Kapóng is a Cariban language spoken mainly in Guyana, most commonly in the region of the Upper Mazaruni. Though many speakers do not live in villages, there are a number of population centers, notably Kamarang, Jawalla, Waramadong, and Kako. There are two dialects, Akawaio and Patamona. Kapóng also goes by its Macushi name, Ingarikó.
History
The Carib tribes practice an indigenous system of beliefs, one that dates back to the 16th century. It was not until the 19th century that attempts were made to understand the beliefs and practices of this tribe. Much of the Kapóng language refers back to sun worship and sun spirits, which is reflective of the beliefs system of these Carib-speaking tribes. Literature has also found belief in a higher being in the sky among the Carib tribes in Guyana.
Geographic Distribution
The Kapóng language is found to be spoken in lowland tropical South America, particularly in the countries of Guyana, Brazil, and Venezuela. In Guyana, Kapóng is spoken in forests by the Mazaruni River Basin. Speakers in Brazil are found in the Roraima Indigenous Terra Raposa. The number of speakers in Brazil is about 10,000, and the transmission of language in Brazil is deemed to be of good standing. In Venezuela, Kapóng is spoken in the states of Bolivar and Monagas.
Dialects/Varieties
Kapóng has three dialects as follows:
Akawaio
Ingarikó
Patamona
Phonology
Consonants
The allophones of /k s n/ are /ʔ tʃ ŋ/, as well as the allophones of /z/ being /ʃ ʒ dʒ/.
Vowels
Vocabulary
Much of the Kapóng language has emphasis on a higher spirit/god up in the sky, and this is reflected in the vocabulary in this language.
yamok is an ending used to make words plural. Adding yamok to "Kapong" makes "Kapong" plural; Kapong yamok. -da is a marker used to mark possession. kaata = book; da kaata = my book. The word order of Kapóng is SOV, however, it is not rigid. There are cases where the object precedes the subject in sentences. An example of this is: "Walawok yamàk uya molok yachi" boysfish catch = the boys catch fish There are no gender distinctions found in Kapóng, as there are no differences in personal pronoun systems and affixes to indicate genders of nouns. Similes are often used in writing, as many words in this language allow this to occur. Through the use of suffixes, many words can be converted into similes. Examples are as follows:
