Book

Saramaka social structure: analysis of a maroon society in Surinam

Institute of Caribbean Studies, University of Puerto Rico (12) • Published In 1975 • Pages: 177

By: Price, Richard.

Abstract
This is the published version of Richard Price's doctoral dissertation on Saramakan social structure. In it he discusses marriage and residence patterns, inheritance, land tenure, chiefly succession, and lineage organization and fission. Of particular interest is his discussion on KUNU or avenging ancestral spirit, whose cult forms the center of lineage groups (BEE), and who are responsible for health and moral cohesion of the village. Price also discusses the choices and decisions behind marital residence, which partly depend on dynamics within the polygamous family and respective demands for labor by village-based lineages of wives and husbands.
Subjects
External migration
Real property
Regulation of marriage
Residence
Lineages
Clans
Community structure
Community heads
Spirits and gods
Revelation and divination
culture
Saramaka
HRAF PubDate
1999
Region
South America
Sub Region
Amazon and Orinoco
Document Type
Book
Evaluation
Creator Type
Ethnologist
Document Rating
4: Excellent Secondary Data
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
Ian Skoggard; 1997
Field Date
1966-1968
Coverage Date
1700-1970
Coverage Place
Suriname
Notes
Richard Price
Originally presented as the author's thesis, Harvard, 1969
Includes bibliographical references (p. 167-174) and index
LCCN
74021842
LCSH
Saramacca (Surinam people)