Chácobo-Pakawara language

Chácobo
Bolivian Nawa
Chokobo-Pakawara
Native toBolivia
RegionBeni Department
Ethnicity1,100 Chacobo (2006), possibly 50 Pacahuara (2007), possibly formerly Karipuna do Amapá
Native speakers
(600 cited 2000–2007)
Panoan
  • Mainline Panoan
    • Nawa
      • Bolivian
        • Chácobo
Dialects
Official status
Official language in
 Bolivia
Language codes
ISO 639-3Variously:
cao  Chácobo
pcp  Pakawara
kuq  Karipuna (confuses Jau-Navo with Kawahib)
Glottologboli1261  Bolivian Nawa
shin1267  Shinabo
ELPChácobo

Chácobo-Pakawara is a Panoan language spoken by about 550 of 860 ethnic tribal Chácobo people of the Beni Department northwest of Magdalena, Bolivia, and (as of 2004) 17 of 50 Pakawara. Chácobo children are learning the language as a first language, but the Pakawara dialect is moribund. Karipuna may have been a variant; alternative names are Jaunavô (Jau-Navo, Jaũn Àvo) and Éloe.

Several unattested extinct languages were reported to have been related, perhaps dialects. These include Capuibo and Sinabo/Shinabo of the Mamoré River. However, nothing is actually known of these purported languages.