Sumos, Mayangnas, Tuahka, Panamahka, ¿Ulwa? Language and ethnic identity

Abstract

Members of the Mayangna or Sumo community have recently extensively debated on which of the two names (Mayangna or Sumo) should be used to refer to themselves.  Some believe that the word Sumo has negative connotations, especially among Spanish or Miskito speakers, and they prefer to use the denomination Mayangna.  The rest argues that, there is nothing intrinsically bad in the word Sumo, that Sumo was the denomination used by their ancestors and that if Sumo has some negative connotation, it is in the mind of outsiders.  The origin of the word Sumo is not clear; the word Mayangna is, strictly speaking, the inclusive plural pronoun ‘(all of) us’ or ‘we'.  This article’s authors contribute to the debate, keeping in mind the fact that, from a linguistic point of view, the community has the final word in this type of debates.