For anthropologist kinship is significant to understanding the particular culture as a whole. Anthropology first began with a focus on small populations. That is, through ethnographic research studying smaller groups helps anthropologist to understand the social organization of more complex societies that roots the entire social system. This essay will also focus on smaller tribal groups that examine marriage and economy since it is the simplest way to understand how the past has helped to organize the present methods we use to survive today. Granted, if we examine the organization of any particular society we see that kin¬ship is its most crucial function. Since, kinship is a system that identifies how people interact to one another, marriage …show more content…
After the ritualistic business of mating occurs the marriage will then take on its duty and responsibility to the whole group. For example, the Nuer marriage and family is not as simple as we might see in an American marriage and family. For the Nuer love, marriage, and family consists of more than just intimate relationships as described: “Marriage among the Nuer is brought about by payment of bride wealth and by the performance of certain ceremonial rites. The rites cannot take place without payments, but transfers of cattle do not by themselves bring about the union. Both are necessary, and they proceed in a connected movement towards the full establishment of the union (58).” This is why marriage and procreation is essential for smaller groups as it helps to create lineal bonds. Within these exchanges smaller tribal groups, such as the Nuer, can take these goods and begin to trade and gain wealth in order to maintain their livelihood. It is this very system of mating the right people that maintains the organization which helps to push the economy along. This is important to anthropologist because it is through kinship and these types of methods that helps better understand how trade exchange is used in the integration of marriage …show more content…
Marriage is an institution that admits men and women to family life no matter how small or complex the family becomes. For example, it has been noted that Malinowski defined “marriage as a contract for the production and maintenance of children. Hunt marriage is the approved social pattern whereby two or more persons establish a family (Malinowski, 1920).” Similarly, Levy-Strauss asserts that “people get married because of the feeling that being in a family is the only possible way to live and survive. Kinship is related to all the other aspects of society such as econ¬omy, celebration of festivals, worship and folkways. The position of the individual is planned and executed by kinsmen. (Levi-Strauss, 1948).” It is by marriage, than procreation, than role positioning, that allows for the economy of family to spread out and increase. What anthropologist’s have gathered from all of this studying is that whether the traditions differ the value of kinship in the settlement of marriage remains the
Kinship is studied primarily in social and cultural anthropology. While there is no concise definition for what kinship means in the field of anthropology it can generally be thought of as the relationships within a society that are usually based off of blood or marriage. These two things in some way shape or form are recognized in nearly every society. Links of kinship form off the basis of property rights, division of labor, and political organization
Kinship is understood as the relationships in a society through blood and marriage. It is considered a fundamental cultural basis. From kinship systems social norms develop in the communities, including rights and responsibilities, greatly impacting behavior. These systems are described as kinship terms, relationships and groups in a society. Kinship ultimately has two core functions through kinship systems that are crucial for the preservation of culture and societies. First, these ties provide continuation of generations and family formation. The lines of descent, the upbringing and education of children, the compromise to provide material possessions and inheriting social positions are all very important. Second, since kinship is based on interdependent relationships, there are established aid systems. These, however would be compromise by the cultural implications of the extended or nuclear kin groups. Additionally, marriage may or may not be founded by blood relationships. Both the consanguineal and the affinal relationship represents a strong bond. However, the cultural norms would dictate whether both have equal value or acceptance in each society. Anthropologists have studied the implications of kinship. One of the topics researched is between kinship and social relationships. The Awlad ‘Ali Bedouin society in the Western Desert, as studied by Abu-Lughod in 1978-1980, through her ethnography ‘Veiled Sentiments’ (1986), showed distinct evidences of the influence of consanguineal and affinal ties into their idiom of kinship and how it links to their social interactions and relationships. In this way defining the different kinds of social relationships.
As you can see, marriage can come in different celebrations but they all constitute the fact that marriage is an institution in which man and woman come together as one. Aditi and Hermant’s marriage was no different compared those in this study. Al-Zu’abi (2008) states that urbanization plays a key role in influencing perceptions of marriage and that marriage patterns are formed and reformed according to culture. The final point is, marriage is a basic institution of any society no matter the culture difference.
“Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.” – James Baldwin
When you look around the world and see all the hate, destruction and annihilation of people and their countries you have to wonder is it because of how they form their families? Let us look at two articles one written by Steve Sailor , The Cousin Marriage Conundrum and the other written by Serena Nanda ,Arranging a Marriage in India. We will look at the practices and protocols of two different countries and cultures through two essays, one that has prearranged marriages India and one that encourages inbreeding by way of marrying first or second cousins.
Native Americans established primary relationships either through a clan system, descent from a common ancestor, or through a friendship system, much like tribal societies in other parts of the world. In the Choctaw nation, " Moieties were subdivided into several nontotemic, exogamous, matrilineal 'kindred' clans, called iksa." (Faiman-Silva, 1997, p.8) The Cheyenne tirbe also traced their ancestry through the woman's lineage. Moore (1996, p. 154) shows this when he says "Such marriages, where the groomcomes to live in the bride's band, are called 'matrilocal'." Leacock (1971, p. 21) reveals that "...prevailing opinion is that hunting societies would be patrilocal.... Matrilineality, it is assumed, followed the emergence of agriculture...." Leacock (p. 21) then stated that she had found the Montagnais-Naskapi, a hunting society, had been matrilocal until Europeans stepped in. "The Tanoan Pueblos kinship system is bilateral. The household either is of the nuclear type or is extended to include relatives of one or both parents...." (Dozier, 1971, p. 237)
Marriage practices vary across cultures. Every culture has its own way of conducting marriage according to their traditions and customs. Most cultures share common customs and practices, while some cultures have unique practices. Marriage refers to a social union agreed upon by the couples to unit as spouses. The union of couples implies sexual relations, permanence in union, and procreation. This research paper focuses on comparing marriage practices in American and Indian culture. There is significant difference between the two cultures in marriage practices.
Since the beginning of time, mankind began to expand on traditions of life out of which family and societal life surfaced. These traditions of life have been passed down over generations and centuries. Some of these kin and their interdependent ways of life have been upheld among particular people, and are known to contain key pieces of some civilizations.
Flesche, F. L. (1912, March). Osage Marriage Customs. (A. A. Association, Ed.) American Anthropologist, 14, 127 - 130.
The legal relationship, which comes out from a contract by which, ‘one man and one woman’ who have the ability to enter into such a union, promised to live together, take care of each other in the relation of ‘husband and wife in law for life until the legal termination of that relationship’ is defined as marriage. Marriage also may be defined as a legal union between ‘one man and one woman’ as husband and wife entering into contract changes the status of both parties in giving new rights and obligation. Traditionally, marriage has been viewed as creation of a family and vital to protection of morals and civilization. That is, the traditional principle founded from the marriage is that, the husband has the obligation to support his wife, provide a safe house, pay the necessities such as food, clothing, and to live together with the wife. The wife’s obligation entailed maintaining a home, having sexual relations with her husband and rearing the couple’s children.
"A family is a small social group of people related by ancestry or affection, who share common values and goals, who may live together in the same dwelling, and who may participate in the bearing and raising of children. They have a physical or emotional connection with each other that is ongoing" (Vissing, 2011) and is the foundation of all societies. They can be formed by a grouping of father-mother-children or even more complicated combination of relatives. In the primary stage of family life in the United States, everyone from every generation lived together in one house. Subsequently, the idea of traditional family evolved and a married couple with children is at present, often called the traditional family. There are many types of families; however, this paper will focus on the traditional family. It will describe how the functionalist perspective, conflict perspective, and the interactionism theory apply to the sociological institution known as a family. It will explain some of the similarities and differences between the sociological theories in regards to families and how they affect the family members.
For thousands of years until today, the best way to officially be the partner of someone is through marriage. People have practiced marriage for thousands of years. Many cultures see marriage as the best method to celebrate the love of a couple until death tears them apart. “Marriage establishes and maintains family, creates and sustains the ties of kinship, and is the basis of community” (Rowe 2). Marriage is a concept bigger than ones happiness
The Western Religious leaders and moralists believe only one spouse for life is the highest form of marriage. Some of the most "primitive" peoples are strictly monogamous in their ideals, while some "highly advanced" cultures have moved away from the stri...
Kinship is used to describe the relationship that exists between or among entities or individuals that share a common origin in terms of culture, historical ancestry or biological relationship. Kinship refers to the relationships defined by a particular culture among or between individuals who have a common family ties. Kinship is used as a basis to classify people and to form social groups in the different societies.
The body and the mind are seen as the two driving points in the development of a self. The “body” in the development of the self refers to the physiological body that is conscious and can make decisions. This part of the self is the physical self, and it experiences everything in the physical world. The “mind” is the area of the self that takes the information that is presented to it by the body, analyzes it, and reacts and changes the self accordingly. They both act in unison, but the mind cannot exist without the body, because the body is how the mind receives its information. The body also cannot exist without the mind though, because the mind is what develops the self and the ideas based on what the body presents to the mind and then the