Havu language

Not to be confused with Hawu language.
Havu
Kihavu
Native toDemocratic Republic of Congo
RegionSud-Kivu Province
Native speakers
510,000 (2002)[1]
Language codes
ISO 639-3hav
Glottologhavu1238
JD.52[2]

Havu (or Haavu or Kihavu) is a Bantu language of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is spoken mainly in the Idjwi and Kalehe territories of Sud-Kivu Province, in the east of the DRC.[3] It is closely related to the Shi language.

The Havu language is also spoken in the city of Goma, north of the island. However, ethnic Havu in Goma are not using the language as much as those on the island of Idjwi.[4]

  1. ^ Havu at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
  2. ^ Jouni Filip Maho, 2009. New Updated Guthrie List Online
  3. ^ "Ethnologue". Retrieved 28 March 2013.
  4. ^ DeWitt, Stephanie. 2019. Language Choice among the Havu of the Democratic Republic of Congo: Comparing two speech communities an urban center and an isolated island. Dallas International University: MA thesis.