Descent Groups and Terminological Systems

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Descent Groups and Terminological Systems

• Descent Groups
• Unilineal descent groups
• Nonunilineal descent groups
• Other descent groups
• Associations based on descent
• Parallel and Cross Cousins
• Terminological System
• The Eskimo Terminological System
• The Iroquois Terminological System
• The Hawaiian Terminological System
• Other Systems

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Descent groups

• Descent groups are extremely important in most
  cultures.
• Descent groups are social units whose members
  claim common ancestry. 
• The group typically endures even though its
  membership changes as members are born and die,
  move in and move out. 
• Often, descent-group membership is determined at
  birth and is life long. 
• Unlike families however, they are perpetual. 
• They last for generations and generations. 
• Some descent groups are patrilineal, which
  recognizes descent through males. 
• And some descent groups are matrilineal, which
  recognizes descent through females.

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What Functions Do Descent Groups Serve?

• Descent groups of various kinds lineages, clans,
  phratries, and moieties are convenient devices
  for solving a number of problems that commonly
  confront human societies
• how to maintain the integrity of resources that
  cannot be divided without being destroyed
• provide work forces for tasks that require a
  labor pool larger that households can provide
• allow members of one independent local group to
  claim support and protection from members of
  another.

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• Not all societies have descent groups
• in many food-foraging and industrial societies,
  some are of these problems are often handled by
  the kindred, a group of people with a living
  blood relative in common.
• The kindred, however, does not endure beyond a
  single generation, as does the descent group, nor
  is its membership as clearly and explicitly
  defined.
• Hence, it is generally a weaker unit than the
  descent group.

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How Do Descent Groups Evolve?

• Descent groups arise from extended family
  organization, so long as there are problems of
  organization that such groups help to solve.
• This is most apt to happen in food-producing as
  opposed to food-foraging societies.

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• First to develop are localized lineages, followed
  by larger, dispersed groups such as clans and
  phratries.
• With the passage of time kinship terminology
  itself is affected by and adjusts to the kinds of
  descent or other kinship groups that are
  important in a society.

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Unilineal Descent Groups
These systems can be difficult to understand.
They are the result of ingenious design and are
mutually beneficialto all parties involved The
lineage is the most basic descent group. Members
of this group can usually trace their
consaguineal relatives back several generations.
The groups usually holds property which is used
and maintained by all. Unilineal descent groups
recognize consaguineal ties as being passed
through only by females or males.
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Patrilineal Descent
Descent is passed through the male line. All
members acquire their lineage the day they are
born, however, only the male passes it on.
Agnates- kin link through the male
line. This is the most common form of descent
worldwide 42 of cultures.
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Functions of Patrilineal Groups
Keep and maintain property for the males that own
it. Provides an individual with ascribed status
which is kept through his or her
lifetime. Lineages are very tight. Other
aspects When an individual marries or changes
lineage, membership is retained.
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Patrilineal Descent Group
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Matrilineal Descent Group
Descent is passed through the female line Both
males and females acquire the lineage through
their mother. Only women can pass the lineage on
to the next generation. In most societies,
women own the property however, it is often
their brothers who control it. Represents 20
of cultures.
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Matrilineal Descent Group
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Nonunilineal Descent Groups
The best-known and most common is bilateral
descent. This form is used in the United States
and people of European ancestry. Ego recognizes
all consaguineal relatives on both the mothers
and fathers side of the family and inherits
equally from them. In this case, Ego belongs to
a kindred, which consistsof Egos relatives and
their degree of relationship to Ego.
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Bilateral Descent Group
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Parallel and Cross-Cousins
Parallel cousin- the children of your parents
siblings of the same sex. MoSi or
FaBr Cross-cousins- the children of your
parents siblings of the opposite sex. MoBrCh
or FaSiCh.
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Other Descent Groups
Double Descent- two separate lines of descent are
recognized at the same time. For example, some
property would only be passed down through
females and other property would be passed down
only through males. ex Yakö of eastern
Nigeria Ambilineal Descent- everyone belongs to
a unilineal descent group that is acquires
through either the mother or father.
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Associations Based on Descent
Lineage-based societies are always exogamous
forcing members to marry out. This creates
strong marriage alliances adding more thread to
the cultural tapestry. Clan- a group consisting
of two or more lineages that share a common
mythical ancestor. The original ancestor of a
clan is mythical and is called a totem ancestor.
Phratry- a grouping formed by two or more
clans when there are at least three or more such
groupings. Moiety divides the society in half.

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Moiety
Totem
Totem
Totem
Totem
Lineage
Lineage
Lineage
Lineage
Lineage
Lineage
Lineage
Lineage
C
D
E
F
G
H
A
B
Clan
Clan
Clan
Clan
Phratry
Phratry
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Terminological System
Kinship term is a word that designates a social
relationship between individuals who are
related by blood or marriage. This is the
primary way people relate to one another and
binds them together. These systems are
complex. They are variable with several basic
terminological patterns. Eskimo, Iroquois,
Hawaiian, Crow, Omaha, and Sudanese
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Eskimo Terminological System
This system focus on the nuclear family giving
each relative a separate term Mo, Br, Fa, Si.
This is the systems used in the U.S. Neolocal
residence is often practiced making the nuclear
family the focal point. Kin outside the nuclear
family are lumped together MoBr and FaBr are
both called uncle as are MoSi and FaSi called
aunt. Look only at the pattern. 18 out of 250
societies, or 7 percent.
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Eskimo Terminological System
Terminology of American kinship. No one
outside nuclear family is called by same terms as
members of the nuclear family. Brothers of
father and mother are referred to by the same
term. Sisters of father and mother are referred
to by the same term. Children of parents'
siblings are referred to by the same term.
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Eskimo Terminological System
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Iroquois Terminological System
Usually found in cultures that practice unilineal
descent and in which lineage affiliation is
very important. Each side of Egos family is
treated differently. Egos nuclear family are
each called by different terms, but Egos Fa
and FaBr are called by the same term as well as
Egos Mo and MoSi. This system is said to
bifurcate, or separate into two categories.
At the same time, this pattern is called a
bifurcate-merging pattern because classes of
kin in the same generation are called by the
same term. 33 societies out of 250 samples or
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Core terms common to most terminologies
Same sex siblings of parents are regarded as
parents. Father's brother is called father.
Mother's sister is called mother. Parallel
cousin's are regarded as siblings. Father's
brother's children are called brother and
sister. Mother's sister's children are called
brother and sister.
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Iroquois Terminological System
Often reflects preferential cross-cousin
marriage. Father's sister's son and mother's
brother's son are referred to by the same term.
('husband' woman speaking brother-in- law'
man speaking). Father's sister's daughter and
mother's brother's daughter are referred to by
the same term. ('wife' man speaking
'sister-in-law,' woman speaking). Mother's
brother and father's sister are distinguished
from all other kin types ('father-in-law,'
'mother-in-law').
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Iroquois Terminological System
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Hawaiian Terminological System
This system lumps relatives by generation and
sex. Simplest system, extension of logic of core
terms. Cross-sex siblings of parents are also
regarded as parents. Mother's brother is called
father. Father's sister is called mother.
Cross cousins are also regarded as siblings.
Father's sister's children are called brother
and sister. Mother's brother's children are
called brother and sister. Used in 45 out of
250 cultures or 18. Do not have a strong
unilineal descent.
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Hawaiian Terminological System
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Omaha Terminological System

• Associated with patrilineal descent.
• Mother's brother's daughter is called mother
  ('woman of my mother's patrilineage' )
• Mother's brother and mother's brother's son are
  referred to by the same term ('man of my
  mother's patrilineage' )
• Father's sister, father's sister's daughter, and
  father's sister's son are distinguished from all
  other kin types.

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Crow Terminological System

• Associated with matrilineal descent.
• Father's sister's son is called father ('man of
  my father's matrilineage' )
• Father's sister and father's sister's daughter
  are referred to by the same term
• ('woman of my father's matrilineage')
• Mother's brother, mother's brother's daughter,
  and mother's brother's son are
• distinguished from all other kin types.

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Sudanese Terminological System

• Parents, parents' siblings, siblings, and
  parents' siblings'
• children are all distinguished from each other.