Baniwa

/bəˈniːwə/ noun

Definition

An alternative spelling of Baniva; refers to the indigenous people and their language in the upper Amazon basin.

Etymology

Variant spelling from indigenous Arawakan origins, reflecting different transliteration systems used in Portuguese and Spanish colonial records across Brazil and Colombia.

Kelly Says

Language scholars debate which spelling is most authentic because these indigenous groups had no written language when colonists arrived—different colonial powers spelled it differently, and today multiple spellings coexist depending on the country and institution.

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