peoples of the Gran Chaco:
Book of essays on the Guarani and other Chacoan tribes of the South American interior.
Maps of Chiripa Guarani Lands
Original People of Brazil:
Tribal map of Brazil showing the location of the Chiripa tribe.
Paraguay Language Map:
Map showing the region of Paraguay where the Ava Guarani and Nandeva dialects are spoken.
Argentina and Chile:
Map showing where in Argentina the Tapiete are located.
Bolivian Language Map
Original People of Bolivia:
Maps showing the location of the Tapiete people in Bolivia.
Chiripa Indian Lifestyle and Traditions
The Guarani Ñandeva Tribe:
Online ethnography of the Guaranies of Brazil.
Os Indios Guarani:
Overview of the Guarani of Brazil, with photographs. (Page in English.)
Guarani Indian Legends:
Collection of Guarani legends and folktales.
Indigenous Rights: The Guarani:
Article on the history and political situation of the Guarani tribe.
In Rio de Janeiro, Indigenous people fight to undo centuries of erasure:
News article on the contributions of Tupinamba and Guarani people to Brazilian history and culture.
UN: Paraguay violated indigenous rights:
News article about the legal struggles of Ava Guarani people to protect their tribal territory.
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Links, References, and Additional Information
Nandeva Guarani:
Bibliography of Guarani language resources.
Wikipedia: Ava Guarani Language:
Encyclopedia article about the Chiripa Indians and their language.
Los Chiripas
Tapiete
Los Tapiete
Information about the Chiripa and Tapiete tribes in Spanish.

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