Wayuu (Wayuunaiki)

Wayuu is an Arawakan language spoken on the Guajira Peninsula in northwestern Venezuela and northeastern Colombia. In 2007 there were about 320,000 Wayuu speakers: about 200,000 in Venezula and 120,000 in Colombia. The language is also known as Wayunaiki, Guajiro, Guajira or Goajiro.

Wayuu is taught to some extent in schools, along with Spanish, however fewer than 1% of Wayuu speakers are literate in their language, while 5-15% are literate in Spanish.

Wayuu pronunciation

Download an alphabet chart for Wayuu (Excel)

Sample texts in Wayuu

Naa wayuukana jemeishi süpüla taashi süma wanawa sülu'u nakua'ipa, aka müin yaa epijainjana sünain anajiranawaa a'in nama napüshi.

Translation

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
(Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights)

Sample videos in and about Wayuu

Information about Wayuu | Numbers | Tower of Babel

Links

Information about Wayuu
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayuu_language
http://hospitalnazareth.com/cultura_wayuu/idioma/idioma.html

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Arawakan languages

Achagua, Apurinã, Arawak, Asháninka, Ashéninka, Baniwa, Baniwa of Guainía, Baure, Caquinte, Chamicuro, Curripaco, Garifuna, Iñapari, Machiguenga, Nanti, Nomatsiguenga, Palikúr, Paraujuano, Paresi, Pauna, Piapoco, Taíno, Tariana, Terêna, Wapishana, Wayuu, Yanesha', Yucuna

Page last modified: 12.09.21

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