Damana (also known as Malayo or Wiwa) is a Chibchan language spoken by the Indigenous Damana people on the southern and eastern slopes of Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in northern Colombia. According to Ethnologue, it was spoken by 1,850 people in 2007; however, according to the Colombian Ministry of Culture, there were 13,627 Damana people in 2010, of whom some 60% speak Dʉmʉna well.
Alternative names Other alternative names include Damana, Malayo, Wiwa, Arosario, Arsario, Guamaca, Guamaka, Maracasero, Marocasero, Sancá, Sanja, Sanka, and Wamaka.
Phonology Vowels There are seven phonemic vowels in Damana: + Vowel phonemes Front Central Back Close Mid Open
Consonants Damana has 19 phonemic consonants:
+ Consonant phonemes Labial Dental/Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal Nasal Stop Fricative Flap Trill Continuant
References
External links
Wiwa website page on the language (Spanish, Dʉmʉna) SIL Language and Culture Archives' list of Dʉmʉna words Endangered Languages Project profile