Sranan Tongo edit

Etymology edit

From Kari'na ijoròkan, ultimately from Proto-Cariban *ijoroko (evil spirit) with a suffix; compare Apalaí joroko, Trió joroko, Wayana jolok, Pemon iworok, Ye'kwana Odo'sha, as well as (from non-Cariban languages) Lokono jaloko.

Noun edit

yorka

  1. spirit of the deceased; specifically, in the Afro-Surinamese winti belief system, a spiritual entity specific to an individual that can remain among the living upon the death of the individual, in a benign or malicious manner, retaining the individual's memories and personality

Related terms edit

  • kra (soul, spirit; a spiritual entity that determines an individual's life and returns to its origin upon the individual's death, ceasing interaction with the human world)
  • dyodyo (soul, spirit; a spiritual entity linked to the birthplace of an individual who acts as guardian of this or several individuals)
  • sili
  • yeye