Ndyuka
Ndyuka, also spelled Ndjuka or Aukan, refers to a Maroon people in Suriname and Guyana descended from enslaved Africans who escaped from plantations and formed independent communities in the rainforest interior from the 17th century onward. The Ndyuka live mainly along eastern Suriname’s interior river systems and have communities in adjacent Guyana; they retain a distinctive language, culture, and social structure within the broader Maroon population.
Ndyuka is an English-based creole language, with Dutch and African-language influences. It is spoken alongside Dutch,
History and relations with colonial powers
The Ndyuka established autonomous villages in forest areas and negotiated with Dutch colonial authorities in the
Society, leadership, and culture
Ndyuka communities are traditionally organized under a granman (great chief) with local chiefs and elder councils.
Historically, subsistence farming, hunting, and fishing sustained Ndyuka communities. In contemporary times, economic activity includes agriculture,