Nukak

Facts

  • Language: Nukak
  • Alternate names: Nukak Makú, Maczsa, Guaviare
  • Language code: mbr
  • Language family: Puinavean, Cacua (SIL classification)
  • Number of speakers: 390
  • Vulnerability: Endangered
  • Script:

More information:

    Evasive hunters.

    Kakua and Nukak languages are related to each other, but not obviously to other languages. Formerly they were liked with the Nadehup (Nadahup, Makúan) languages, and all of these together sometimes joined with Puinave, called the Makú-Puinave family or Puinavean. Today, any relationship with Puinave remains undemonstrated, and evidence for linking Nedehup and Kakua-Nukak remains inconclusive (see Epps and Salanov 2013:16).