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Baniva del Guainia Language (Avani, Ayane, Abane)
Language: Baniva is an Arawakan language of eastern Colombia
and southwestern Venezuela. The Baniva language was thought by linguists to be extinct until recently, when it was found that
one village in Venezuela is still Baniva-speaking. A second language, called
Baniva do Icana,
is only distantly related to Baniva del Guainia--the two languages are
said to be no more closely related than English and Russian. Baniva del Guainia is a
polysynthetic language with predominantly
SVO word order.
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Names: Baniva is the name for the tribe in the language of the neighboring
Nhengatu people, where it means "manioc people"
(Arawakan communities like the Baniva have traditionally relied heavily on farming manioc, a root-like plant crop.)
The Baniva of Guainia and the Baniwa of Icana have always been politically distinct from each other and their
languages are only distantly related, but they share similar agricultural techniques, so the Nhengatu called them
both 'manioc farmers'. This name is more often spelled "Baniva" in reference to the Baniva of Guainia, who live
in Venezuela and Colombia, and "Baniwa" in reference to the Baniwa of Icana, who live in Brazil, but that
doesn't have anything to do with the name the Nhengatu call them (which is the same)-- only with the differing spelling
conventions of the Spanish and Portuguese languages which are dominant in those two countries.
Other spellings and name variants used for the Baniva include Baníva, Banibo, Abani, Abane, Avani, Ayane,
Baniva del Guainia, Baniva del Guainía, Baniva de Maroa, and Baniva-Yavitero. Another Arawakan tribe
that once lived in Colombia, the
Quirruba,
may have been a Baniva subgroup (their language was not well recorded but is considered to have been
a Baniva dialect by some linguists.)
Baniva Words:
Our list of vocabulary words in the Baniva del Guainía language, with comparison to words in other Arawakan languages.
Baniva Pronunciation Guide:
How to pronounce Baniva words.
Baniva Animal Words:
Illustrated glossary of animal words in the Baniva language.
Baniva Dictionaries and Language Books
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Languages of the Amazon:
Linguistic information about Baniwa of Guainia and dozens of other Amazonian languages.
Lexico baniva:
Spanish-Baniva dictionary.
Comparative Arawakan Histories
Interesting book about the history and culture of the Baniva and other Arawak speaking tribes.
Baniva Language Resources
Indian Peoples of Venezuela:
Map showing where in South America the Baniva language is spoken.
Baniwa of Guainia (Ayane):
Profile of the Baniva language including a phonological inventory, orthography and a text.
La Lengua Baniva:
Language information about Baniva del Guainia. Page in Spanish.
Fonologia del Idioma Baniva de Maroa:
Linguistics paper on Baniva phonology
Baniva Language Tree:
Theories about Baniva's language relationships compiled by Linguist List.
Baniva Language Structures:
Baniva de Guainia linguistic profile and academic bibliography.
Baniva de Maroa:
Bibliography of Baniva and Guarequena linguistic publications.
Baniva Ethnography:
Anthropological data regarding the Baniva Indians and their society.
The Life of the Indian Tribes of South Venezuela:
Online museum exhibit on the culture of the Bare, Piapoco,
Warekena, Curripaco, and Baniva tribes.
Links, References, and Additional Information
Wikipedia: Baniwa of Guainia:
Encyclopedia article on the Baniva language.
OLAC: Baniva:
Reference list of Baniva language materials.
Pueblo Indigena Baniva 
La Etnia Baniwa En Venezuela Tribu Baniva o Baniwa Los Baniva Grupo Indigena Baniva:
Information about the Baniva tribe in Spanish.
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