Sikaiana

Sikaiana is a Polynesian language spoken by about 730 people. It is spoken particularly on Sikaiana, a small atoll 212 km (132 miles) northeast of Malaita in the Solomon Islands, which is governed as part of Malaita Province. Sikaiana consists of the islands of Tehaolei, Matuiloto and Matuavi, and the artificial islands of Te Palena and Hakatai'atata. There are also Sikaiana speakers in Honiara, the capital of the Solomon Islands.

Sikaiana belongs to the Ellicean branch of the Polynesian language family. It is related to languages such as Kapingamarangi, Nukumanu, Nukuoro, Nukuria and Tuvaluan.

Sikaiana is written with the Latin alphabet. A Sikaiana dictionary was produced by Arthur Capell in 1935 which includes vocabulary, grammar and a brief history of the language. Other work on the language was written by William Donner in the 1970s and 80s. There are also some translations in Sikaiana of religious works, such as the Book of Common Prayer.

Sikaiana alphabet and pronunciation

Download a Sikaiana alphabet chart (Excel)

Notes

U is pronounced [uw] and I is pronounced [ij] when preceding A.

Sample sentences in Sikaiana

A nau e he ware i a koe.
I don't worry about you, I ignore you.
A koe e wues taimu haeko.
You waste a lot of time, you are not a constructive.
Na haahine e kamplen tahi mae ko o laatou aavana e uunu tahi.
The women are always complaining because their husbands are always drinking.
Na ika ku tau ki te kai o te poo nei.
There are enough fish for the feast tonight.

Source: Dicionary of the Sikaiana Language. William Donner. 2012.

Sample video in Sikaiana

Information about Sikaiana | Numbers

Links

Information about the Sikaiana language and people
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikaiana_language
http://www.sikaianaarchives.com/
https://archive.org/details/Sikdict
http://www.language-archives.org/language/sky

Polynesian languages

Anutan, Austral, Emae, Futuna-Aniwa, Futunan, Hawaiian, Kapingamarangi, Mangareva, Māori, Marquesan (North), Marquesan (South), Mele-Fila, Moriori, Niuafoʻou, Niuatoputapu-Tafahi, Niuean, Nukumanu, Nukuoro, Nukuria, Ontong Java, Penrhyn, Pukapukan, Rakahanga-Manihiki, Rapa, Rapa Nui, Rarotongan, Rennellese, Samoan, Sikaiana, Tahitian, Takuu, Tikopia, Tokelauan, Tongan, Tuamotuan, Tuvaluan, Vaeakau-Taumako, Wallisian, West Uvean

Languages written with the Latin alphabet

Page last modified: 22.06.25

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