Nivaclé

For the language, seeNivaclé language.

Nivaclé

Nivaclé woven pouch,AMNH
Total population
15,000–25,000 (2007)
Regions with significant populations
Paraguay	13,700(1991)
Argentina	878(2022)
Bolivia	100
Languages
Nivaclé,Spanish
Religion
Animism,Christianity

TheNivacléare anindigenous people of the Gran Chaco.An estimated 13,700 Nivaclé people live in thePresident HayesandBoquerón Departmentsin Paraguay, while approximately 200 Nivaclé people live in theSalta Provinceof Argentina.A very small number of Nivaclé live inTarija, Bolivia.

Nivaclé people dancing 1908.

In the last 50 years, 15,000Mennonitesfrom Canada, Russia, and Germany have settled in traditional Nivaclé territory.

Groups

They have five subgroups, which are as follows:

• Tovoc Lhavos, river people: Chishamnee Lhavos, people from above
• Tovoc Lhavos, river people: Shichaam Lhavos, people from below
• Yita' Lhavos, forest people; this group is also known as C’utjaan Lhavos ‘people of the thorns’)
• Jotoi Lhavos, people of theesparto grass
• Tavashai Lhavos, people of the savanna.

Name

Nivaclé is an autonym, meaning "human."They are also known as the Ashlushlay, Axluslay, Chulupí, and Nivaklé people.

Language

They speak theNivaclé language,which has two dialects: Forest Nivaclé and River Nivaclé. Nivaclé is one of theMataco-Guaicuru languages.A dictionary has been published for the language, and the Bible was translated into Nivaclé in 1995.

External links

• Hombre de Guerra,documentary(in Spanish)