Alternate Names: Bamu Kiwai
Dialects: Gama, Lower Bamu, Nuhiro, Sisiame, Upper Bamu (Middle Bamu). Gama dialect may be a separate language. Closely related to Kiwai; less closely to Waboda ,. Lexical similarity: less than 80% with Gama and Lower Bamu, the most similar other Bamu dialect.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 6,310 (2000 census). 960 Gama.
Language Use: Used as L2 by Foia Foia [ffi], Hoyahoya [hhy], Mubami [tsx], Tabo [knv].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: 5%–10%. Literacy rate in L2: 5%–15%. Taught in primary schools. Dictionary. Bible portions: 1952–2007.
Writing System: Latin
Nation of Origin: Papua New Guinea