Kowiai language

Kowiai (Kuiwai) is an Austronesian language of the Bomberai Peninsula in New Guinea. According to the Atlas of Languages of Intercultural Communication in the Pacific and Asia, Kowiai is spoken in the coastal regions between Arguni and Etna bay.^[3]

Kowiai
South Bomberai
Native to	Indonesia
Region	Kaimana Regency
Native speakers	(600 cited 2000)[1]
Language family	Austronesian Malayo-Polynesian Central–Eastern East Central Maluku Seram Laut[2] Kowiai
Language codes
ISO 639-3	kwh
Glottolog	kowi1239
ELP	Kowiai

Distribution

Locations within Kaimana Regency:^[4]

• Kaimana District: Namatota and Bicari villages
• Buruwai District: Pulau Adi and Nusa Ulang villages
• Teluk Etna District: Kayu Merah village
• Niraran District: Trikora village
• Coa District: Sowa village
• Kroy District
• Kaimana City

References

1. Kowiai at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
2. Charles Grimes & Owen Edwards (in process) Wallacean subgroups: unravelling the prehistory and classification of the Austronesian languages of eastern Indonesia and Timor-Leste. Summary presentation at the 15th International Conference on Austronesian Linguistics.
3. Wurm, Stephen A.; Mühlhäusler, Peter; Tryon, Darrell T. (2011-02-11). Atlas of Languages of Intercultural Communication in the Pacific, Asia, and the Americas: Vol I: Maps. Vol II: Texts. Walter de Gruyter. ISBN 978-3-11-081972-4.
4. Ronsumbre, Adolof (2020). Ensiklopedia Suku Bangsa di Provinsi Papua Barat. Yogyakarta: Penerbit Kepel Press. ISBN 978-602-356-318-0.