Djuka

/ˈduːkə/ noun

Definition

A member of a Maroon people of Suriname and French Guiana, or the Creole language spoken by this group.

Etymology

From Aukan (also spelled Ndjuka), the name of the people themselves. The word comes from the Fon language 'dzogbe' meaning 'slave,' reflecting the history of escaped enslaved people who formed independent communities in South America.

Kelly Says

The Djuka language is a remarkable linguistic blend of West African grammar mixed with Dutch and English vocabulary—it's a living record of the Atlantic slave trade and how people create entirely new languages when cultures collide under harsh circumstances.

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