Miskito in Nicaragua

People Name:	Miskito
Country:	Nicaragua
10/40 Window:	No
Population:	159,000
World Population:	253,000
Primary Language:	Miskito
Primary Religion:	Christianity
Christian Adherents:	90.00 %
Evangelicals:	4.00 %
Scripture:	Complete Bible
Ministry Resources:	Yes
Jesus Film:	Yes
Audio Recordings:	Yes
People Cluster:	Central American Indigenous, other
Affinity Bloc:	Latin-Caribbean Americans
Progress Level:

Introduction / History

Miskito Creoles (MC 's) descended from Amerindians and African slaves who were shipwrecked on the eastern side of what is now Nicaragua. Most Miskitos live in the southern part of the now autonomous eastern region. Gordon (1978) says that for MCs language maintenance is the single most important factor in MC identity. MC is the second language of most Miskito's and some Ladinos (Holm 1989). Several MC communities are very isolated with little outside contact. MC is used in homes, Creole neighborhoods, churches, and some workplaces. Most desire an MC N.T. translation. But unless there is some united effort and institutional support of MC language maintenance and development, they may lost their language.