Kinship, Descent and Social Organization Kinship Systems Descent Social Organization Marriage

Kinship system  All blood and marriage relationships that help people distinguish between different categories of kin  Creates rights and obligations between people.  Serves as basis for the formation of certain types of kin groups.

Functions of Kinship system  Vertical function-provides social continuity by binding together a number of successive generations.  Horizontal function-ties together people across a single generation through marriage.

Descent  Rules a culture uses to establish affiliations with one's parents, an aspect of kinship.  Two types-Unilineal and Cognatic Unilineal-people trace ancestry through either mother's or father's line, but NOT both. Cognatic descent-people trace ancestry through both parents lines.

Unilineal  People trace ancestry through either mother's or father's line, but NOT both.  About 60% of kinship systems are unilineal.  Generally clear cut and unambiguous social units.  People of same descent group live together, hold joint interests in property.

Patrilineal  Trace descent through fathers line, most common unilineal method.  A man, his children, his brother's children and his sons children are all members of the same descent group.  Not his sister's children, because her husband is from a different patrilineage and her children belong to his descent group.  Males and females are related patrilineally. a father, his son and daughter are all part of same patrilineage. his daughters children are from a different patrilineage. i.e daughter goes to live with husband.

Patrilineal

Matrilineal  Trace descent through mother's line  A woman, her children, her sister's children and her daughter's children are all members of the same descent group.  Not her brother's children. i.e. son goes to live with wife.

Matrilineal

Cognatic descent  People trace ancestry through both parents lines. Three types-Double, Ambilineal, Bilateral.  !Kung are Bilateral Person related equally to both ma's and pa's side of the family. i.e. U.S. to some degree.  Treat relatives on one side just like on other- symmetrical.  aunt applies to pa's sister and ma's sister.  doesn't distinguish which side.

Bilateral-e.g. !Kung

Literal and Metaphorical Kin  Behavioral correlates-everyone in ego's own generation and in the grandparents generation are joking kin. Joking-relaxed and affectionate, familiar.  Anyone in ego's parents generation is avoidance kin as are same-sex siblings. Avoidance-respect, reserve, formal.

Naming  Is complicated because first son and daughter gets father's father and father's mother name. Second get named after mother's parents. Only 36 names for men and 32 for women.  Anyone with father's name called father, wife's name wife. So man can't marry anyone with mother's or sister's name.  But get around this with age distinctions when they feel it necessary.

Lee-naming and adoption  Named /Tonah for a woman’s uncle.  Adopted by N!eishi and //Gumi.  Confusion with kin and name because had “kin” from adoptive family and “kin” from name.

Social Organization  Egalitarian Societies-hunter-gatherers, some tribes.  No individual or group has more access to resources, power, or prestige than does any other. Does not mean all have equal prestige, but equal access. There are sex and age differences. Individual differences in skill, can achieve prestige.  No one, low or high esteem, denied right to make living. No one subject to control by another. No one subject to exploitation by another.  Prestige gained based on ability. No ascribed status. Elderly men have most prestige, act as leaders.

!Kung- “Camp”  Core of !Kung social organization.  individuals  Bilaterally related group Related older people “leaders” “Owners” of a waterhole i.e. N!eishi and //Koka  Flexible

Marriage among !Kung  Arrangement Search soon after birth Boy’s mother approaches a girl’s mother Betrothal sealed with gift-giving (kamasi)  Prohibitions Incest Taboo  A girl may not marry a father, brother, son, uncle, first or second cousin Kinship and naming  A girl may not marry a boy with father’s or brother’s name.

Case: Tin!ay (15 year old girl)  Kau? Same name as her father  Bo Too closely related  Kashe Same name as her brother  Dam Too closely related  /Gau Already betrothed  Tsaa Married to sister

Qualities in son-in-law  Good Hunter  No reputation as a fighter  Congenial family  Check: Groom comes to live with bride’s family for several years and to hunt for them (sometimes for 8-10 years).  After children born, they can move back to his family (patrilocal).

Age at Marriage  Traditionally, girls 12-16; boys  Sexual consummation would be delayed for several years if girl very young.  After 1970, girls 15-18; boys 22-30

Marriage-by-capture  Mock forcible carrying away of the girl from her parents hut to a specially built hut.  Customary, but underscores the tumult often associated with first marriages, because girls have no choice.

Number of Partners  Mostly monogamous (93%)  Polygynous (5%) All 7 polygynous men healers.  Polyandrous (2%)

Role of Marriage in Conflict  Marriage creates bond between two families and their camps.  Gift-giving to support each other’s camps.  Some girls married at extremely early age (8-10) to alleviate conflict.

Marriage of /Tontah (Lee)  /Xashe wonders why /Tontah no married.  Decides to betrothe him to her daughter, //Toka.  //Toka is 4 years old.  /Tontah argues that he must check with his parents first!

Sexuality  Begins at very young age.  Most have experienced sex before age 15.  Very open.  Marital infidelity rare, but does occur. At one site, out of 50 couples-16 of those had one or both partners having affair.