Wakara language
|
This article or section is a work in progress. The information below may be incomplete, outdated, or subject to change. |
| Wakarabo | |
| Pronunciation | [waˈkaɾa] |
|---|---|
| Spoken natively in |
 Nouvelle Alexandrie |
| Region | Boriquén, Lake Cherusken region (Santander) |
| Ethnicity | Wakara |
| Number of speakers | ~19 million |
| Language family |
Keltian-Wakaran
|
| Writing system | Latin script (Wakara alphabet) |
| Official language in |
 Boriquén (regional) |
Recognised minority language in |
|
| Regulated by | Guatu Wakarabo (Wakara Language Council) |
The Wakara language (Alexandrian: Langue wakara; Martino: Lengua wakara; Wakara: Wakarabo) is the ancestral language of the Wakara people, autochthonous to the lands around Lake Cherusken in southeastern Keltia. It is a recognized regional language of Boriquén within the Federation of Nouvelle Alexandrie, spoken by approximately 19 million people, making it one of the most widely spoken regional languages in the federation.
The language belongs to the Keltian-Wakaran family, a grouping of languages spoken across the tropical and subtropical regions of central and southeastern Keltia. Wakara is regulated by the Guatu Wakarabo (Wakara Language Council), established in 1725 AN to oversee standardization and revitalization efforts. Following decades of decline under colonial rule, the language has experienced a significant resurgence during the Wakara Renaissance, a cultural revival movement that began after Boriquén's incorporation into Nouvelle Alexandrie in 1719 AN.
History
Wakara existed as a purely oral language for centuries before Alexandrian contact, with regional variation across Lake Cherusken communities and the islands that would later become Boriquén. The language served as the primary means of communication, ceremonial expression, and oral tradition among the Wakara people. No writing system developed, though petroglyphs (kaya-kato, "stone-words") and symbolic patterns woven into textiles (habay-kato, "cloth-words") served mnemonic and ceremonial functions.
Alexandrian explorers first documented Wakara vocabulary as far back as 1514 AN, when diplomatic reports distinguished between the Wakara and Wechua as neighboring but distinct Keltian populations. Early Alexandrian missionaries and administrators developed ad hoc transcriptions using the Latin alphabet, though these were inconsistently applied.
Under Gran Verionia and subsequent colonial regimes, Wakara language use was actively discouraged in official contexts. Colonial administrators favored Martino as the language of government and commerce, relegating Wakara to domestic and ceremonial use. Despite these pressures, the language never disappeared entirely, preserved by communities who maintained traditional practices and oral traditions.
Wakara Renaissance
Following the Plan de Hato Rey of 1717 AN and Boriquén's incorporation into Nouvelle Alexandrie in 1719 AN, concerted revitalization efforts began. The establishment of the Guatu Wakarabo in 1725 AN marked a turning point, providing institutional support for language standardization, dictionary production, and the development of neologisms for modern concepts.
The Wakara Renaissance, centered in the holy city of Guánica, has seen the language introduced into schools across Boriquén, used in the Areyto Legislativo de Boriquén, and embraced by a new generation of speakers. Today, Wakara is required for official government documents in Boriquén alongside Alexandrian and Martino translations.
Classification
Wakara belongs to the Keltian-Wakaran language family, a grouping of languages historically spoken across the tropical and subtropical zones of central and southeastern Keltia. Within this family, Wakara forms its own branch, having developed in relative isolation around Lake Cherusken and the surrounding islands. Related languages, now extinct or nearly so, were once spoken by communities scattered along the Keltian coastal regions before Alexandrian contact.
Relationship to Wechua
Some scholars have proposed connections between the Wakara and Wechua language families. While this hypothesis remains unproven, limited cognates exist in basic vocabulary, particularly terms for water, kinship, and children. The word wawa ("child") appears nearly identically in both languages, and kinship terms show structural similarities (Wakara bibi/yaya for mother/father; Wechua mama/tayta). Most core vocabulary differs substantially, suggesting any relationship is either very distant or the result of prehistoric contact rather than genetic relationship.
Geographic distribution
Wakara is spoken by approximately 19 million people, the vast majority residing in Boriquén (population 22.4 million). Roughly 80% of Boriquén's population speaks Wakara with varying degrees of fluency. An additional 800,000 to 1,000,000 speakers live in Lake Cherusken communities within Santander, where the language holds protected status.
Nearly all Wakara speakers are bilingual or trilingual, with competency in Alexandrian and/or Martino. Monolingual Wakara speakers are rare and confined primarily to elderly residents of remote highland communities.
Official status
Wakara is a recognized regional language of Boriquén within Nouvelle Alexandrie. Official government documents in the region must be published in Wakara alongside Alexandrian and Martino translations. The language is taught in public schools throughout Boriquén, and proficiency is encouraged for civil servants working in the region.
In Santander's Cherusken district, Wakara has protected language status, with local signage and government services available in the language.
Dialects
Three major dialect groups are recognized, with varying degrees of mutual intelligibility.
Lake Cherusken Wakara
Known as Wakara Kaonabo ("Lake Wakara"), this is the conservative variety spoken by communities around Lake Cherusken in Santander. Linguists consider it the most archaic form, closest to pre-contact Wakara.
Lake Cherusken Wakara preserves full vowel distinctions, maintains /h/ in all positions, and retains archaic vocabulary largely absent from other dialects. Its lexicon is particularly rich in ceremonial, agricultural, and environmental terminology. Approximately 800,000 to 1,000,000 speakers use this dialect, centered around villages such as Yukayeke Karaya.
Coastal Wakara
Known as Wakara Borikenbo ("Boriquén Wakara"), this is the prestige variety spoken in urban centers such as Hato Rey and Guánica. It serves as the basis for standardization efforts and is the variety taught in schools and used in government.
Coastal Wakara shows greater influence from Alexandrian and Martino, including more loanwords and some phonological changes. The phoneme /h/ is often dropped or weakened, and verbal morphology is simplified in casual speech. Code-switching between Wakara and Alexandrian or Martino is common among younger speakers. Approximately 14 to 15 million speakers use this dialect.
Highland Wakara
Known as Wakara Munabo ("Mountain Wakara"), this variety is spoken in the interior highlands of Boriquén. It occupies an intermediate position between the conservative Lake Cherusken variety and the innovative Coastal variety.
Highland Wakara exhibits some vowel reduction in unstressed syllables and distinct intonation patterns. It preserves archaic vocabulary not found in Coastal Wakara while showing limited outside influence. Approximately 3 to 4 million speakers use this dialect. Some mutual intelligibility issues exist between Highland and Coastal speakers, particularly with specialized vocabulary.
Phonology
Vowels
Wakara has a five-vowel system with no phonemic length distinction.
| Front | Central | Back | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Close | i | u | |
| Mid | e | o | |
| Open | a |
Vowel sequences are common and include both true diphthongs and vowel hiatus: ai as in kairi ("island"), ao as in taono ("golden"), ua as in guatu ("wellness"), and ey as in atabey ("mother of waters").
Consonants
The consonant inventory is relatively small compared to neighboring Wechua.
| Labial | Alveolar | Palatal | Velar | Glottal | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stop (voiceless) | p | t | k | ||
| Stop (voiced) | b | d | g | ||
| Nasal | m | n | ny [ɲ] | ||
| Fricative | s | h | |||
| Tap | r [ɾ] | ||||
| Lateral | l | ||||
| Approximant | w | y [j] |
The voiced stops /b/, /d/, /g/ do not occur word-initially in native vocabulary, though they appear freely in loanwords and some dialects have extended them to native words. The phoneme /r/ is realized as a tap [ɾ], never a trill. The phoneme /h/ is often weak or silent in rapid speech, particularly in Coastal Wakara.
Sounds not found in native Wakara vocabulary include /f/, /v/, /z/, /tʃ/ (ch), and /ʃ/ (sh). These appear only in loanwords from Alexandrian or Martino.
Phonotactics
Syllable structure follows the pattern (C)V(C), where onset and coda consonants are optional. Coda consonants are limited to /n/, /s/, /y/, and rarely /r/. Consonant clusters do not occur at syllable boundaries in native words.
Most Wakara words end in vowels. Words ending in /n/ are common, often resulting from nominal or verbal suffixes.
Stress
Stress is predictable, falling on the penultimate (second-to-last) syllable:
- wa.ka [ˈwa.ka] ("sun")
- a.ta.bey [a.taˈbey] ("mother of waters")
- yu.ka.ye.ke [yu.kaˈye.ke] ("village")
Exceptions to penultimate stress are rare in native vocabulary and are marked with an accent in writing: Guánica [ˈgwa.ni.ka].
Grammar
Wakara is an agglutinative language with prefixes marking person agreement and suffixes marking derivation, tense, aspect, and case.
Nominal morphology
Possession
Possession is marked by prefixes attached to the noun:
| Prefix | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ta- | my | ta-kanu ("my canoe") |
| wa- | your (singular) | wa-kanu ("your canoe") |
| li- | his/her/its | li-kanu ("his/her canoe") |
| na- | our (inclusive) | na-kanu ("our canoe") |
| hi- | your (plural) | hi-kanu ("your canoe") |
| da- | their | da-kanu ("their canoe") |
Number
Plurality can be marked in two ways. Reduplication of the first syllable indicates simple plurality: kanu ("canoe") becomes kakanu ("canoes"). The suffix -nu indicates collective groups: Wakara-nu ("the Wakara people as a whole").
Case suffixes
Wakara marks grammatical relationships through a set of postpositional suffixes:
| Suffix | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -ke | locative (at, in, place of) | yukaye-ke ("in the village") |
| -ari | superessive (on, upon, above) | turey-ari ("in/on the sky") |
| -baha | subessive (below, under) | ken-baha ("below/on the earth") |
| -manta | ablative (from, out of) | ken-manta ("from the earth") |
| -man | allative (toward, to) | bahari-man ("toward the sea") |
| -naku | coramative (before, in presence of) | taino-nu naku ("before the ancestors") |
Derivational suffixes
Wakara employs numerous suffixes for word formation:
| Suffix | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -ke | place of | guatu-ke ("wellness-place," hospital) |
| -ra | people/children of | Waka-ra ("children of the sun") |
| -ey | mother/source of (feminine) | Atab-ey ("mother of waters") |
| -yu | spirit/essence of (masculine) | Yuki-yu ("spirit of yuca") |
| -bo | land/language of | Wakara-bo ("Wakara language") |
| -no/-na | agent (m/f) | katina ("speaker") |
| -ti | diminutive | wawati ("little child") |
| -on | augmentative | kasikeon ("great chief") |
Verbal morphology
Person marking and alignment
Wakara uses a split-intransitive alignment system. The same set of person markers appears as prefixes on verbs, but their function depends on clause structure:
Intransitive verbs and verbs with implicit objects: The prefix marks the subject (the sole argument).
| Person | Example | Gloss |
|---|---|---|
| 1st sg. | ta-kati-a | "I speak" |
| 3rd sg. | li-kati-a | "he/she speaks" |
| 1st pl. | na-kati-a | "we speak" |
Transitive verbs with explicit subject noun: When a subject noun phrase is present, the prefix marks the object (the affected participant). This focus-based system places emphasis on the explicit subject.
| Structure | Example | Gloss |
|---|---|---|
| [Subject] [Object.prefix]-Verb | Yukiyu na-bari-a | "Yukiyu sees us" (lit. "Yukiyu us-sees") |
| [Subject] [Object.prefix]-Verb | Atabey na-katey-a | "Atabey hears us" (lit. "Atabey us-hears") |
| [Subject] [Object.prefix]-Verb | Waka ta-bari-a | "The Sun sees me" (lit. "Sun me-sees") |
This system allows speakers to foreground the agent by placing it sentence-initially while the verbal prefix tracks the patient. When both subject and object require explicit marking, word order is typically Subject-Object-Verb with the prefix agreeing with the object.
Tense and aspect
Tense and aspect are marked by suffixes following the verb root:
| Suffix | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|
| -a | present/habitual | ta-kati-a ("I speak") |
| -aba | past/completed | ta-kati-aba ("I spoke") |
| -ey | future/intention | ta-kati-ey ("I will speak") |
| -ke | progressive | ta-kati-ke ("I am speaking") |
| -ni | imperative | kati-ni! ("speak!") |
Evidentiality
Wakara has optional (not obligatory) evidential particles that indicate the source of information:
- -si indicates hearsay: li-kati-aba-si ("he spoke, I heard")
- -ma indicates direct witness: li-kati-aba-ma ("he spoke, I saw")
Unlike Wechua, where evidential marking is grammatically required, Wakara speakers may omit these particles without the utterance being considered ungrammatical.
Poetic and ceremonial register
In poetry, proverbs, and ceremonial speech, person prefixes are frequently omitted when context makes the subject clear. This elevated register creates a more formal, timeless quality. For example, the proverb Waka bari-a, kari katey-a ("The sun sees, the moon hears") omits the third-person prefix li- that would appear in ordinary speech (Waka li-bari-a). This convention is considered archaic and appropriate for traditional or sacred contexts.
Numerals
Wakara has a decimal (base-10) number system. The basic numerals are:
| Number | Wakara | Number | Wakara |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | heketi | 6 | sikiri |
| 2 | yamoke | 7 | hitari |
| 3 | makori | 8 | waniko |
| 4 | kayeri | 9 | nobira |
| 5 | karima | 10 | biriki |
Higher numbers are formed compositionally:
- 11: biriki-heketi (10 + 1)
- 20: yamoke-biriki (2 × 10)
- 100: senari
- 1,000: mirika
Examples:
- 15: biriki-karima (10 + 5)
- 23: yamoke-biriki makori (20 + 3)
- 150: senari biriki-karima (100 + 50)
Writing system
Wakara was historically an unwritten language. Ceremonial and mnemonic information was preserved through petroglyphs carved on rocks, symbolic patterns woven into textiles, and oral tradition including songs, chants, and narrative formulas. None of these constituted a true writing system capable of encoding arbitrary language.
Modern orthography
During the colonial period, Alexandrian missionaries developed various transcription systems using the Latin alphabet. These were inconsistent and poorly standardized.
Following the establishment of the Guatu Wakarabo in 1725 AN, a standardized orthography was developed based on the Latin alphabet. The modern system follows these principles:
- Phonemic spelling: one letter represents one sound, with limited exceptions
- Compatibility with Alexandrian keyboard layouts
- Minimal use of diacritics (accent marks only for stress exceptions)
- Digraphs: ny for the palatal nasal [ɲ], gu before vowels for [gw]
The standard alphabet consists of: a, b, d, e, g, h, i, k, l, m, n, ny, o, p, r, s, t, u, w, x, y. The letters c, f, j, q, v, and z are used only in loanwords.
Personal names
Wakara personal naming conventions reflect the culture's connection to nature, spirituality, and community values. Traditional names often derive from natural phenomena, admired qualities, or circumstances of birth.
Naming conventions
Structure
Traditional Wakara names typically consist of a single personal name, though modern practice often includes a patronymic or matronymic element. Following incorporation into Nouvelle Alexandrie, many Wakara families adopted Martino or Alexandrian surnames while retaining traditional given names.
Common naming patterns include:
- Nature-derived names: based on celestial bodies, weather, flora, fauna, or geographical features
- Quality names: reflecting desired traits such as bravery, wisdom, or beauty
- Circumstance names: indicating time or conditions of birth
- Theophoric names: incorporating elements from deity names (Yukiyu, Atabey)
Gender patterns
While Wakara lacks grammatical gender, personal names often follow loose patterns:
- Names ending in -ex, -o, or consonants tend toward masculine use
- Names ending in -a, -i, or -ey tend toward feminine use
- Many names are used for any gender
Modern practice
Contemporary Wakara families in Boriquén often combine traditional Wakara given names with Martino or Alexandrian surnames. Dual naming is common, with individuals holding both a Wakara ceremonial name (kato-semi, "spirit-name") used in traditional contexts and a legal name for official documents.
The Wakara Renaissance has seen a resurgence of traditional naming, with parents increasingly choosing Wakara names for their children. The Guatu Wakarabo maintains a registry of traditional names and their meanings.
Traditional male names
| Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Guarionex | lord of many people | Royal/noble name; borne by Prince Guarionex |
| Agueybana | great sun | From aguey (great) + waka variant |
| Hatuey | great spirit | From hatu (great) + spiritual suffix |
| Mabodamaka | fearless one | From mabi (not) + fear elements |
| Orokobix | mountain spirit | From oroko (mountain variant) + bix (spirit) |
| Yukahu | spirit of cassava | Variant of Yukiyu; theophoric |
| Kaonabo | lord of the lake | From kaona (lake) + -bo; noble name |
| Tureyba | sky-child | From turey (sky) |
| Wayaka | sun-child | From waka (sun) |
| Sikuwa | comet | Birth during celestial event |
| Koriko | brave heart | From bori variant + turi (heart) |
| Mayobanex | great warrior lord | Compound with noble suffix |
| Urayoan | spirit of the caves | From ura (cave) + spiritual elements |
Traditional female names
| Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Anakaona | golden flower | Royal/noble name; from ana (flower) + kaona (golden) |
| Atabeira | daughter of Atabey | Theophoric; from goddess name |
| Guarina | she who guards | From guari (to guard) |
| Yuisa | white flower | From yui (white variant) + sa (flower variant) |
| Taiguey | noble woman | From taino (noble/elder) |
| Higuamota | star of the river | From celestial and water elements |
| Karaya | of the stones | From kaya (stone) + -ra |
| Loíza | moon-spirit | From kari (moon) variant |
| Manikari | moon's blessing | From kari (moon) |
| Siboney | cave-dweller | From siwa + boney (cave) |
| Dakeira | of the sun | From waka variant |
| Guabansira | ancestor spirit | From guabansex (ancestor spirit) |
| Tinima | water woman | From water elements |
Gender-neutral names
| Name | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Taino | noble, good | Quality name |
| Bori | brave | From the root in Boriquén |
| Kunu | sweet, good | Quality name |
| Siwari | star-person | From siwa (star) + wari (person) |
| Wakairi | sun-island | From waka + kairi |
| Hibatu | great spring | From hiba (spring) + hatu |
| Yukari | of the yuca | Agricultural name |
| Koayuki | rain-spirit | From koayu (rain) + yuki (spirit) |
Naming in context
The elevation of Guarionex to Prince of Boriquén in 1718 AN brought Wakara naming traditions to federal prominence. Other notable Wakara names appear among members of the Wakara People's Party leadership and regional officials, demonstrating the growing presence of traditional names in New Alexandrian public life.
Vocabulary
Basic vocabulary
| Wakara | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| waka | sun | Sacred; source of ethnonym |
| kari | moon | |
| ata | water | Root of Atabey |
| ken | land, earth | Root of Boriquén |
| turey | sky, heavens | |
| wari | person | |
| kasike | chief | Political leader |
| nabori | the people, commoners | |
| yukayeke | village | |
| areyto | assembly, ceremony | Also legislative body |
| guatu | wellness, health | |
| bibi | mother | Kinship term |
| yaya | father | Kinship term |
| wawa | child | Possible Wechua cognate |
| taino | elder, ancestor | Respectful term |
| bori | brave | Root of Boriquén |
| hatu | great, big | Root of Hatu Areyi (Hato Rey) |
| kunu | sweet, good | |
| sumaki | beautiful | |
| toa | empty, void | |
| kasi | time, era | Often in compounds |
Verb roots
| Wakara | English | Example |
|---|---|---|
| kati | to speak | ta-kati-a "I speak" |
| bari | to see | ta-bari-a "I see" |
| katey | to hear, to listen | ta-katey-a "I hear" |
| ariri | to make, to create | ta-ariri-a "I make" |
| hana | to go, to move | ta-hana-a "I go" |
| yara | to come, to emerge | li-yara-aba "it emerged" |
| roko | to work | na-roko-a "we work" |
| munari | to love | ta-munari-a "I love" |
| kemi | to give | ta-kemi-a "I give" |
| miku | to eat | na-miku-ey "we will eat" |
| konuri | to plant, to sow | na-konuri-aba "we planted" |
| rokori | to harvest | na-rokori-a "we harvest" |
| areyto | to gather, to assemble | na-areyto-a "we gather" |
Common phrases
| Wakara | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Taino! | Hello! / Peace! | Universal greeting |
| Waka kunu! | Good morning! | Lit. "Sweet sun!" |
| Kari kunu! | Good evening! | Lit. "Sweet moon!" |
| Kemi guatu! | Take care! | Lit. "Give wellness!" |
| Daka | Yes | |
| Mehe | No | |
| Anay | Thank you | |
| Ta-hana-a | I'm going | Departure phrase |
| Yukiyu wa-bari | Yukiyu sees you | Blessing/farewell |
| Atabey na-katey | Atabey hears us | Ceremonial phrase |
Legal and governmental vocabulary
The incorporation of Boriquén into Nouvelle Alexandrie required developing Wakara vocabulary for legal and governmental concepts. The Guatu Wakarabo created many neologisms from native roots.
| Wakara | English | Formation |
|---|---|---|
| areyto-kato | law, legislation | "assembly-word" |
| areyto-kato-hatu | constitution | "great assembly-word" |
| kato-taino | constitutional, ancestral law | "ancestor-word" |
| bari-areyto | court, tribunal | "seeing-assembly" |
| bari-areyto-hatu | supreme court | "great seeing-assembly" |
| bari-na | judge | "one who sees" |
| kati-kasike | minister, spokesperson | "speaking-chief" |
| daho-kasike | governor | "river-chief" (regional) |
| ken-nabori | citizen | "land-person" |
| kemi-kato | vote | "give-word" |
| kemi-kato-ke | polling place | "vote-place" |
| areyto-kato-mabi | crime | "bad assembly-word" |
| guaxeri-areyto | military court | "warrior-assembly" |
| nabori-guatu-kato | welfare legislation | "people-wellness-law" |
Economic and commercial vocabulary
| Wakara | English | Formation |
|---|---|---|
| kemi-ata | trade, commerce | "give-water" (exchange flows) |
| kemi-ata-ke | market | "trade-place" |
| kemi-kaya | money (native term) | "give-stone" |
| ecu-ke | bank | "money-place" |
| roko-ecu | wages, salary | "work-money" |
| hibari-roko | fishing industry | "fish-work" |
| konuko-roko | agriculture | "farm-work" |
| kanu-ariri | shipbuilding | "canoe-making" |
| bari-turey-roko | tourism | "see-sky-work" |
| ken-yuku | petroleum, oil | "earth-grease" |
| semi-kaya | Alexandrium | "spirit-stone" |
| wakaiki-roko | energy sector | "sunfire-work" |
| ariri-ke-hatu | factory | "great making-place" |
Maritime and fishing vocabulary
Given Boriquén's coastal economy and the traditional boat-building revival, maritime vocabulary is extensive.
| Wakara | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| kanu | canoe, boat | Generic watercraft |
| kanuhatu | large ship | "great canoe" |
| pirakua | dugout canoe | Traditional vessel |
| hibari | to fish | Verb root |
| hibari-na | fisherman | "one who fishes" |
| hibari-ke | fishing ground | |
| hika | net | |
| nasari | fish trap | Traditional weir |
| yari | paddle, oar | |
| higuera | hull | |
| naweri | to sail | |
| bahari | sea | |
| korali | coral | |
| korali-ke | reef | |
| marea | tide | |
| ola | wave | |
| manati | manatee | Sacred to Atabey |
| tiburo | shark | |
| sikua | tuna |
Cultural and artistic vocabulary
| Wakara | English | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| areyto | ceremonial gathering | Core cultural term |
| areyto-na | performer, dancer | |
| maraka | maraca | Traditional instrument |
| mayohuakan | drum | Wooden slit drum |
| guiro | gourd scraper | Rhythmic instrument |
| kobo | conch | Also ceremonial horn |
| kati-areyto | song, chant | "speak-areyto" |
| hamaka | hammock | Widely borrowed term |
| duho | ceremonial stool | Carved wooden seat |
| semi | zemi figure | Spirit representation |
| habay-ariri | weaving | "cotton-making" |
| biha-mako | body paint | "red-body" |
| nagua | traditional skirt | |
| kaya-kato | petroglyph | "stone-word" |
| habay-kato | textile pattern | "cotton-word" |
Educational vocabulary
| Wakara | English | Formation |
|---|---|---|
| nia | mind, thought | Root for intellectual terms |
| nia-ke | school | "mind-place" |
| nia-hatu-ke | university | "great mind-place" |
| nia-kemi-na | teacher | "mind-give-person" |
| nia-katey | to learn | "hear-mind" |
| nia-katey-na | student | "one who learns" |
| kato-habay | book, document | "word-cloth" |
| kato-habay-ke | library | "book-place" |
| kato-bari | to read | "see-word" |
| kato-ariri | to write | "make-word" |
| taino-nia | history | "ancestor-thought" |
| ken-nia | geography | "land-thought" |
| guatu-nia | medicine (study) | "wellness-thought" |
Technology vocabulary
| Wakara | English | Literal meaning |
|---|---|---|
| bari-nia-ke | computer | "see-think-place" |
| katey-hana-ri | telephone | "hear-go-instrument" |
| katey-turey | radio | "hear-sky" |
| bari-turey | television | "see-sky" |
| kato-daho | internet | "word-river" |
| turey-kanu | airplane | "sky-canoe" |
| ken-kanu | car | "land-canoe" |
| wakaiki | electricity | "sunfire" |
| wakaiki-ke | power plant | "sunfire-place" |
| waka-kemi-ri | solar panel | "sun-give-instrument" |
Sample texts
The following texts illustrate Wakara across different registers and contexts, presented with translations and grammatical notes.
Creation narrative
This excerpt from the Wakara creation narrative (Kato Taino Wakara-nu, "Ancestral Story of the Wakara People") describes the origin of the Wakara as children of the sun.
| Wakara text |
|---|
| Kasi hatu-ke, turey li-hatu-aba ka li-toa-aba. Waka li-areyto-aba turey-ari. Atabey li-areyto-aba ken-baha. Waka li-bari-aba Atabey, ka li-munari-aba. Li-kati-aba: "Wa-sumaki! Na-ariri-ey wawa-nu na-ken-ke."
Atabey li-kemi-aba li-ata, ka Waka li-kemi-aba li-wakaiki. Ata ka wakaiki da-areyto-aba. Mako-ken li-yara-aba kunu. Ka ken-manta, wawa heketi li-yara-aba. Li-kato-aba: Waka-ra. Wawa-nu Waka ka Atabey. Waka li-kati-aba li-wawa-nu: "Hi-bori-ni! Hi-roko-ey ken. Hi-guatu-ey nabori. Ta-bari-ey hi-yara, ka ta-kemi-ey hi-wakaiki. Atabey li-katey-ey hi-kato, ka li-kemi-ey hi-ata. Hi-areyto-ni taino-nu naku, ka hi-kemi-ni guatu nabori-ke." |
| Translation |
| In the great time, the sky was vast and empty. The Sun dwelled above in the sky. Atabey dwelled below on the earth. The Sun saw Atabey and loved her. He said: "You are beautiful! Let us create children upon our land."
Atabey gave her water, and the Sun gave his sunfire. Water and sunfire came together. The clay of the earth became fertile. And from the earth, the first child emerged. Its name was spoken: Children of the Sun. The children of the Sun and Atabey. The Sun said to his children: "Be brave! You shall work the land. You shall care for the people. I shall see your coming, and I shall give you my sunfire. Atabey shall hear your words, and she shall give you her water. Gather before the ancestors, and give wellness to the people." |
| Grammatical notes |
| The narrative uses past tense (-aba) consistently for completed mythological events. Kasi hatu-ke (lit. "in the great time") replaces earlier loanword constructions. The Sun's speech to his children uses imperative (-ni) and future (-ey) forms. Note li-kato-aba "it was named/spoken" with proper tense suffix. |
Ceremonial blessing
This formal blessing (kato-semi, "spirit-words") is recited at the opening of the Areyto Legislativo de Boriquén and other official gatherings.
| Wakara text |
|---|
| Taino, Wakara-nu! Na-areyto-a Hatu Areyi-ke. Yukiyu na-bari-a, Atabey na-katey-a. Waka na-kemi-a wakaiki, kari na-kemi-a nia-kunu. Na-kati-a taino-nu naku, na-roko-a nabori guatu. Ken Boriken li-hatu-a, li-bori-a. Na-wari-nu da-hatu-a, da-bori-a. Kemi guatu na-areyto-ke! |
| Translation |
| Peace, Wakara people! We gather at the Great Assembly Place. Yukiyu sees us, Atabey hears us. The sun gives us light, the moon gives us wisdom. We speak before the ancestors, we work for the people's wellness. The land of Boriquén is great and brave. Our people are great and brave. May wellness be given to our assembly! |
| Grammatical notes |
| Note the transitive construction with explicit subjects: Yukiyu na-bari-a "Yukiyu sees us" where na- marks the object "us" rather than the subject. The blessing uses present tense (-a) throughout to express ongoing spiritual truths. Boriken appears without accent in the Wakara text (native orthography) while the translation uses Boriquén (Martinized spelling). |
Traditional harvest song
This song (areyto kosecha) is performed during the annual yuca harvest festival in Guánica.
| Wakara text |
|---|
| Yuka, yuka, ken-manta yara-ni!
Yukiyu kemi-a, Atabey kemi-a. Na-konuri-aba, na-rokori-a. Yuka kunu, yuka hatu! Waka-ari, na-roko-a. Kari-baha, na-areyto-a. Taino-nu na-katey-a. Da-kemi-aba na-guatu. Yuka, yuka, ken-manta yara-ni! Na-miku-ey, na-bori-ey. Wawa-nu da-miku-ey. Wakara-nu na-hatu-a! |
| Translation |
| Yuca, yuca, emerge from the earth!
Yukiyu gives, Atabey gives. We planted, we harvest. Yuca sweet, yuca great! At sunrise, we work. At moonrise, we gather. The ancestors hear us. They gave us wellness. Yuca, yuca, emerge from the earth! We will eat, we will be strong. The children will eat. The Wakara are great! |
| Grammatical notes |
| The song demonstrates poetic register, with some prefix omissions (Yukiyu kemi-a rather than Yukiyu li-kemi-a). Note ken-manta "from the earth" using the ablative suffix, and locative constructions Waka-ari "at sunrise" (lit. "upon the sun") and Kari-baha "at moonrise" (lit. "below the moon," referring to night). |
Modern prose
This excerpt from a contemporary Wakara-language newspaper editorial demonstrates modern usage with political vocabulary.
| Wakara text |
|---|
| Areyto-hatu Cortes Federales li-kati-aba areyto-kato guatu-ke. Kasike Nabori Guatu li-kemi-ey ecu hatu Boriquén guatu-ke-nu. Na-ken-nabori-nu da-guatu-ey kunu. Kasike-areyto federal li-katey-aba na-kato. Wakarabo li-bori-a Nouvelle Alexandrie-ke. |
| Translation |
| The Cortes Federales passed the healthcare law. The Health Authority will provide significant funding to Boriquén's hospitals. Our citizens will be well cared for. The federal government heard our voice. The Wakara language is strong in Nouvelle Alexandrie. |
| Grammatical notes |
| Modern prose maintains standard grammar with explicit subjects and proper tense marking. Note code-switching with Cortes Federales and federal retained from Alexandrian/Martino, common in contemporary political discourse. The construction li-katey-aba na-kato "heard our voice" shows the transitive pattern with explicit subject. |
Proverbs and sayings
Traditional Wakara proverbs (kato taino-ti, "little ancestor-words") encode cultural wisdom. These use the elevated poetic register with optional prefix dropping.
| Wakara | Literal meaning | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Kanu heketi, yari yamoke. | One canoe, two paddles. | Cooperation is necessary for progress. |
| Waka bari-a, kari katey-a. | The sun sees, the moon hears. | Nothing is hidden from the spirits. |
| Ata hana-a bahari-man. | Water goes toward the sea. | Everything returns to its source. |
| Yuka ti-ke, yuka hatu yara-ey. | Small yuca place, great yuca will come. | Modest beginnings lead to great outcomes. |
| Kasike mehe kati-a, nabori katey-ni. | A chief who does not speak, listen to the people. | Leaders must hear their people. |
| Huraka yara-ey, kunu yara-ey. | The hurricane will come, the sweetness will come. | After hardship comes prosperity. |
| Taino-nu na-mako-ke. | The ancestors are in our bodies. | We carry our heritage within us. |
| Seiba hatu-manta, ken hatu. | From a great ceiba, great land. | Strong roots create strong communities. |
Note: Proverbs use the poetic register, omitting person prefixes where context is clear (Waka bari-a rather than Waka li-bari-a). This archaic style is considered appropriate for traditional wisdom.
Place name etymologies
Many place names in Boriquén and the Lake Cherusken region derive from Wakara, though colonial-era Hispanicization often obscured original meanings.
| Modern Name | Wakara Origin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Boriquén | Bori-ken | "land of the brave" |
| Hato Rey | Hatu Areyi | "great assembly place" |
| Guánica | Gua-nika | "sacred place" |
| Yukayeke Karaya | Yukayeke Kaya-ra | "village of the stones" |
| Añasco | Anyas-ko | "place of the anyas tree" |
| Mayaguez | Maya-guax | "place of clear waters" |
| Arecibo | Areysi-bo | "land of the areysi plant" |
The case of Hato Rey illustrates typical Hispanicization. The original Wakara Hatu Areyi ("Great Assembly Place") referred to a ceremonial and political center where regional kasike convened. Martino-speaking settlers reinterpreted the sounds through their own language: hatu became hato (a Martino word for "cattle ranch"), and areyi became rey ("king"). The resulting "Hato Rey" thus acquired a false etymology meaning "King's Estate" that persisted for centuries. Only during the Wakara Renaissance did scholars recover the original derivation.
Influence
Wakara influence on regional languages
Wakara has contributed loanwords to the Alexandrian and Martino spoken in Boriquén and surrounding regions, particularly for local flora, fauna, cultural practices, and geographical features.
Notable loanwords include:
- hamaka ("hammock"), from the Wakara word for the traditional sleeping device;
- huraka ("hurricane"), from the Wakara term for great storms;
- harabakoa > Martino barbacoa ("barbecue"), from the Wakara word for a raised smoking/cooking platform; the initial /h/ was lost and replaced with /b/ in Martino adaptation;
- kasike > Martino cacique, borrowed to describe local leaders;
- kanoa > canoe, from the Wakara word for watercraft.
Other languages' influence on Wakara
Since the incorporation of Boriquén into Nouvelle Alexandrie, Wakara has borrowed from Alexandrian and Martino, particularly for concepts related to modern technology, government, and international commerce.
The Guatu Wakarabo has advocated creating neologisms from native Wakara roots rather than borrowing foreign terms. This approach has had mixed success. Some coinages have gained acceptance: bari-nia-ke ("computer," literally "see-think-place"), turey-kanu ("airplane," literally "sky-canoe"), and wakaiki ("electricity," literally "sunfire"). Others have been rejected by speakers in favor of borrowed forms: eskuela (from Martino escuela), banko (from Martino banco).
Dialectal variation in borrowing is significant. Coastal Wakara contains more loanwords than Lake Cherusken Wakara, reflecting greater historical contact with other language communities. In urban areas, code-switching between Wakara and Alexandrian or Martino is common, particularly among younger speakers.
Relationship with Southern Wechua
Southern Wechua, spoken in parts of the Wechua Nation oriented toward Boriquén, shows limited but detectable Wakara influence. A small number of loanwords for plants, animals, and geographical features found in the southern borderlands derive from Wakara. The relationship remains an area of active scholarly research.
Revitalization
The Wakara language experienced significant decline during the colonial period, when Martino was imposed as the language of administration, commerce, and education. By the early 18th century AN, many urban Wakara had shifted to Martino as their primary language, with Wakara retained only for domestic and ceremonial contexts.
The Plan de Hato Rey of 1717 AN and the incorporation of Boriquén into Nouvelle Alexandrie in 1719 AN created conditions for language revitalization. Key developments include:
- Establishment of the Guatu Wakarabo in 1725 AN as the official regulatory body;
- Introduction of Wakara-language instruction in public schools;
- Official status as a regional language with translation requirements;
- Cultural programs centered in Guánica, the holy city of the Yukiyu Atabey faith;
- The Wakara Cultural Foundation's support for traditional practices and language preservation.
Today, an estimated 80% of Boriquén's population speaks Wakara with some degree of fluency, representing a significant reversal of earlier decline. The language is increasingly used in media, literature, and public life, though Alexandrian and Martino remain dominant in federal contexts and international commerce.
