Page created in collaboration with Colette Grinevald and Maricela Kauffman (2010).

Data on the Rama language

Alternative names: Melchora, Voto

Classification: Chibchan language group

Area: Rama and Kriol territories (Autonomous Region), located on the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua, Central America.

Number of speakers: between 30 and 50 (Rama Language Project estimates)

Language status:

Official language of the Autonomous Region. The languages of these territories are protected by the Nicaraguan regime of autonomy:

Article 5 of the Carta Magna recognizes the regime of autonomy in Chaper VI (Article 89, 90, 91), which lays down the rights of the communities in the Autonomous Regions.

« Autonomy Statute, Article 5 (law 28, 1987): Spanish is the official language of the State. The languages of the Atlantic Coast communities are, de facto, official within the Autonomous Regions. »

The use of Rama in the Rama and Kriol self-governed territories is guaranteed by law N°162: « Law on the Official Use of the Atlantic Coast Community Languages » (Ley de Uso Oficial de las Lenguas de las Comunidades de la Costa Atlántica de Nicaragua, 1996).

Vitality & transmission:

Rama is seriously endangered, considered by the UNESCO as in “critical situation”. The native speakers of Rama are all very old. Nevertheless, a process of revitalization has been initiated at the instigation of C. Grinevald with support from the DDL laboratory (link) (Lyon 2 University), as part the DDR program.

Download the Rama revitalization project presentation (PDF)

Media:

There’s website devoted to the Rama people, the Rama language, and its revitalization (Rama Language Project):

http://www.turkulka.net/

Sources & additional links

Website devoted to Rama, with online courses, dictionaries, publications, blogs and maps:

http://www.turkulka.net/ (English/Spanish)

Rama & Kriol Territorial Government website:

http://www.rama-territory.com/ (English/Spanish)

The Informe de Desarrollo Humano website (2005), hosting the most extensive information collected to this day on the Autonomous Regions of the Nicaraguan Caribbean coast: http://www.idhnicaribe.org/ (Spanish)