Huave people
Ikoots, Kunajts | |
|---|---|
The four Huave settlements | |
| Total population | |
| 29,931 (2010) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Mexico (southeast coast: Juchitán District, Oaxaca) | |
| San Dionisio del Mar | 4,940 (2000) |
| San Francisco del Mar | 3,900 (1990) |
| San Mateo del Mar | 12,000 (1990) |
| Santa María del Mar | 500 (1993) |
| Languages | |
| San Dionisio del Mar Huave, San Francisco del Mar Huave, San Mateo del Mar Huave, San María del Mar Huave, and Spanish | |
| Religion | |
| Indigenous religion, Roman Catholicism | |
The Huave (autonyms: Ikoots and Kunajts) are an Indigenous people of Mexico. They have lived the Isthmus of Tehuantepec for more than 3,000 years, preceding the Zapotec people in settling the area. Today they live in several villages (most notably San Mateo del Mar, in the Tehuantepec District, and Santa María del Mar, San Dionisio del Mar and San Francisco del Mar, in the Juchitán District) on the sandspits of the Pacific Ocean and trade marine products with inland neighbors.
According to the 2000 census, 13,687 people declared themselves to be Huave speakers; however, many non-speakers still identify as Huaves or Mareños. Their language is called Huave, ombeayiüts, or umbeyajts, depending on the dialect.