The family. Many other pastoral groups, including the Nuer of SUDAN and the ZULU and Swazi of southern Africa, are patrilineal. 3.0 NAMING RITES: Nearly all African … Thus, theories of political behavior are aimed at explicating t… This and other aspects of patrilineal social organization can be found among the ARABS, BERBERS, and other Islamic peoples of North Africa. KINSHIP SYSTEM IN AFRICAN COMMUNITIES. Workers understanding of the concepts of ‘family’ and ‘kinship’ It is important for Workers to have an understanding of the concepts of ‘family’ and ‘kinship’ as they exist for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It includes a network of responsibilities, privileges, and support in which individuals and families are expected to fill certain roles. Give the responsibility of the living towards spirits. An individual has important ties with two different kin groups, the mother's and the father's. (iii) Marriage of many wives is a source of wealth to the family. In anthropology, kinship is the web of social relationships that form an important part of the lives of all humans in all societies, although its exact meanings even within this discipline are often debated. In traditional African society, men guarded the home and the cattle, or went to war. A brother might also be expected to support his sister's children or to participate in the rituals that mark the stages of their lives. Kinship regulates the behaviour of different kin. Date posted: August 28, 2017. In southern Africa, where the avunculate is common, a boy's uncle on his mother's side may be called his “male mother” in recognition of this special link. Give the relevance of Elijah's prophetic mission to Christians today. Unilineal descent •Many societies construct kinship groupings, roles, and relationships by tracing descent exclusively through the male - patrilineal - or female - matrilineal - line. In traditional African society the child intuitively jumps, climbs a tree, dances or performs a balancing act because his siblings or his elders do the same. Traditional relations of kinship have affected the lives of African people and ethnic groups by determining what land they could farm, whom they could marry, and their status in their communities. Contrasting Cultures . 9505-KIN . But these ties still play a large part in the everyday lives of many Africans. 6. a) Explain the importance of Kinship system in Traditional African societies. Initiate acquires new rights and privileges Initiate receives special education from their sponsors during seclusion. On one level, kinship rules may determine marriage partners. Special age and work associations. Answers (1). Explain the importance of kinship in West African cultures. Family relations can be represented concretely (mother, brother, grandfather) or abstractly by … 4. All land is owned by the group. (8mks) b) State the roles of diviners in Traditional African Societies. Answers (1). This difficulty in generalization bone of diversity was already apparent to many early scholars of the African traditional family. This system occurs more frequently in other parts of the world than in Africa. (See also Family, Marriage Systems. Kinship is possibly the most important of all human relationships. Source: Extracts taken from: Family and Kinship by … (5mks) Revision CRE Paper 1 313/1 Revision CRE Paper 1 313/1 Importance of kinship is observed on the occasion of marriage and family functions. (5mks) Revision CRE Paper 1 313/1 Revision CRE Paper 1 313/1 As a result, kinship is not limited strictly to lineage. Kinship and marriage are complicated but important aspects of traditional African institutions. (i) Marriage leads to expansion of the kinship ties. This preview shows page 241 - 244 out of 810 pages. Slaughtering … This belief, just as in the case of the previous one, has a theological basis – the plurality of divinities ( polytheism ). All societies use kinship as a basis for forming social groups and for classifying people. Among the Bedouin, for example, a boy has the right to marry his father's brother's daughter. In double-descent systems, every individual belongs to the patrilineal group of the father and the matrilineal group of the mother. ). Importance . Kinship sets guidelines for communication and interactions among people. In postindustrial societies, it is possible to argue that fictive kinship ties have taken on increased importance. If a person was born to farmers, they would be farmers, etc. Kinship is thus brought with it a set of obligations that one had to perform when relating to others. Kinship is also about economic life. Traditional African Religion ANIMISM 1. What is the relevance of Elijah's prophetic mission to Christians today? Significance of a kinship? The women worked, caring for the house, the crops, the children. They may, for example, believe that they share a common ancestor but be unable to trace all the links from their own lineages to that ancestor. The traditional African understanding and the interpretation of Christianity have deep roots in these fundamental beliefs of the African traditional religions. Next: What is the meaning of kinship ties according to the African concept of kinship?Previous: What are the factors contributing to harmony and mutual responsibility in African communities? Kinship is the web of relationships woven by family and marriage . Anthropologists call this relationship the avunculate, and in African cultures it may require the uncle to give his best cattle to his nephew or to accept teasing from the nephew. Kinship groups formed the government of many African societies. I believe this rapidly changing landscape is part of why my 2012 blog-post Anthropology, Sex, Gender, Sexuality: Gender is a Social Construction has been one of the most popular posts I’ve ever written. These obligations form a part of Aboriginal Law. Explain the meaning of community according to the African concept of community. This belief, just as in the case of the previous one, has a theological basis – the plurality of divinities ( polytheism ). Matrilineal descent, which traces lineage through mothers, exists in many African societies based on farming, especially in central Africa. Kinship and marriage are closely linked in several ways. Among the Herero, daughters inherit ordinary cattle from their mothers, but sons inherit certain sacred cattle from their fathers. Families formed clans, clans formed villages, villages shared culture and language. (8mks) b) State the roles of diviners in Traditional African Societies. Africa has the world's oldest record of human technological achievement: the oldest stone tools in the world have been found in eastern Africa, and later evidence for tool production by our hominin ancestors has been found across Sub-Saharan Africa. The Spirit of Ancestors in African Traditional Religion How the spirits of ancestors can be a blessing or harmful and The Power and importance of ancestors in African traditional society Ancestors in African Traditional religion are very important in that they were once alive and now they are in the spirit and they do not die again. In this respect, North African and sub-Saharan societies differ widely. Some peoples who trace descent through women give political authority to men. A clan's or kinship group's history was passed through the griots. Belief in one remote Supreme Being. What is the role of spirits according to the African concept of spirits? It has been generally assumed that the institution of marriage is a universal feature in human societies. Contrasting Cultures . All Rights Reserved | Home | About Us | Contact Us | Copyright | Terms Of Use | Privacy Policy | Advertise. The kinship system regulated people’s behavior towards each other. The traditional approach of indigenous African religions to gender is one of complementarity in which a confluence of male and female forces must operate in harmony. Deep respect for ancestors. Implications for service providers when working with Aboriginal families. Why is kinship important in African traditional society? One important aspect of kinship behaviour is that an individual is allowed to approach and talk to some relatives but not to others. So used were the women to work that a polygamous situation would at times be provoked by the first wife's asking her husband to take a second wife who could be a help to her in her work. Answers. 5. Traditionally, the ideal marriage is between cousins, including the children of two brothers. A family is the first social community in the life of any person or group of persons. (iv) They determine how members relate to one another. Kinship is the web of relationships woven by family and marriage. It determines the rights and obligations of the members in all the sacraments and religious practices from birth to death in family life. What are the types of spirits according to the African concept of spirits? In the berdache, a man might assume both the dress and the role of a woman, often "marrying" another man. 1. Answers (1), © 2008-2020 by KenyaPlex.com. It is a complex system that determines how people relate to each other and their roles, responsibilities and obligations in relation to … In traditional African society, men guarded the home and the cattle, or went to war. Reviews the biological and sociological constants of kinship; Previews the topicsto be covered in marriage, family… Slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising. The most common form of such transfer in Africa is called bridewealth. Helping another person experiencing psychosocial or emotional distress and mentoring someone to achieve a life … A cursory review of the literature suggests that the concept of traditional counseling is rooted in traditional … Explain the attributes of God according to the African traditional understanding. Membership in such groups is flexible. Because the men generally remain in the community, they have greater authority. Such ties often extend outside the village or community, offering certain advantages. Whatever is considered most valuable in society is placed under the direction of men; whatever is considered less valuable is given to women to care for – even when people ostensible know better. Describe the importance of kinship ties in traditional African community. Comparing the . Anthropologists who study kinship have identified four major types of descent: patrilineal, matrilineal, double, and bilateral. Monogamy is further supported by the ability of men to marry earlier than they could in traditional society because of employment and income opportunities in the modern sector. A world of spirits (good & bad) in all 3. North African peoples encourage marriage within a group, often a kinship group. Defines kinship and explains its importance. Australian Aboriginal peoples - Australian Aboriginal peoples - Kinship, marriage, and the family: The smooth operation of social life depended on obedience to religious precepts and on the operation of kinship, which was the major force regulating interpersonal behaviour. Because different societies define kinship differently, they also set the rules governing kinship, which are sometimes legally defined and sometimes implied. The traditional African understanding and the interpretation of Christianity have deep roots in these fundamental beliefs of the African traditional religions. Although kinship relations have grown weaker—especially in the cities—they continue to serve this function. This difficulty in generalization bone of diversity was already apparent to many early scholars of the African traditional family. Zachàr Laskewicz. 5. I think an anthropologist’s specific point of view will inform what about kinship is important to us. 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