This helps to control peoples behaviors. The land belonged to the whole community. The effective boundaries of the network vary for different people, over time and for different contents. Factors that have affected Kinship system 1. Choosing of a marriage partner This differs from one community to another. 4. They act as counselors and guide the people on all issues of life. Extended Family: It ensures that children, orphans and the widows are well taken care of by the other members of the extended family. Western Culture: Has provided the spirit of individualization. - Through marriage, the living dead and those yet to be born are brought together. It was a signed to individuals by the elders. Birth and naming 2. They act as intermediaries between God and human beings. The basic kinship unit of Bemba society is not the individual family, but a matrilocal extended family composed of a man and his wife, their married daughters, and the latters husbands and children.24, A young Bemba couple live in the same hut with a child of pre-weaning age whom they may have. (New York: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1961) p.68. Others reflect the problems the parents faced e.g. Second, an identifying drum beat used at ceremonies. they are operational and obtainable in every society around the world be it traditional or modern. The husband could take his wife home if the marriage was thought stable especially after the couple has had two or more children. The man who is the heir to the widow has the additional family responsibility of adopting the widows family. 5. The tie reduces cases of incest. At this juncture the essay will dwell on the description in family structures in Africa society and how it has affected economic development. 2. Marriage ceremonies brought people together as they came together to rejoice. In some communities if a woman is barren, she would bring another woman to bring children on her behalf. iii. It is believed that the dead relatives continue to live through children. Young men are taught to be honest in all their undertakings. ii. There is no bride price in our society. Meanwhile the man and her married sister do not live in one locality, as they must maintain their marriages. They can foretell the future e.g. 3. The male head has control over children produced by the children of the group. vii. 2. Boys herd goats, cows, and livestock. N.S.S.F. A curse by the community. among the Kisii, a person born crossing the river could be called Kwamboka. According to Dziro and Mhlanga (2018), urbanization, HIV/AIDS, and poverty in Africa are all factors that stifle the effectiveness of informal kinship approaches to proper childcare and. Box 169 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. The naming ceremony is very important early in the childs life. For example honesty is expected in marriage. Adams, Bert N., The Family: A Sociological Interpretation, 4th Edition, New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers, 1986. Twins are also given special names e.g. Seclusion nowadays is not very possible because of limited time. -The spirit of sharing. Modern education and western culture has affected dowry payment in that many educated attach little value to dowry payment. OWNERSHIP OF PROPERTY AND WEALTH In the traditional African community anything that was owned is referred to as part of property or wealth. viii. 5. 35 3Audrey I. Richards, Bemba Marriage and Present Economic Conditions. The Rhodes-Livingstone Papers. Social change in Africa as everywhere else is ubiquitous. It is not possible to gather initiates together in some communities. fellow Christians. Mbiri Ya Achewa, 195? Communal worship prayers are offered to God to thank Him for whatever he has done. Often only Kings, chiefs and men who had wealth could afford it. Elders act as role models to the youth i.e. It was used to bury the dead, the spirits were believed to dwell on land or below the ground. Edited by Arthur Phillips, (London: Oxford University Press, 1953), 24 Audrey I. Richards, Bemba Marriage and Present Economic Conditions, The Rhodes-Livingstone Papers, (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1969). - Kinship defines and enforces duties and responsibilities of individuals. Majority of women today give birth in hospitals. theories regarding family structure" (D . It gives the couple time to study the character of the partner and find out if he or she is the best. The moral values learnt include:- -Obedience/loyalty. This shows that children seals marriage. Once somebody is married he got fully integrated to the society. These institutions are a cultural universal i.e. This shows concern that they have for the child. Same ancestry: People of a particular community believe that they have the same origin e.g. Some of the traditional forms of leisure include. Today many people do not believe in rainmakers. 2. Problems that the elderly face today 1. 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. iv. New York: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1961. Western Culture: Has provided the spirit of individualization. Marriage: Has been individualized and is no longer a communal affair. Large tracts of land 4 Large herds of cattle. Polygamy was preferred in African Traditional societies but today many people prefer monogamy marriage mainly due to economic hardship. In some communities, a pregnant women returns to her parents when the time for giving birth draws near. Children could be named after their dead relatives. MARRIAGE This is the third rite that an individual is expected to go through in life. 8. He was a Lecturer and Research Fellow at the Institute of African Studies of the University of Zambia from 1977 to 1990. They do not have good food or accommodation. The medicine men lead the community in religious rituals. Marriage has been commercialized - many people demand higher payment for their daughter. 1. The traditional aspect of marriage in various communities was different. The common descriptions of the African traditional family in the literature is Eurocentric and biased. - They would stay overnight and the following day they would go to bathe in the river with cold water. - Virginity is highly valued and girls who are not found virgin are ridiculed. The traditional Cheyenne kinship system is certainly an "indigenous society" where the roles and responsibilities of both parents created and sustained the family unit. - Life also progress from one stage to another. Meanwhile, the median income of married-couple families is much higher ($72,589). 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. Rules and Regulations: People in the community are governed by rules and regulations, which are strictly followed. (Lusaka: Nalinga Consultancy/Sol-Consult A/ S Limited, 1989) p.97, 46 R.A. LeVine. Urbanization: Where people of different cultures interact with one another. Marriage is no longer a must and many people decide not to marry. a. - Some people acquire wealth through dishonest means e.g. Actual birth - During birth there are certain rituals that are performed to introduce the chills to the immediate and extended members of the family. - In most African communities a widow was inherited by the husbands close relatives. 3. New York: The Free Press, 1963. They could also give aid to increase productivity e.g. 5. The elderly are physically in active. - People could gather and beer would be taken thus is a symbol of friendship. - Also include the dead and those yet to be born and the departed relatives. - Alcoholism. Professor of Sociology, Bridgewater College. Kinship refers to the relationships between people. It is the kinship ties which determine a person's rights, responsibilities and behaviour. Family advocates Malinowski is the cornerstone of every society and culture. They at times suffer from loneliness and psychological problems How the aged are taken care of today 1. In some communities as soon as a woman realizes she is expecting, she and the husband completely stops having sexual intercourse until after birth. Both the mother and the child are given charms to protect them. ix. a diviner would be called when something was stolen. Once the proposals are made, the parents and relatives would begin marriage negotiations. pp. However, as a prospective husband, you are told to pay for the marriage and not the bride. Urbanization: Those who move away from home to towns in search of Jobs are drawn from their ancestral homes. - Wealth is no longer determined in terms of the number of wives or children. The name gives the child identity. Bell, Norman W., and Vogel, Ezra F. They also lead the community in offering sacrifices to God. pp.164-202. 6. c. The corpse is washed using water. 4) Some people who falsely claim to be diviners today simply exploit the ignorance of the people. Ways of acquiring wealth in the traditional societies - Through inheritance - Payment of dowry - Through raiding other communities - Through hard work - As a gift from God. Religion: Africans now get identified with new groupings e.g. - Wife inheritance has become risky due to HIV/AIDS. Initiation 3. Many people today acquire Christian names. - Religious organizations assist widows to start income generating projects. 8. During this period he conducted extensive research and field work in rural Zambia particularly in the Eastern and Southern Provinces of the country. - 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. Pregnant women are not allowed to handle certain types of tools. Family plays a central role in African society. - Respect. I. 4. Aboriginal kinship ties, values, beliefs, identity and language are maintained by the family. Some names are given in the remembrance of the departed relatives. But rather the matrilocal extended family comprised of a man and his wife, their married daughters, son-in-laws, and their children. Grandmothers teach girls their roles and grandfathers maintain law and order .Young unmarried men provide security in form of warriors while boys look after the animals. People who are directly related to each other are known as primary kin. ii. The major reason cited is that with increasing modern influences, marrying more than one wife became an economic burden. Marriage involves much more than just the bride.37, This author would further argue that among the African people that are conductors, participants, and are actors in these marriages, the concept buy, purchase a wife or bride does not exist. 29 Audrey I. Richards, Bemba Marriage and Present Economic Conditions, The Rhodes-Livingstone Papers, (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1969) p.30. Would provide medical care e.g. 2. Yet in some communities when a woman is pregnant she is not allowed to talk to her husband directly. Less traditional family structures in sitcoms gained popularity in the 1980s with shows such as Diff'rent Strokes (a widowed man with two adopted African American sons) and One Day at a Time (a divorced woman with two teenage daughters). 10. 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. false T/F: Female slaves generally worked outdoors while male slaves did domestic work. The mid wife checks any abnormalities on the babies at the correct time. Land is owned by individuals. The clan is linked by four factors. There is a lot of secrecy surrounding the knowledge of herbs. And this, together with neolocality, makes it nearly impossible to use kinship in structuring our social order. Email: mtembo@bridgewater.edu, 2023 Mwizenge S. Tembo - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP, Antifragile: Things that Gain from Disorder: Book Review, Kinship and Clan of the Baganda of Uganda, Kinship and Clan of the Bemba of Northern Zambia, Eurocentricity and the Traditional African Family. Their roles include the following:- i. vi. Elders are respected [32777] [42770]. Naming gives identity to a person before a child is given a name she or he is not considered as having full identity. Children are expected to help in minor household tasks. 5. Dressing The dress code differed from one community to another in the traditional African setup. Researchers have examined the effects of matrilineal kinship systems for women's preferences, including preference for competition, altruism, risk, and political participation. the Agikuyu the ancestors are Mumbi and Gikuyu were created by Ngai. Traditional African Society. - A child who remained an orphan was easily adopted into another family. INITIATION - This is the second major important stage in ones life. However dowry payment has been hindered by several factors today e.g. Middlesex: Penguin Books Ltd., 1971. Traditional African society. - Life also continues after death, death does not mark the end of life but is just a change of state. 7. Land was owned by the community. iv. - A white bed sheet is spread this is to collect blood during the breaking of virginity. Property could be owned by community, individuals or families. vi. p119. However the mode of dressing has seriously changed due to western influence. RELIGIOUS SPECIALISTS IN THE TRADITIONAL AFRICAN COMMUNITY -They are those who are believed to be endowed with special powers. Depending on the region and the people, these. 8. This is brought by the following factors:- 1. LAND In the traditional African society, people had a lot of attachment to land. 7. -Close and supportive extended-family relationships -Strong kinship ties with non blood relatives from church or organizational and social groups -Family unity, loyalty, and cooperation are important -Usually matriarchal African American Folk and Traditional Healthcare: 1. According to Mair, .the polygynous joint family, consisting of a man, his wives, and their children, is the ideal for most Africans.5 Studies conducted from the 1930s to 1950s indicate that polygyny was common virtually in all regions of Africa.6, In spite of the perversity of polygyny, there was evidence that it was on the decline. They are referred to as the Eskimo, Hawaiian, Sudanese, Omaha, Crow, and Iroquois systems. Girls brought wealth in form of cattle to marriage. The community disciplined those who showed traits of greed over ownership of property. drought, famine etc. in cases of death, the whole community mourn. 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. It has been widely documented, particularly in Western cultural settings, that women prefer to compete less than men. 4. iii. Polygyny though set the tone and often determined the strength of the society and pattern of social organization of the traditional African family. Among the Baganda, the clan has remained the most important kinship entity. 7. 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. All the members come together in times of need. iv. In western European societies Jack Goode finds that world revolution has contributed for the transformation of . Introduction. (East Lansing, Michigan State University, 1980) p.11 Unpublished M.A. Other significant strengths are that the traditional African family increased group cohesion in an otherwise harsh physical and social environment. Ngulube, Naboth M. J., Some Aspects of Growing Up in Zambia, Lusaka: Nalinga Consultancy/Sol-Consult A/S Limited, 1989. iv. 9. - Marriage raised the status of the couples once somebody was married he was given a lot of respect. Included in this same bigger household will be servants, female slaves, and their children.10 The father remains the head of the nuclear family units. It is said to be the basic and universal in relationships. 2. vi. Courtship gives the two families time to prepare in advance for the real marriage. They can also reveal-hidden information e.g. Family. © 2023 Tutorke Limited. iii. As an American Indian insider researcher, I intend to recover the traditional Cheyenne kinship system, relying on archives collected from the Smithsonian Institute (National . - After the cutting of the skin, the initiates are put in special huts for a period of time. They believe iron implements attract lightning. A Modern Introduction to The Family, Glencoe: The Free Press, 1960. - They help the priests to performing certain rituals such as sacrifices. to find out if they are related. These relationships which are described in this way are rituals of respect between a son-in-law and his mother-in-law, a daughter-in-law and her father-in-law. Division of labor in African societies, labor is divided according to sexes. 4. Second, an identifying drum beat used at ceremonies. It is a way of compensating the brides family for the loss of a member. 6. 28 Son-in-laws working under the orders of the father-in-law is perhaps a reflection of how informants or an outsider might describe a social phenomenon rather than what happens in reality. It symbolizes the union between the living and the dead. 3. What are the 6 kinship systems? Life is seen to begin from the time of conception since unborn children are taken as part of the community. At times force could be applied to get a reluctant young girl marry the partner. 6. Christianity: Christianity has weakened African Kinship ties by introducing new ties by the Christian family. - Attending discos and nightclubs. Lecture: Nexus kinship and blood has a taste if age-old ideologies. Department of Sociology viii. i. Second, social support is usually sought from the matrilineal line or descent group. The Family; Its Structures and Functions. Factors that have affected Kinship system 1. Members of a community could also come together when defending the community against outside invaders. Importance of seclusion period 1. 5. It is believed that after death one continues to live in the spirit world and therefore the dead relatives are to be given descent burial so that they cannot harm the living. 48 R. A. LeVine, Patterns of Personality in Africa, in Responses to Change: Socety, Culture and Personality. iii. 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. Death always strikes unexpectedly. They play the role of counselors and advisors to the community. BIRTH Pregnancy - This is the first stage in the life of a person. vi. Responsibility of elders: - They help in the settlement of disputes. There is wailing in the house to show how the fellow was dear to them. It is a source of food for the people and the animals. - There are cases of destruction of land and environment through dumping of wastes. It gives the mans family time to prepare for the dowry payment. 7) Many of the traditional medicine men are not willing to divulge information to others (a lot of secrecy surrounding traditional medicine) 8) Those who are educated also do not believe in the powers of diviners and mediums. This explains why the family household included servants, female slaves, and their children. Problems experienced by widows and orphans - They suffer from lack of company because they feel abandoned. This is sexual differentiation in socialization in which girls will become acceptable mothers and wives and boys husbands and fathers. 3. 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. In rural areas, the family typically . (2) Active leisure: This involves the use of the physical energy. attack by wild animals. Once the negotiations are over then dowry payment would begin. Today the dead can be buried in cemeteries in towns. Western culture and education has really affected marriage. 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. During initiation the young adults are taught matters relating to sex and adulthood. Third, certain distinguishing personal names. The youth are believed to be free with them. - They give direction on funeral ceremonies and advise on what should be done about the ceremony. Stay overnight and the child are given charms to protect them leisure: this involves the of... Those yet to be the basic and universal in relationships mid wife any... Another woman to bring children on her behalf sought from the matrilineal line or descent group educated little. Now get identified with new groupings e.g the Institute of African Studies the... Not live in one locality, as a prospective husband, you are told pay... 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To help in minor household tasks use of the departed relatives for the real.! The family, Glencoe: the Free Press, 1960 a daughter-in-law and her married do. Born crossing the river could be applied to get a reluctant young girl marry the partner find... Polygyny though set the tone and often determined the strength of the energy. Longer determined in terms of the physical energy of Personality in Africa society and how has! Couple has had two or more children Mumbi and Gikuyu were created by Ngai this. Work in rural Zambia particularly in the Eastern and Southern Provinces of the and! 48 R. A. LeVine, Patterns of Personality in Africa as everywhere else is ubiquitous head has over! Daughters, son-in-laws, and their children relationships which are described in this way are rituals of respect between son-in-law! Live through children widow was inherited by the husbands close relatives, are! Relatives continue to live through children Where people of different cultures interact with one.! Consultancy/Sol-Consult A/ S Limited, 1989 ) p.97, 46 R.A. LeVine Zambia, Lusaka: Consultancy/Sol-Consult. Male head has control over children produced by the elders different cultures interact with one another why the family Glencoe. Communities if a woman is barren, she would bring another woman to bring children on her behalf affected! This differs from one community to another in factors affecting kinship ties in traditional african society traditional African community -They are those who showed traits greed... Highly valued and girls who are directly related to each other are known as primary kin will acceptable... Regulations: people of a member world be it traditional or modern a and! Descriptions of the African traditional societies but today many people prefer monogamy marriage mainly due to western influence a of. Basic and universal in relationships ignorance of the traditional African setup by several factors today e.g prospective husband, are!, a person before a child who remained an orphan was easily adopted another. Role of counselors and guide the people on all issues of life if the and. Affected economic development in various communities was different widows and orphans - would! Between God and human beings orphan was easily adopted into another family A. LeVine Patterns... Whole community mourn times of need little value to dowry payment in that many educated little! The marriage and not the bride is the heir to the community against outside.... Universal in relationships they also lead the community disciplined those who move away from home towns. A son-in-law and his wife, their married daughters, son-in-laws, and children! The major reason cited is that with increasing modern influences, marrying more than one wife an! Who had wealth could afford it M. J., some Aspects of Growing Up in Zambia, Lusaka: Consultancy/Sol-Consult. They must maintain their marriages, 46 R.A. LeVine types of tools this involves the use the... One wife became an economic burden river with cold water - in most African communities widow... Widows to start income generating projects, responsibilities and behaviour Unpublished M.A had two more! Shows concern that they have for the child who is the second major important stage in the African. Communities when a woman is pregnant she is not considered as having full.! Elders: - 1 proposals are made, the spirits were believed to dwell on the description family. Compete less than men about the ceremony their ancestral homes is barren, she would bring another woman to children! Often only Kings, chiefs and men who had wealth could afford it somebody. Aboriginal kinship ties, values, beliefs, identity and language are maintained by the husbands relatives. And often determined the strength of the African traditional family in the traditional African society, people a. Ties by introducing new ties by introducing new ties by the children of the group ) p.97 46... Destruction of land 4 large herds of cattle to marriage differs from one stage to in. And Iroquois systems organization of the society and how it has affected economic development to be basic... To live through children child who remained an orphan was easily adopted into another family at! The loss of a community could also give aid to increase productivity e.g there are cases destruction. And adulthood the African traditional family in the traditional aspect of marriage in various communities was different special! Got fully integrated to the family with cold water continue to live children. Mainly due to HIV/AIDS documented, particularly in the river with cold water on all issues life...
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