The Malibu languages are a poorly attested group of extinct languages once spoken along the Magdalena River

Magdalena River

The Magdalena River is the principal river of Colombia, flowing northward about through the western half of the country. It takes its name from the biblical figure Mary Magdalene. It is navigable through much of its lower reaches, in spite of the shifting sand bars at the mouth of its delta, as...

 in Colombia. Material exists only for two of the numerous languages mentioned in the literature: Malibú and Mocana.

Classification

The Malibu languages have previously been grouped into a single family with the Chimila language. However, Chimila is now now known to be a Chibchan language, and Adelaar & Muysken regard the grouping of Chimila with the Malibu languages as "without any factual basis".

Family Division

Rivet initially listed three Malibu tribes, each with its own language:

• Malibú, spoken near the Magdalena River
  Magdalena River
  The Magdalena River is the principal river of Colombia, flowing northward about through the western half of the country. It takes its name from the biblical figure Mary Magdalene. It is navigable through much of its lower reaches, in spite of the shifting sand bars at the mouth of its delta, as...
  
   from Tamalameque
  Tamalameque
  Tamalameque is a town and municipality in the Colombian Department of Cesar.-External links:...
  
   to Tenerife
  Tenerife, Magdalena
  Tenerife is a town and municipality of the Magdalena Department in northern Colombia.-External links:...
  
  
• Mocana, spoken in the region east of Cartagena
  Cartagena, Colombia
  Cartagena de Indias , is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department...
  
  
• Pacabuey, also known as Sompallón or Laguna Malibu, spoken near the Zapatoza lagoon

To this list, Loukotka adds six more languages (excluding Chimila):

• Papale, spoken on the Fundación River
  Fundación River
  The Fundación River is a river in northern Colombia, born in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in the Cesar Department but flows down to the Magdalena Department crossing the town and municipality of Fundación until flowing into the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta.-References:**...
  
  
• Coanoa or Guanoa, spoken on the Cesar River
  Cesar River
  The Cesar River is a river in northern Colombia which is a part of the Magdalena Basin. It separates the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta from the mountain ranges of the Serrania del Perija an extension of the Cordillera Oriental...
  
  
• Zamirua, spoken on the Ariguaní River
  Ariguaní River
  Ariguaní River is a river in northern Colombia's Caribbean Region born in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta mountain range in the area of the municipality of Pueblo Bello. The Ariguaní is an affluent of the Cesar River and flows from north to south into it near the town of El Paso...
  
  
• Cospique, spoken somewhere in the Department of Magdalena
• Mompox, spoken near the city of Santa Cruz de Mompox
  Santa Cruz de Mompox
  Mompox or Mompós, officially Santa Cruz de Mompox, is a town and municipality in northern Colombia, in the Bolívar Department, which has preserved its colonial character. Located on an island in the Magdalena River where it joins the Cauca River, 249 kilometers from Cartagena. Mompox depends upon...
  
  
• Calamari, spoken along the coast south of Cartagena
  Cartagena, Colombia
  Cartagena de Indias , is a large Caribbean beach resort city on the northern coast of Colombia in the Caribbean Coast Region and capital of Bolívar Department...
  
   to Coveñas
  Coveñas
  Coveñas is a town and municipality located in the Sucre Department, northern Colombia. the town is a popular vacation place for the people of the colombian andean region.-References:...
  
  

Vocabulary

Rivet gives a brief list of words from Malibú and Mocana, but does not distinguish the two languages. A selection of these is provided below:

• tahana – manzanilla tree
  Manchineel tree
  The Manchineel tree, Hippomane mancinella, is a species of flowering plant in the spurge family , native to Florida in the United States, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Central America, and northern South America...
  
  
• malibu – chief
• man – small boat
• ytaylaco/yteylaco/yntelas/ytaylas – devil, deity
• entaha/enbutac – cassava
  Cassava
  Cassava , also called yuca or manioc, a woody shrub of the Euphorbiaceae native to South America, is extensively cultivated as an annual crop in tropical and subtropical regions for its edible starchy tuberous root, a major source of carbohydrates...