Djuka: The Bush Negroes of Dutch Guiana (1931) by Morton C. Kahn is a significant anthropological and photographic study of the Djuka (or Ndyuka) people, one of the Maroon communities in Suriname (then Dutch Guiana). Descendants of enslaved Africans who escaped plantations and established independent societies in the rainforest, the Djuka preserved rich African traditions while adapting to the South American environment.
Kahn, a physician and anthropologist, documented their daily life, spiritual practices (like Winti religion), social structure, and crafts with a blend of scientific observation and humanistic respect. The book is notable for its striking black-and-white photographs, offering rare early 20th-century visuals of Maroon culture—villages, ceremonial dress, and intricate woodcarvings. While reflecting the colonial lens of its time, the work remains a valuable historical record of Djuka resilience and cultural heritage.
For Readers Interested in Maroon Cultures or African Diaspora Studies:
- The Maroons of Jamaica by Mavis Campbell – A deeper dive into another Maroon society.
- Winti: An Afro-American Religion by Chris de Beet – Focused on Suriname’s spiritual traditions.
- Rebel Destiny by Melville and Frances Herskovits – A 1930s ethnographic study of Surinamese Maroons.
(Note: Dutch Guiana became Suriname in 1975. The Ndyuka are one of six Maroon groups in the region.)
