Alternate Names: Kiikoma
Dialects: Ikoma (Kiikoma), Isenye (Isenyi, Issenye, Kiisenye, Kiissenye Ikisenyi), Nata (Kinata, Kinatta, Natta). Lexical similarity: 81% with Zanaki ,, 73% with Ngoreme ,, 68% with Kuria ,, 44% with Gusii ,. Dialect similarity: Ikoma 85% with Isenye and 89% with Nata; Isenye and Nata share 88%.
Genealogy:
Demographics: 36,000 (2005 SIL). Includes 15,000 Ikoma, 11,500 Nata, 9,500 Isenye.
Language Use: Strong Swahili [swh] use among Nata dialect speakers. Many Nata children learn Swahili as L1. All domains, if no speakers of other languages are present. All ages.
Language Development: Bible portions: 2009–2012.
Typology: 7 vowel system.
Writing System: Latin
Nation of Origin: Tanzania
Other Comments: Ikoma, Nata and Isenye are 3 different ethnic groups. They consider their 3 speech varieties different, but similar enough to use the same written material. Nata seems more endangered with many children speaking more Swahili , than Nata. Christian, Muslim, traditional religion.