Waiwai

Waiwai is a member of the Parukotoan branch of the Cariban language family. It is spoken by about 2,200 people mainly in in northern Brazil, and also in southern Guyana, and southern Suriname. In Brazil, it is spoken particularly in Oriximiná on the Nhamundá / Mapuera River in the northwest of State of Pará, on the Jatapuzinho River in the southeast of the State of Roraima, and on the Mapuera River in the northeast of the State of Amazonas.

Waiwai is also known as Wai-Wai, Wai Wai, Ouayeone, Uaieue or Uaiuai. It is written with the Latin alphabet using an orthography developed by the Hawkins brothers, North American missionary linguists from the Unevangelized Fields Mission (UFM) who started working with the Waiwai people in 1949. They learnt and documented the language, and translated the Bible and other material into Waiwai.

Waiwai alphabet and pronunciation

Download an alphabet chart for Waiwai (Excel)

Sample text (The Lord's Prayer - Luke 11: 2-4)

Ero ke on wara tî kekn̂e Xesus yîwya so, Kaan yakro amtapowataw so on wara kacoko, Apa kah yawno, amna yopono ro xa Amoro twerî cetacisom. Ero wa ahtînon̂e me cirko miyan komo rma. Yohno cma re kayaritomo me xa tak mesenpesî roowo pono komo ya. Awewetîn̂e me tak n̂examro cirko. Kah yawno komo naxe awewetîn̂e me, ero warai me xa marha cirko roowo pono kom hara.
On wara marha wîîkes awya Apa, kaamo po roro amna yuru yenpon̂e Amoro. Ero ke on po tohsom cma re menpesî.
On wara marha wîîkes awya Apa, apoko kicicme amna yehtoponho cma re mîhcamnoyasî. Tpoko kicicme cehsom komo yehtoponho amna nîhcamnoyasî, ero wa xa marha cma re mîhcamnoyasî amna yehtoponho hara. On wara marha cma re wîîkes awya, amna yaan̂e me roro esko Apa. Amna yemetanmetopo mko nai okwe. Ero ke ero yipu yai cma re amna maar̂asî. Kicicitho ro mak nas amna chew okwe, amna pohkan̂e. Ero ke amna yukurupen̂e me xa marha esko Amoro, kacoko. Ero wa kacoko Kaan yakro amtapowataw so, kekn̂e tî Xesus yîwya so.

Source: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.wycliffe.waw.waiwai.b&hl=en-US

Translation (English)

And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.
Give us day by day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

Source: https://www.bible.com/bible/1/LUK.11.KJV

Sample videos in Waiwai

Links

Information about Waiwai
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waiwai_language
https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Língua_uaiuai
https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Вайвай_(язык)
https://pib.socioambiental.org/en/Povo:Waiwai
http://www.native-languages.org/waiwai.htm
http://www.proel.org/index.php?pagina=mundo/amerindia/macro_caribe/caribe/waiwai
http://www.language-archives.org/language/waw
https://www.sil.org/resources/search/language/waw

Cariban languages

Akawaio, Akurio, Bakairi, Carib, Carijona, Hixkaryána, Ikpeng, Kapóng, Japreria, Macushi, Panare, Pemon, Tiriyó, Waiwai, Wayana, Ye’kuana, Yukpa

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page created: 20.01.25. Last modified: 20.01.25

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