Alternate Names: Bukaua, Bukawa, Bukawac, Kawa, Kawac, Yom Gawac
Dialects: Central Bugawac, Central-Eastern Bugawac, Central-Western Bugawac, Eastern Bugawac, South-Western Bugawac, Western Bugawac. Reportedly similar to Yabem ,.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 12,000 (2011 W. Eckermann). 4,800 monolinguals. Ethnic population: 12,500.
Language Use: Vigorous. Yabem [jae] decreasingly used in religious services, being replaced by Bugawac or Tok Pisin [tpi]. Home, community. 85% also use Tok Pisin [tpi]. Yabem [jae] use decreasing.
Language Development: Literacy rate in L1: 80%. Literacy rate in L2: 80% Tok Pisin, 15%-25% Yabem. Taught in primary schools, in about half the villages. Poetry. Dictionary. NT: 2001.
Typology: Tonal.
Writing System: Latin
Nation of Origin: Papua New Guinea