Alternate Names: Kibende, Si’bende
Dialects: None known. Lexical similarity: 74% with Sumbwa ,, 72% with Nyamwezi ,, 70% with Sukuma Hu ,, 67% with Ha ,, 71% with Rundi ,, 60% with Hangaza ,, 58% with Nyankore ,, 65% with Holoholo , and 90% with Tongwe ,. Bende and Tongwe may be a single language.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 27,000 (1999).
Language Use: All ages. Many have low proficiency in Swahili [swh].
Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: 0%. Dictionary.
Writing System: Unwritten
Nation of Origin: Tanzania
Other Comments: Christian, Muslim, traditional religion.