book chapter

Law at the village level: the Cottica Djuka of Surinam

law in culture and societyChicago • Published In 1969 • Pages: 117-140

By: Köbben, A. J. F..

Abstract
In this article, Köbben examines the 'teeth' of Ndyuka law. Ndyuka law lacks the authority and physical sanctions associated with law in the West. One exception is the case of adultery, when the aggrieved husband has the right to beat the violator when caught. Fines are then assessed at a subsequent trial. Cases are tried in a meeting, or palaver, of village elders. Public rebuke in a palaver is another form of sanction although not an entirely effective one. One effective means of social control is for a wronged party to successfully get redress at a later date when they are in a position to do so.
Subjects
Police
Informal in-group justice
Offenses against the person
Sex and marital offenses
Litigation
Initiation of judicial proceedings
Trial procedure
culture
Ndyuka
HRAF PubDate
1999
Region
South America
Sub Region
Amazon and Orinoco
Document Type
book chapter
Evaluation
Creator Type
Ethnologist
Document Rating
4: Excellent Secondary Data
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
Ian Skoggard ; 1997
Field Date
1961-1962
Coverage Date
1950-1963
Coverage Place
Suriname
Notes
A. J. F. Köbben
Includes bibliographical references
LCCN
68008157
LCSH
Djuka people