Dzubukuá (or Kariri), referred to by the community as Kariri-Xocó, is an extinct Karirian language, sometimes considered a dialect of a singular Kariri language, of Brazil. Since 1989, there is a process of linguistic revitalization underway. In 2025, it was declared official in the city of Crateús in the state of Ceará.
History
Documentation There are only two known primary sources containing the Dzubukuá language. One is a manuscript dated 1702, and the other is a 1709 catechism,; Available from Commons here both by the French Capuchin missionary Bernardo de Nantes.
There is no report of the possible survival of Dzubukuá grammar and dictionary manuscripts.
Revival Beginning in 1989, the people of Porto Real do Colégio, Alagoas, have been reviving their language through teaching it in biweekly lessons and disseminating materials through social media. The Tingui-Botó people claim to use Dzubukuá, their ancestral language, in their secret Ouricuri ritual.
Official status On 28 August 2025, Dzubukuá was declared official in Crateús, Ceará, the second municipality in the state after Monsenhor Tabosa to declare an Indigenous language official.
Classification Dzubukuá has typically been considered as a dialect of a singular Kariri language. "Je m'empresse de rectifier ce dire de notre compatriote; en réalité, le Dzubucua et le Kipea, sont deux dialectes d'une même langue." In the preface of the catechism, however, Nantes attests to the distinction between the way the Dzubukuá and Kipeá spoke ("one language is as different from the other as Portuguese is from Castilian"). Traditionally, Dzubukuá and the other Kariri languages or dialects were classified as members of the Macro-Jê languages. This classification was first proposed by Brazilian linguist Aryon Rodrigues in 1986. More recently, however, the genetic affinity of Kariri within Macro-Jê has been questioned, and Andrey Nikulin excludes it from the family in his assessment. He instead proposes a relationship with the Bororoan and Cariban languages, which he further suspects may be related to Macro-Jê on a deeper timescale.
Geographical distribution
It was spoken on the São Francisco River islands, in the Cabrobó area of Pernambuco.
Phonology
Consonants + Consonantal phonemes Labial Alveolar Palatal Velar Glottal Occlusive voiceless voiced Nasal Flap Fricative Affricate voiceless voiced Lateral Nikulin differs from Queiroz regarding the interpretation of the digraphs and , which he says represent and , respectively. Accordingly, he records "fire" as "" in Kipeá, but as "" in Dzubukuá.
In 2012, Queiroz revised his 2008 description and changed his position regarding the existence of glides in Dzubukuá. Thus, and , which he had considered indicators of , and and , which he had considered indicators of , came to be reinterpreted as the high vowels and .
Vowels + Vocalic phonemes Front Central Back High Mid unrounded rounded Low
has the allophones , , and . has the allophones , , , and . has the allophones , , . has the allophones and . has the allophones , , and . has the allophones , , , and .
Sample text Below is the Lord's Prayer in Dzubukuá, according to Bernardo de Nantes in his 1709 catechism:
Notes
References
External links
Language-revival project page