Yagán originally Yahgan also known as Yámana, Háusi Kúta, and Yagankuta, was one of the indigenous languages of Tierra del Fuego, spoken by the Yaghan people. It was regarded as a language isolate, although some linguists have attempted to relate it to Kawésqar and Chono.
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Cristina Calderón, the last known native speaker of one of Chile’s indigenous languages, Yaghan, died at 93, her family said on Wednesday.
Yaghan Language
Yaghan (also referred to as Yahgan or Yámana, among other names) is a language historically spoken in Chile and Argentina.
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Image Credit: The Guardian
It is considered a language isolate and part of its own Yámana language family. Within Chile, it has been found in Patagonia, Isla Navarino, Puerto Williams, and Ukika.
The Last Speaker Of A Chilean Native Language Dies
The second-to-last full-blooded Yaghan, Emelinda Acuña, died in 2005. As of 2019, the last full-blooded Yahgan was “Abuela” (grandmother) Cristina Calderón, who lives in Chilean territory.
She is the last native speaker of the Yahgan language and she died at 93, her family reported on Wednesday.
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