These 940 people are regarded as the last descendants of the Nɨkak population. They are part of a rare group of nomads who mainly roam in the south of Colombia. Notably, they were first discovered by the outside world in 1988. Prior to that, they lived in isolation, and the researcher aimed to map out how the Nɨkak population developed throughout history. She did this by closely studying their spoken language. For example, Mahecha Rubio examined the grammar of the language in her research.
Another important outcome of this research is the study of the historical events that shaped the Nɨkak people. The researcher gathered oral, ethnohistorical, and linguistic data to achieve this. Her work demonstrates that people from various groups, such as the Tsáse (Piapoco) and the Achagua (Arawak), as well as some Guahibo and Sáliba, formed the initial core of the Nɨkak population. This blending is well reflected in the current structure of the language, as shown in the study.
Through this research, Mahecha Rubio contributes to the knowledge of the Nɨkak population, providing a better understanding of their history and language, and offering explanations for why they lived in isolation until 1988.
More information on the thesis: History and Language of the Nɨkak: Grammatical Aspects of Nominals