Alternate Names: “Bará” (pej.), Barasano, Northern Barasano
Dialects: Eastern Waimaha, Pamoa Bara.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 500 in Colombia (2004 DNP). Population total all countries: 539. Some monolinguals over 40.
Language Use: Passed on from fathers to children. Most domains, home, family, religion, local commerce, community. All ages. Positive attitudes. 40% also use Spanish [spa]. Spanish is used in school and with government officials. Also use Barasana-Eduria [bsn], Carapana [cbc], Macuna [myy], Tatuyo [tav], Tucano [tuo], Tuyuca [tue], Wajiara [yui]. All use 2 to 4 of the other languages due to marriage patterns across language boundaries. Children speak the language of each parent, but identify with the father’s language. Used as L2 by Tuyuca [tue].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: 25%. Literacy rate in L2: 25%–40%. Letter writing between communities. Written and oral forms used in religious services. NT: 2010.
Typology: SOV.
Writing System: Latin
Nation of Origin: Colombia
Other Comments: Christian, traditional religion.