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Introduction to Cultural Anthropology SOC401

Lesson 15

KINSHIP AND DESCENT (continued)

Tracing Descent

In societies that trace their descent unilineally, people recognize that they belong to a particular unilineal

descent group or series of groups. Sixty percent of cultures in the world are unilineal. Unilineal groups are

adaptive and clear-cut social units, based on birthright, which in turn influence inheritance, marriage and

prestige issues

Kinship Organization

Kinship is organized on the basis of different groups of varying sizes:

Lineages are based on a set of kin who can trace their ancestry back through known links

Clans are unilineal groups which claim descent but they are unable to trace all their genealogical links

Phratries are groups of related clan

Moieties are two halves of a society related by descent

Bilateral Descent

A person is related equally to both sides of the family on the basis of bilateral descent. This form of descent

is prevalent in foraging and industrialized societies. Bilateral systems are symmetrical and result in the

formation of kindred, which are loose kinship networks rather than being permanent corporate functioning

groups.

Double Descent

A double unilineal descent system is one where descendents are traced matrineally and patrineally. As a

result, both sides of the family have a useful social function such as enabling inheritance. Under this system,

it is possible for moveable property such as livestock or agricultural produce to be inherited from the

mother's side, whereas non-moveable property (land) may be inherited from the father's side. This system is

found in only 5% of world cultures (for e.g. the Yako in Nigeria).

Primary Kinship Systems

There are six basic types of kinship systems used to define how cultures distinguish between different

categories of relatives.

Eskimo are found in one-tenth of the world societies, this system involves bilateral descent, focusing on

nuclear relations and lumping external relatives (cousins, uncles and aunts).

Hawaiian are found in a third of world societies, this system uses the same term for all relatives of the

same gender and generation, so the term mother is used not only for the mother but also for her sisters and

the father's sisters. Cousins are termed brothers and sisters. This is an ambivalent system, which submerges

the nuclear family into a larger kinship group.

Iroquois are a less prevalent system which emphasizes the importance of unilineal descent groups by

distinguishing between members of one's own lineage and those belonging to other lineages.

Sudanese are the system is named after the country where the system was first identified. It is the most

pluralistic system since it makes the most terminological distinctions.

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Introduction to Cultural Anthropology SOC401

Omaha emphasizes patrilineal descent, the father and his brothers are referred to by the same term and the

paternal cousins are called siblings, but cross cousins are referred to by separate terms. On the mother's side

there is a merging of generations, all her male relatives are called mother's brother.

Crow is the exact opposite of the Omaha system, as it emphasizes maternal relations which are all

important for determining the descent group of children.

Kinship Diagrams

Cultural Anthropologists often use kinship diagrams to help explain family structures, which use simple

symbols for males and females, and to indicate what their relationships are to each other.

The diagram below depicts a married couple and their two children (a son and a daughter):

Useful Terms

Descent: established linage

Ambivalent: unclear

Influence: power

Social function: the particular purpose served for society

Prestige: Social honor or respect within a society

Suggested Readings

Students are advised to read the following chapters to develop a better understanding of the various

principals highlighted in this hand-out:

Chapter 10 in `Cultural Anthropology: An Applied Perspective' by Ferrarro and/or Chapter 21 in `Anthropology' by

Ember and Pergrine

Internet Resources

In addition to reading from the textbook, please visit the following web-pages for this lecture, which

provide useful and interesting information:

Descent: Terms and Concepts

http://reference.allrefer.com/encyclopedia/D/descent.html