Kinship ties definition: Kinship is the relationship between members of the same family. They can also reveal-hidden information e.g. It starts at birth and continues through to death. Belmont, California: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1983. Prayers also connect the living and the dead. Young men are taught to be honest in all their undertakings. The midwife advises on post-natal care of the mother and the baby. - Courage. There are serious cases of misuse of leisure in the form of; - Watching and reading pornographic literature. How the of rites passage inculcate moral values In the traditional African communities, people learn the moral values through every days activities and through education provided. Ngulube, Naboth M. J., Some Aspects of Growing Up in Zambia, Lusaka: Nalinga Consultancy/Sol-Consult A/S Limited, 1989. The birth of a child is no longer a communal affair but a family affair. - Gambling. 12 Stuart Queen, Robert W. Havenstein, and John B. Adams, The Polygynous Baganda Family, in The Family in Various Cultures. After burial, close relatives shave their hair as a sign that one of the members has been separated from and for cleansing impurities. Because of this, extended families among the Bemba are not really as large as those found, especially among patriarchal polygynous traditional families in other tribes be it in Southern, Eastern, or West Africa.28 Polygamy is relatively speaking uncommon in this area and the institution is not an essential part of the Bemba family and economic life as it is among so many Bantu peoples.29, The Bembas kinship is based on descent in the matrilineal line. The clan is linked by four factors. Traditional African Society. - Kinship ties also provide security to all concerned. Western Culture: Has provided the spirit of individualization. But they are terminologically differentiated from parallel cousins and from sisters. 5. Boys herd goats, cows, and livestock. Some of the traditional forms of leisure include. - Property can be owned outside ones ancestral home. New York: The Free Press, 1963. Names are also given in honor of ancestors. The husband could take his wife home if the marriage was thought stable especially after the couple has had two or more children. The Plan of Action also asserts that "for the full and harmonious development of their personality, children should grow up in a famil environmenty in a,n atmosphere of happiness lov, ane d understanding". Professor of Sociology, Bridgewater College. Herbalists find it difficult to carry out research due to financial constraints. It was used to bury the dead, the spirits were believed to dwell on land or below the ground. - Life also continues after death, death does not mark the end of life but is just a change of state. - Prayers are also offered to God for protection. 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. It also gives them time to find out the background of the partners e.g. 3. 6) There is problem of correct dosage of traditional medicine. Your husband or wife, mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law, and sister-in-law are all kinsmen related to you through marriage. Bride wealth has lost its original meaning and has been commercialized. This is certainly no longer the case in the contemporary African traditional family. They also have the ability to stop rain. Are made up of smaller units called clan. The elderly are physically in active. Courtship gives the two families time to prepare in advance for the real marriage. The San society in general and the kinship system in particular are very different from contemporary American society. The tie reduces cases of incest. Second Edition, London: The Macmillan Press, Ltd., 1974. among the Luos a person who comes out with the placenta would be called Obiero or Awino. Divorce and separation are discouraged. vi. 3) They are fortunetellers and palm readers. The mid wife checks any abnormalities on the babies at the correct time. Children among the matrilineal peoples are brought up in a similar traditional extended family village social environment. 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. To give the mother time to recover the lost energy. Some communities have abandoned initiation rites like among the luo; removal of six lower teeth is a practice of the past. It was written in 1988. 8. Problems experienced by widows and orphans - They suffer from lack of company because they feel abandoned. 6. 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. Everyone has an obligation to marry or get married. - They could also feel their body senses to predict rain. giving the expectant mother certain herbs. It could also help in paying of the dowry. As such children at an early age learn that their father has little authority or responsibility for them. - Rainmakers are special people who have the ability to make rain. 4. DeVos, (New York: D. Van Nostrand Co., 1976). 8. The government has also set up insurance and pension schemes to enable people who are employed continue to get a decent life after retirement e.g. These constitute the core of the Bemba traditional African family around which the social organization of the traditional society revolves. Religion: People have some religious beliefs, which promote unity, and every community believes in the existence of one God. The clan is linked by four factors. 7. During this period, the couples are given special instructions that prepare them for marriage life. 41 Molefi Kete Asante, Afrocentricity: The Theory of Social Change. Elizabeth Colson, Marriage and the Family among the Plateau Tonga of Northern Rhodesia. Girls, in distinction to boys, seldom have time to play games.21, Among the Bemba people of Northern Zambia, marriage is matrilocal. LeVine40 described some of the customs and patterns that surround interaction in the traditional African family as institutionalized restrictions, segregated patterns, and avoidance patterns. - They are concerned with maintenance of law and order in the community. They feel a strong bond towards each other because they are tied by kinship relationships to one another. Land was owned by the community. People could also die due to shortage of food. Indeed this sense of kinship binds together the entire life of the "tribe . The verb kulobola is very specific meaning the valuables that are given partially or in full to the girls people to legitimate or seal the marriage. (Lusaka: Nalinga Consultancy/Sol-Consult A/ S Limited, 1989) p.97, 46 R.A. LeVine. 25 likes 25,448 views. A mock wrestling sometimes would be organized between the boy and the girl. What are the 6 kinship systems? Mitchell, J. ix. iii. Today initiation is not done at particular stage in life. (New York: The Free Press, 1963.) But typically news, information, and gossip flow readily through the network, with some individuals acting as "kin . It is also a way of showing respect to God for the gift of the children. Th importance whice h UNICEF attaches to the family is also based on the Conventio onn the Eliminatio onf pp. They are those who do not believe in traditional medicine. - People do not have a lot of attachment to land, as there are other means of survival. 6. Middlesex: Penguin Books Ltd., 1971. In western European societies Jack Goode finds that world revolution has contributed for the transformation of . They play the role of counselors and advisors to the community. If the child laughs, then the last mentioned name is given to him or her, .and the soul of the ancestors is considered to have entered its body.19, The significant feature of the second stage in Baganda childhood is that after they are weaned, Baganda children do not live with their biological parents. - In most African communities a widow was inherited by the husbands close relatives. It is also a way of remembering important events in the society. The midwife also monitors the development of the foetus. Marriage 4. - During this period of seclusion:- i. h. Among the Luos animals are driven over the graveside, people run in the homestead with spears. 3. Elders iv. 7. 3. - Taking of dangerous drugs. 4. - Marriage ensures that children are not born outside wedlock. Therefore, they try to restrict the kinship ties. They believe iron implements attract lightning. Family. - It was a common belief that a woman belonged to the whole community. The gifts also act as security in case the marriage breaks then the gifts could be returned. Seclusion nowadays is not very possible because of limited time. Clitoridectomy Female circumcision. - Generosity. Impact of Modernism on Family. They would only speak through intermediaries. Many communities made clothes from animal skins, bark of trees, sisal and leaves. People like politicians and students consult medicine men to succeed in the careers. Initiation 3. 4. a diviner would be called when something was stolen. could advice on when to go to war. Such occasions include beer drinking, wrestling, playing football, singing and dancing etc. They also do the work of advisors e.g. A clan is made up of a family who either are related by blood and marriage. Christianity: Christianity has weakened African Kinship ties by introducing new ties by the Christian family. v. They are also consulted in terms of crisis e.g. Elders are respected [32777] [42770]. This ensured that nobody remained landless. 3. vii. DeVos, New York: D. Van Nostrand Co., 1976. It has been widely documented, particularly in Western cultural settings, that women prefer to compete less than men. Pregnant women are not allowed to handle certain types of tools. iv. the outcome of a war 5. The man or bridegroom builds himself a house at his wifes village and becomes a member of her extended family group.25 The wife cooks at her mothers house with other female relatives who are mainly unmarried and married sisters. Mbiri Ya Achewa, 195? 2. The histories and cultures of Egypt, Nubia, Ethiopia and North Africa are covered . The man who is the heir to the widow has the additional family responsibility of adopting the widows family. 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. Researchers have examined the effects of matrilineal kinship systems for women's preferences, including preference for competition, altruism, risk, and political participation. Dec. 31, 2007. - They suffer from psychological and emotional problems - Sometimes widows face lack of essentials such as food. 3 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.1. Girls brought wealth in form of cattle to marriage. - Attending discos and nightclubs. Property could be owned by community, individuals or families. Before this ceremony, the child is not considered a complete member of the clan or society. Everybody is a part of the other. Box 169 - Hardworking. 6. For example, in the polygynous African family, like among the Baganda, and many others, your fathers wives and brothers were not just mothers and fathers just as mere kinship terms. A father-in-law knows what to expect from a good son-in-law. As Eaton et al (2003) found in South Africa, for young people struggling for daily survival, protection from possible future illness may be a lower priority than meeting immediate economic needs. It could also show how the bridegroom is capable of taking care of the bride. The degree of relatedness to the caregiver and socio-economic status of the fostering household were the strongest determinants of the well-being of children in kinship care. It is a source of food for the people and the animals. 6. 5. 2. During seclusion there is sex education, which is meant for girls and boys for marriage. Economy e.g. 3. f. The grave is dug in a special place e.g. 1. p.19, 45 Naboth M. J. Ngulube, Some Aspects of Growing Up in Zambia. Explain the importance of Kinship in traditional African society african cultural and moral values 1 Answer 0 votes answered Aug 9, 2021 by anonymous Control social relationships in community of people related by blood and marriage Bind whole community hence social cohesion Makes people live in harmony/ peace Promotes mutual responsibility and help Mothers and children would die at childbirth to cases where there is no skilled mid-wife. There are strict rules and taboos governing sex. Life is seen to begin from the time of conception since unborn children are taken as part of the community. 7. For this reason, the paper serves only as an introduction to the application of Christian Family plays a central role in African society. - In some communities, marriage is not recognized without children. 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. They also lead the community in offering sacrifices to God. Factors that have affected Kinship system 1. The father knows that his children are not his ultimate responsibility but his sisters children. 3. They are people who claim a common ancestry and are related by blood. - Men are not allowed to go next to the delivery places. - A white bed sheet is spread this is to collect blood during the breaking of virginity. But this is not an independent nuclear family unit. 1. (2) Generation: Kinship tie is established between the persons in relation to generation. 3. Leisure Activities: This is the time that one has at his disposal. The following day, the naming ceremony takes place. Therefore, the new families tend to generally live near or with the husbands parents. (East Lansing, Michigan State University, 1980) p.11 Unpublished M.A. - Initiation rites have certain symbolic meanings. But it makes it difficult to keep track of our kin. Expectant mothers are forbidden from taking certain foods for fear that these foods could interfere with the safety and health of the mother and child e.g. Some scholars have suggested that this arrangement might be fraught with potential social problems and conflict.33 More so than a patrilineal household where all the people charged with authority over the children potentially live in one household. People have different roles to play and everyone is concerned about the welfare of the other. Marriage is no longer a must and many people decide not to marry. In some communities as soon as a woman realizes she is expecting, she and the husband completely stops having sexual intercourse until after birth. Changing attitudes to birth and naming 1. They were believed to have a lot of experience in life. in the garden or when one is building a new house. - Marriage was a source of wealth for the family. There was never a distinction between the biological and non-biological kin as far as primary parental obligations were concerned. 4. j. Death -The rites or ceremonies conducted on such occasions differ from one community to another. - Among the Luo the bride could be accompanied by her other sisters and on the first night, the people would witness the breaking of virginity. A Bemba belongs to his mothers clan (umukoa), a group of relatives more or less distantly connected, who reckon descent from real or fictitious common ancestries, use a common totem name, and a series of praise titles, recite a common legend of origin and accept certain joint obligations.30. FACTORS AFFECTING THE SYSTEM 173 THE SIB: DESCENT AND EXOGAMY Kinship ties necessarily begin within the family as a pro- creational unit. factors. 7. Once somebody is married he got fully integrated to the society. In the western culture, marriage results in permanent bonds between the couple, with centrally assigned sexual rights among the couple and parenthood responsibility. 5. politicians. Among the Akamba and the Agikuyu. Courage is usually praised. Many of the rituals that were performed to the mother and the child are today seen as unnecessary. 4. In a more obvious way, this Eurocentrism36 did not treat polygamy, the African marriages and the extended family and any others of its eccentricities (regarded as such because they were different from European customs) as social phenomena that was legitimate and workable in its own African social circumstances and environment. During initiation the young adults are taught matters relating to sex and adulthood. First, the strengths, durability, and resilience of the African traditional family were never dwelt on explicitly and at length. v. The introduction of formal education, which has promoted new loyalties based on new social status, academic and professional qualification. It symbolizes the union between the living and the dead. These views were expressed before 1930s and as late as 1960s. iii. Some reflect the condition of weather or season at the time of birth. vi. A woman inherits her maternal grandmother or sisters. This explains why the family household included servants, female slaves, and their children. These institutions are a cultural universal i.e. Natural Factors: ADVERTISEMENTS: Natural forces and factors play an important role in unifying or disintegrating the society. - The government assists widows to get their husbands benefits. - Purification rites are performed for the mother and the child to make the child pure. v. There was a lot of fairness in the distribution of property. The traditional aspect of marriage in various communities was different. This paper aims at tackling the change in the anthropological view of marriage and kinship ties in the society. The use of the term order might be a distortion as no father-in-law would order his son-in-law and no son-in-law would be worth his dignity if he had to be ordered. What happens in a majority of cases is that both father-in-law and son-in-law in reality internalize their required or expected behavior. - After the cutting of the skin, the initiates are put in special huts for a period of time. Marriage has been commercialized - many people demand higher payment for their daughter. In some communities the choice is made by the parents. - They are many types of the wedding ceremonies. Second, an identifying drum beat used at ceremonies. - Life is also seen as communal. 1967. It varies from culture to culture, from society to society. 3. 2. There are counselors that give the aged hope and love. vii. They are free most of them and can get time for the younger generation. Polygamy was preferred in African Traditional societies but today many people prefer monogamy marriage mainly due to economic hardship. In some communities girls are given to kings or chiefs as gifts. Virginity is not highly valued and many people break their virginity at stage of adolescence. 9. Circumcision of the girls is a practice that has been widely condemned for health reasons. Would you say in the Western marriage ritual of the priest leading on the saying of vowes, that the priest orders the groom to now kiss the bride, or put the ring on the brides finger, or ordered to be married for that matter? The basic family unit among the Bemba was not the nuclear family. Other names can refer to place of birth e.g. 6. African societies are complex and diverse, requiring an interdisciplinary approach to evaluate and understand the continent's economic, political, social, and cultural institutions and change. 3. Responsibility of elders: - They help in the settlement of disputes. There is socialization to raise boys and girls to become responsible and acceptable adults of the village, community, and ultimately society. 7. This is meant to send it clean into the world of the living dead. Education of children has been left to teachers. - Rainmakers observe the behavior of insects, birds and animals to predict the nature of rain. 7. There are also accidental deaths e.g. This shows that children seals marriage. There was fair distribution of wealth to even those who did not have. But however, after a few years of contact with white civilization and subsequent social change, the custom has gradually changed. (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1956, 1966, 1971). 4. Among the Chewa of Eastern Zambia, the custom of man living with his wifes parents temporarily or permanently was known as Ukamwini.23. A curse by the community. 16. Depending on the region and the people, these. iv. All the members come together in times of need. 4. Many people today acquire Christian names. They are not supposed to take part in heavy duties or carry heavy loads. In the late and early 19th century, a detailed study conducted among the Baganda found that, Polygyny, the type of marriage in which the husband has plural wives, is not only the preferred but the dominant form of marriage for the Baganda.8 Commoners had two or three, chiefs had dozens, and the Kings had hundreds of wives. If one fails to show respect to such seniors. Answers - Modern science and technology - Western education - Influence from other religions - Rural-urban migration - Breakdown in traditional values - Western culture - Generation gap/specialists seen as outdated john3 answered the question on October 10, 2017 at 19:10 Each community has a distinct political and social organization. Africa's traditional religion is based on the Ubuntu philosophy, which is a Zulu word for human-ness, and was developed over many centuries in traditional African culture. - The departed relatives are kept alive through naming. They live in one Geographical area. 2. People learn to be thankful to God, parents, relatives and one another AFRICAN UNDERSTANDING OF COMMUNITY AND KINSHIP African community is used to refer to a group of people occupying a particular geographical area, share common interest and practices a sense of togetherness. They are also given special instructions that prepare them for marriage life. Religious leaders such as bishop and pastor have replaced their duties. (2) Active leisure: This involves the use of the physical energy. iii. Kinship refers to the relationships between people. Some of the major issues raised will include polygamy, tribe, clan, the extended family, bride price and the raising of children. largest kinship network of any descent system ever invented. He has no rights on his paternal clan. A total of 68 linguistic terms of relationships are used by the Baganda.12, The Baganda have a very important aspect of the social or family structure; the consanguinal kin group or blood line which is a line of descent traced through the male members of the family or patri-sib. It is the kinship ties which determine a person's rights, responsibilities and behaviour. I. The language of the Baganda carries no word for love or tender affection; the closest is a word that is best translated as like.43. Names could also depict the character of the child. in women. - This special treatment starts before and continues after childbirth. They are experts in particular religious fields. Edited by G.A. Bantu Migrations Stateless Societies Bantu Societies did not depend on elaborate hierarchy of officials of a bureaucracy Governed through Kinship groups - extended families consisting of about 100 people. 4. theories regarding family structure" (D . v. Taking oaths falsely. They heal various diseases using herbs. These are many. In the U.S., it is highly unusual for adult children to continue living with their families, although this phenomenon has increased recently strictly as a function of the current economic recession and the comparative . Western Culture: Has provided the spirit of individualization. As the African society has not been static, changes in the traditional family patterns will be briefly alluded to. iv. - Kinship gives individuals a sense of belonging since everyone is a relative in one way or the other, one feel comfortable in any company. Women were not allowed to own property. 3. Some people believe casting of an evil eye would cause bodily harm to somebody. -Responsibility. Sometimes people mistake that they are witch doctors especially Christians. It shows an act of bravery and hardship one I s to meet in life. Land was also a source of medicine in the form of herbs and minerals. The continuance of Aboriginal society is dependent on keeping Aboriginal families strong and healthy both physically and culturally. Removal of teeth. ii. Culture and values are adaptive .. Second, an identifying drum beat used at ceremonies. There is no proper dosage of the herbs. They include: i. 2. - Patriotism. - Different communities have different rules on where the delivery should take place. During the period earlier than 1940s, marriages remained completely matrilocal during the couples entire life. iii. Changing attitudes towards initiation rites Since the introduction of Christianity and western culture peoples attitude towards initiation rites have changed. Problems that the elderly face today 1. - Widows and orphans feel dehumanized. 28-39. (Eds.) Most of these ceremonies are religious. c. The corpse is washed using water. She organizes the disposal of the placenta (after birth). - There are rites of passage that one has to undergo. 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