factors affecting kinship ties in traditional african society
factors affecting kinship ties in traditional african society
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Explaining these changes would require a different chapter. The descriptions implicitly portray (to the African and Westerner) African relationships as being negative, rigid and miserable. 10. The term 'brother' and 'sister' shows the sex of blood relations. 1. The author obtained his B.A in Sociology and Psychology at University of Zambia in 1976, M.A, Ph. Primary kinship refers to direct relations. vi. Permissiveness in the society has eroded . They do not have good food or accommodation. However the mode of dressing has seriously changed due to western influence. In some communities, a pregnant women returns to her parents when the time for giving birth draws near. The clan is linked by four factors. Natural Factors: ADVERTISEMENTS: Natural forces and factors play an important role in unifying or disintegrating the society. He has no rights on his paternal clan. iv. All rights reserved. the introduction of money economy. iii. For example honesty is expected in marriage. They would also announce the sex of the child. - Marriage was a source of wealth for the family. - The girls would take back the sheet with a lot of ululation and rejoicing and one girl would remain behind to study the character of the man. 5. They also play the role of priests and pray for people. Often only Kings, chiefs and men who had wealth could afford it. There is wailing in the house to show how the fellow was dear to them. Many children 2. Marriage 4. Division of labor in African societies, labor is divided according to sexes. However, children are never kissed kissing is not known to the Baganda and the close intimacy of the mother-child relationship as found in America, for example, is not present. They are believed to be full of wisdom. 8. 2 William J. 4. The book describes and explains Chewa traditions and customs including Ukamwini. 5. vii. Although human beings have made tremendous progress during the last 150 years or so, yet they have not been able to wield full control over the nature. PRIESTS/PROPHETS OR SEERS - These are other religious specialists who play a special role as intermediaries between God and human beings. It symbolizes the union between the living and the dead. The land belonged to the whole community. There is no bride price in our society. 5. they are operational and obtainable in every society around the world be it traditional or modern. Communal worship prayers are offered to God to thank Him for whatever he has done. Herbalists find it difficult to carry out research due to financial constraints. [.] Barnes, Marriage in a Changing Society: a Study in Structural Change among the Fort Jameson Ngoni, The Rhodes-Livingstone Papers, (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1951, 1970). Overall, there are two forms of social groups that from the basis of Bemba marriage and traditional family. The anthropology of the Caribbean has been called "the battle ground for competing. Mitchell, J. - The departed relatives are kept alive through naming. iv. iii. giving the expectant mother certain herbs. in women. Changing Family Patterns: Sub-Saharan Africa, in World Revolution and Family Patterns. Land Ownership: It is no longer communal affair but a private affair. Naming gives identity to a person before a child is given a name she or he is not considered as having full identity. The Baganda use classificatory system of kinship terminology which seems common to virtually all the Bantu peoples of Central and Southern Africa. -Responsibility. The church also gives them food, and clothing and their daily needs. The Family; Its Structures and Functions. Most of the time they suffer from old age diseases. During the period earlier than 1940s, marriages remained completely matrilocal during the couples entire life. 7. Bride wealth has lost its original meaning and has been commercialized. Death is believed to be a next journey to the world of the spirits. Maintaining ties of kinship is the way to the security of the Muslim nation. Before initiation, one is viewed as a child no matter the age. - Men are not allowed to go next to the delivery places. The paternal grandmothers drop the cords into a can, which contains beer, milk, and water. Although polygamy is the act of an individual being married to more than one spouse at the same time, the more commonly practiced in Africa is polygyny .the legal marriage of one man to two or more women concurrently is permitted.4 This author argues that because of its perversity, the presence and absence of polygyny was a significant determinant and indicator of the nature of virtually every African social group; whether tribe, clan, or extended family, whether matrilineality or patrilineality was practiced, bride price existed, and how children were raised. PaulVMcDowell. They include;- 1. Anthropologist Robin Fox says that the study of kinship is the study of what humans do with these basic facts of life - mating, gestation, parenthood, socialization, siblingship etc. Other names can refer to place of birth e.g. Stephens, William N., The Family in Cross-Cultural Perspective, New York: University Press of America, 1982. The kinships are based on two broad aspects 1) Birth (Blood relationships) 2) marriages. - People tend to be individualized. Many people spend their leisure time watching videos, Television and films, Certain leisure activities such as soccer have been turned into well-paying professions. 6. 2. - They would stay overnight and the following day they would go to bathe in the river with cold water. East Lansing, Michigan State University, 1980, Unpublished M. A. Thesis. Although among the Baganda, the nuclear family of the mother, father, and their children constitutes the smallest unit of the Baganda kinship system, the traditional family consists of several nuclear units held in association by a common father.9 Because the Baganda people are patrilineal, the household family also includes other relatives of the father such as younger unmarried or widowed sisters, aged parents, and children of the fathers clan sent to be brought up by him. No one is allowed to take the life of another. There are several forms of Initiation; these include:- i. Circumcision ii. Types of Kinship. When one dies, he joins the world of the living dead. Importance of Kinship - Kinship system defines how members relate to one another i.e. Second, the continued Eurocentric descriptions and characterization of the African traditional family as some what depraved lead to the use of such terms as bride price, avoidance social taboos, segregated relationships, lack of love and tenderness in African marriages and families. In the western culture, marriage results in permanent bonds between the couple, with centrally assigned sexual rights among the couple and parenthood responsibility. There are strict rules and taboos governing sex. Removal of teeth. It varies from culture to culture, from society to society. The case studies presented will be those of the Baganda of Uganda and Bemba of Northern Zambia. - It also shows that the woman is fully integrated to the husbands family - There are certain rules and regulations she is expected to observe. He ..also adopts the deceased persons children, calling them his and making no distinction between them and his own children.16. v. There was a lot of fairness in the distribution of property. In difficult times such as during famine, those who have share what they have with their relatives. Western Culture: Has provided the spirit of individualization. Meanwhile, the median income of married-couple families is much higher ($72,589). Phone: (540) 828-5351 A father-in-law knows what to expect from a good son-in-law. Each stage has its own features, some of which are perhaps peculiar to the Baganda customs and system of socialization in their traditional family pattern. Meanwhile the man and her married sister do not live in one locality, as they must maintain their marriages. The permissive society has also encouraged trial marriages. Payment of dowry shows how the bridegroom values the wife. As the African society has not been static, changes in the traditional family patterns will be briefly alluded to. drought, famine etc. Challenges facing herbalists 1. There are physical (visible) causes of death and religious (invisible) causes. But this is not an independent nuclear family unit. Opiyo and Odongo among the Luo. iv. While the basic functions of the family remain the same all over the world, traditional African families have undergone significant transformations attributed to an interplay of factors, including Christianity, industrialization, educational expansion, population growth, monetization of the economy, migration, civilization, and now globalization. p.19, 45 Naboth M. J. Ngulube, Some Aspects of Growing Up in Zambia. Christianity: Christianity has weakened African Kinship ties by introducing new ties by the Christian family. (East Lansing, Michigan State University, 1980) p.11 Unpublished M.A. (2) Generation: Kinship tie is established between the persons in relation to generation. Marriage ceremonies brought people together as they came together to rejoice. The kinship systems govern care,. Measures that are taken to make sure virginity is preserved i).Virginity is highly valued and a girl is meant to preserve her virginity until marriage. c) Explain the factors weakening kinship ties among Africa communities. This is sexual differentiation in socialization in which girls will become acceptable mothers and wives and boys husbands and fathers. 2. - Attending discos and nightclubs. 2. - Gambling. Similar customs or rules of restrictions in interaction apply between many other kin in a traditional African family. It is feared and marked with a lot of sorrow. Fourth, special observations related to pregnancy, childbirth, naming of the child, and testing the childs legitimacy as clan member.14, The existence of patriarchy and the patrilineal system among the Baganda might suggest that individual men have the most dominant social status. During this period he conducted extensive research and field work in rural Zambia particularly in the Eastern and Southern Provinces of the country. v. They drive a way witches and evil spirits. - Generosity. iv. Early marriages are encountered to reduce fornication. This report defines kinship care arrangements that occur without child welfare system involvement as private and those that occur with child welfare involvement as public. The size of the clan could differ from one to the other. However, as a prospective husband, you are told to pay for the marriage and not the bride. At times force could be applied to get a reluctant young girl marry the partner. vi. In some communities girls are given to kings or chiefs as gifts. p119. 2. How the widows and orphans are supported - Church members offer them guidance and counseling (giving them hope) - They are prayed for. ELDERS They are people who are elderly in society. b. That is one cannot escape it 2 It brings impurity to the family and thus several rites are observed after death 3 It deprives the family and the community of the individual. Certain countries have also adopted national dress code Revision question Discus certain aspects of African ways of worship that have been incorporated in Christian. There are meteorologists who predict the weather conditions. - In some communities such a girl would be stabbed by an arrow and killed while in others she would be married to an old man. The traditional African family is a very broad concept which has challenging variations across the continent. It is a token of appreciation in the part of the bridegrooms people to those of the bride for the care over her. - The government and churches have built homes for them - They are given food etc. Prophets or priests also have political role e.g. At childhood children are taught to obey parents and the elderly. These rules would differ from one community to another. 12. v. Taking oaths falsely. A community has distinct beliefs, customs and cultural practices. It is also a symbolic act of breaking the bride completely from the state of unmarried life once dowry is paid she becomes full and mature person. Department of Sociology Kinship ties are strong bonds that exist among community members. Piercing of the ear. 7 Nobody knows what happens after life on earth here. 3. traditional agricultural systems of production and the increasing ownership of land by women, as well as education and access to contraceptives have reduced the demand for large families. Twins are also given special names e.g. - Sometimes the orphans and widows have their property destroyed or snatched. Angering the living dead and the spirits e.g. ii. 3. By 1935, for example, anthropologists like Mair and Richards and no doubt many others were already noticing change in marriage and family patterns.36. 3. 7. 16. Marriage: Has been individualized and is no longer a communal affair. This ensured that nobody remained landless. - Respect. MEDIUMS AND DIVINERS - Mediums are people through which ancestors and spirits communicate with the living. 2. - Some widows and children are not accepted or welcomed in their new homes. Those who did not have were assisted to acquire property by the community. In fact Chondoka finds the use of the terms dowry, bride price to refer to particularly traditional Zambian marriages to be serious misnomers introduced by European missionaries and colonialists in Africa. Problems experienced by widows and orphans - They suffer from lack of company because they feel abandoned. Goldthorpe, J.E., The Sociology of the Third World: Disparity and Development. (Lusaka: Nalinga Consultancy/Sol-Consult A/S Limited, 1989), 38 Lucy P. Mair, African Marriage and Social Change, in Survey of African Marriage and Family Life, Edited by Arthur Phillips, (London: Oxford University Press, 1953) p. 126. Land was also the habitat of people, animals and plants. - The practices vary from one community to another. ii. 1 Lucy P. Mair, African Marriage and Social Change, in Survey of African Marriage and Family Life, Edited by Arthur Phillips, (London: Oxford University Press, 1953) pp.1 177. Names are also given in honor of ancestors. There are also cases of inter-tribal marriages. - Marriage ensures that children are not born outside wedlock. During initiation the young adults are taught matters relating to sex and adulthood. Many women today put on trousers that initially were meant for men. Those related by blood have common ancestors. 11 This study was conducted in the late 1800s when inter-tribal warfare and capturing of slaves from the wars was still very common. - Marriage enables one to assume leadership rules an unmarried person would not be chosen a leader. Girls, in distinction to boys, seldom have time to play games.21, Among the Bemba people of Northern Zambia, marriage is matrilocal. However, the role of these traditional religious leaders has been greatly affected by influence of Christianity, western culture and formal education. .. They believe iron implements attract lightning. 4. © 2023 Tutorke Limited. These Anglo-Saxon or Eurocentric descriptions do not help in the fair and accurate perception of the traditional African family. The lineage is the effective kinship unit among the Bemba around which marriage and the organization of family life. revolves.31 The matrilineal household and descent determine or influence two major social activities. 8 It brings poverty to the family involved as sometimes it takes the bread winner 9 At times it brings misunderstanding in the community when the cause of death is blamed on someone or some people. ii. Furthermore, the woman will bear children and thus enrich her husband and the wider circle of relatives from both sides. Ngulube, Naboth M. J., Some Aspects of Growing Up in Zambia, Lusaka: Nalinga Consultancy/Sol-Consult A/S Limited, 1989. She organizes the disposal of the placenta (after birth). 6. Reviews the biological and sociological constants of kinship; Previews the topicsto be covered in marriage, family and larger kinship units. 1. People who have gone to school see the aged as old fashioned (generation gap) 6. food, beer drinking. among the Kisii, a person born crossing the river could be called Kwamboka. Everybody in the community is expected to work hard. MARRIAGE This is the third rite that an individual is expected to go through in life. Stern norms/ values which promote individualism. At times girls could be given to repay debts. 5. Responsibility of elders: - They help in the settlement of disputes. - It also regulates marriage relations, before marriage one has to find the back ground of the other. e. In certain communities pregnant women and children are not allowed to go near touch the corpse to avoid misfortunes. vi. Colson, Elizabeth., Marriage and the Family among the Plateau Tonga of Northern Rhodesia., Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1958. Caution should be applied when sweeping generalizations are made which make the traditional African family is made to appear static, rigid, and lacking in vitality. 7. In view of the poor development of social security systems outside the family, hardly anyone would wish to escape the power of kinship ties. Main factors which affect social change can be discussed a follows: 1. Dressing The dress code differed from one community to another in the traditional African setup. They play the role of counselors and advisors to the community. Today many people do not believe in rainmakers. Due to de-forestation, some herbs are becoming extinct. This may be due to urbanization and economic constraints. 2. - Marriage extended relationship and therefore enlarged kinship ties. - Courage. 7. This is because these ties: Evans-Pritchard, J.J., Some Aspects of Marriage and the Family Among the Nuer, The Rhodes-Livingstone Papers, Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1945, 1969. 4. Chondoka, Yizenge A., Traditional Marriages in Zambia: A Study in Cultural History, Ndola, Mission Press, 1988. There are also accidental deaths e.g. vi. There was never a distinction between the biological and non-biological kin as far as primary parental obligations were concerned. - There are cases of destruction of land and environment through dumping of wastes. Boys will live with the brothers of their father and until marriage, girls live in the home of a married elder brother or with the brother of the father. BIRTH Pregnancy - This is the first stage in the life of a person. By combining the patrilocal rule of residence with consanguinal descent, the Baganda have built a formidable system of clans.13, Among the Baganda, the clan has remained the most important kinship entity. - There are traditional midwives who help in delivery. - They are concerned with maintenance of law and order in the community. Polygyny though set the tone and often determined the strength of the society and pattern of social organization of the traditional African family. Others bury the dead with property with a belief that they would continue to use them in the next world. The literature on the subject is truly as vast and reflects traditional patterns that are as diverse as the variations of the physical looks of the people found on the continent. New York: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1961. could advice on when to go to war. (1) According to the Dictionary of Anthropology, "Kinship system includes socially recognized relationships based on supposed as well as actual genealogical ties.". The tie reduces cases of incest. 9. This has been due to western culture, industrialization, urbanization Christianity, limited time and economic constraints. Introduction to Kinship. Second Edition, London: Cambridge University Press, 1984, Ch. The clan assumes control of inheritance; the wishes of the dead person may or may not be honored. - The wife or orphans sometimes get mistreated. Land is owned by individuals. 8. 6. Some communities such as the Maasai still maintain their traditional way of dressing. This review finds that parental care remains the best care setting and should be highly encouraged within African society. They could also warn of impending danger. These include birth, initiation, marriage and death. Diviners and mediums iii. - People write wills to share or decide who should inherit their property. Significance of dowry payment The custom of paying personal gifts to the brides people is practiced all over Africa sometimes referred to as Bride wealth or Bride price. - A white bed sheet is spread this is to collect blood during the breaking of virginity.
factors affecting kinship ties in traditional african society