Cultural Anthropology Chapter Nine: Kinship and Descent

Chapter Preview What Are Descent Groups? What Functions Do Descent Groups Serve? How Do Descent Groups Form?

Kinship The people we are related to through blood (consanguineal) and marriage (affinal) Kin divided into three groups: nominal, effective, intimate or core kin Kinship involves how we classify our relatives, organize family and residential patterns Kinship is culturally diverse

Nuclear and Extended Families The nuclear family consists of a married couple and their children. The nuclear family is ego-centered and impermanent, while descent groups are permanent (lasting beyond the life spans of individual constituents) and reckoned according to a single ancestor. One’s family of orientation is the family in which one is born and grows up, while one’s family of procreation is formed when one marries and has children. Claims made for the universality of the nuclear family, based upon the universality of marriage, do not hold up--the nuclear family is widespread, but not universal.

Nuclear and Extended Families (cont.) In societies where the nuclear family is important, this structure acts as a primary arena for sexual, reproductive, economic, and enculturative functions, but it is not the only structure used by societies for these (e.g., the Etoro, Nayar, Betsileo). In many societies, the extended families are the primary unit of social organization Among the Muslims of western Bosnia, nuclear families are embedded within large extended families called zadrugas headed by a male household head and his wife. The Nayars are a matrilineal society from India and are the dominant caste, originated in Kerala. Extended families live in compounds called tarawads headed by a senior woman.

Industrialism and Family Organization The most prevalent residence pattern in the United States is families of procreation living neolocally. In the U.S., as in other large, industrialized societies, patterns of residence and family types may change from class to class, in response to the conditions of these different contexts (e.g., extended families as a response to poverty).

Changes in North American Kinship In 1995, 25 percent of American households were inhabited by nuclear families. Increasing representation of women in the work force is associated with a rise in marriage age. The divorce rate rose steeply between 1970 and 1994. The media is reflecting and intensifying these changes. Comparatively, Americans (especially middle class) identify a smaller range of kindred than members of nonindustrial societies.

The Family among Foragers… The two basic units of social organization among foragers are the nuclear family and the band. Typically, the band exists only seasonally, breaking up into nuclear families when subsistence means require.

Descent Groups Membership in a group by lineal descent from a real or mythical ancestor

Descent Groups A descent group is a permanent social unit whose members claim common ancestry. With matrilineal descent individuals automatically join the mother’s descent group when they are born. With patrilineal descent individuals automatically join the father’s descent group when they are born. Matrilineal and patrilineal descent are types of unilineal descent in which individuals only recognize one line of descent. A lineage is a descent group who can demonstrate their common descent from an apical ancestor. A clan is a descent group who claims common descent from an apical ancestor but cannot demonstrate it (stipulated descent). When a clan’s apical ancestor is nonhuman, it is called a totem.

Unilineal Descent Patrilineal Descent and Organization Matrilineal Descent and Organization

Patrilineal: tracing descent through the men only

Matrilineal:tracing descent through women only

Bilateral: tracing descent through both men and women

Double Descent System tracing descent matrilineally for some purposes and patrilineally for others

Ambilineal Descent People can choose the descent group that they want to belong to. Membership is fluid as people can change their descent group membership. With unilineal descent, membership is ascribed, but for ambilineal descent, membership is achieved.

Forms and Functions of Descent Groups - Provide warmth and sense of security - Provide security and services in work - Provide mutual aid to members - Support the elderly and infirm - Help with marriages and deaths - Repository of religious traditions

Lineages, Clans, and Residence Rules In tribal societies, the descent group, not the nuclear family, is the fundamental unit. In many societies, descent groups are corporate, sharing resources and property. Unilocal Residence Patrilocality—married couple lives with husband's family; associated with patrilineal descent and is more common than matrilocality. Matrilocality—married couple lives with wife's family; associated with matrilineal descent and is less common than patrilocality.

Kinship Calculation… Kinship calculation is any systemic method for reckoning kin relations. Genealogical Kin Types and Kin Terms Kin terms are the labels given in a particular culture to different kinds of relatives. Biological kin type refers to the degree of actual genealogical relatedness. Bilateral Kinship Used by most Americans and Canadians. Kinship is traced through both male and female lines. Kin links through males and females are perceived as being similar or equivalent. In North American bilateral kinship there is often matrilineal skewing, a preference for relatives on the mother's side.

Lineage Corporate descent group whose members trace their genealogical links to a common ancestor

Clan… Noncorporate descent group Members claim descent from a common ancestor Members do not know the genealogical links to that ancestor Totemism

Phratries and Moieties Phratry Unilineal descent group composed of two or more clans with common ancestry Moiety Descent group that makes up half of a society Tribe Moities Phratries Clans Lineages Families Individuals

Bilateral Descent and the Kindred = = = EGO

The Descent Group… Descent groups not common among foragers Descent groups structurally important for horticultural, pastoral, and agricultural societies Bilateral descent and kindreds result when small domestic units are of primary importance

Kinship Terminologies… All accomplish two important tasks… 1. They classify similar kinds of individuals into single specific categories, 2. They separate different kinds of individuals into distinct categories.

Kinship Terminology and Kinship Groups Eskimo Hawaiian Iroquois Crow Omaha Sudanese

Eskimo System Found in societies with bilateral kindreds Au Un Fa Mo = Co Co Co Co Br Z Co Co Co Co Ego System emphasizing nuclear family Found in societies with bilateral kindreds

Hawaiian System Mo Fa Fa Mo Mo Fa = Br Z Br Z Br Z Br Z Br Z Ego Emphasizes relatives of the same sex and generation Associated with ambilineal descent

Iroquois System FaZ Fa Fa Mo Mo MoBr = Co Co Br Z Br Z Br Z Co Co Ego Parallel-cousins classified with siblings Widespread and associated with unilineal descent groups

Crow System FaZ Fa Fa Mo Mo MoBr = Fa FaZ Br Z Br Z So Da Br Z Ego Father’s sister and her daughter are given same term Associated with matrilineal descent

Omaha System FaZ Fa Fa Mo Mo MoBr = Ne Ni Br Z Br Si Br Z MoBr Mo Ego Mother’s brother and his son are given same term Associated with patrilineal descent

Sudanese or Descriptive System FaZ FaBr Fa Mo MoZ MoBr = Br Z Ego FaZSo FaZDa FaBrSo MoZSo FaBrDa MoZDa MoBrSo MoBrDa All kintypes are distinguished Rare, found mostly in the Sudan