Death -The rites or ceremonies conducted on such occasions differ from one community to another. 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. Agikuyu umbilical cord is kept to symbolize the link between the mother and the child. Clitoridectomy Female circumcision. 5. Which factors have led to the weakening of kinship ties in Kenya today? They give information concerning cause, nature and treatment of diseases. g. The body is carefully placed in the grave facing an appropriate direction according to the customs of the people. Mbiri Ya Achewa, 195? There are serious cases of misuse of leisure in the form of; - Watching and reading pornographic literature. food, beer drinking. - The wife or orphans sometimes get mistreated. A person's position in the kinship system establishes their relationship to others and to the universe, prescribing their responsibilities towards other people, the land and natural resources. The author obtained his B.A in Sociology and Psychology at University of Zambia in 1976, M.A, Ph. Importance of Kinship System and Ties. To give the mother instructions on how to take care of the child. 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. They face challenges from medical practitioners who argue that they should go for formal training. PRIESTS/PROPHETS OR SEERS - These are other religious specialists who play a special role as intermediaries between God and human beings. During the period earlier than 1940s, marriages remained completely matrilocal during the couples entire life. Large tracts of land 4 Large herds of cattle. Dr. Mwizenge S. Tembo Property could be owned by community, individuals or families. - The naming of the child takes place some days after birth. Land was also the habitat of people, animals and plants. Life is seen to begin from the time of conception since unborn children are taken as part of the community. 5. Indeed this sense of kinship binds together the entire life of the "tribe . 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. d. If it is a man, the wife is supposed to stay around the corpse among them show clearly she would miss the husband. Diviners and mediums iii. They at times suffer from loneliness and psychological problems How the aged are taken care of today 1. It shapes such daily experiences as how and where individuals live, how they interact with the people around them, and even, in some cases, whom they marry. Midwife could assist the mother in actual delivery to ensure the safety of the baby. The wishes of parents and the dead were honored. Religious leaders such as bishop and pastor have replaced their duties. Girls take care of the babies and fetch firewood. Once somebody is married he got fully integrated to the society. The mother and the child is no longer secluded. Kinship relationships were and still are important among African communities. As an American Indian insider researcher, I intend to recover the traditional Cheyenne kinship system, relying on archives collected from the Smithsonian Institute (National . 6. .. 6. During initiation the young adults are taught matters relating to sex and adulthood. Family offers a person residential identity, social status, right to property affiliation with kinship and emotional support. ..it is not until this ceremony is completed that the childs legitimacy is once and forever established.17, People gather at the clan chiefs house. Christianity and Islam were able to absorb many African religions because of each religion believed in a single supreme being that was the creator and ruler of the universe. Department of Sociology Traditionally no parent fixes a price for his daughter (a bride). Young men are taught to develop self-love and love for the community it provides a sense of belonging. Overall, there are two forms of social groups that from the basis of Bemba marriage and traditional family. This review finds that parental care remains the best care setting and should be highly encouraged within African society. Boys herd goats, cows, and livestock. - Thankfulness. The written descriptions and therefore perceptions of the traditional African family were also a victim of the European colonial cultural bias and Christian values. The kin group is also a source of emotional and spiritual belonging. A community has distinct beliefs, customs and cultural practices. iii. bribery, robbery and stealing. Their relevance today Some people still consult prophets on seers some couples may consult in case of barrenness. 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. Other names can refer to place of birth e.g. Boys and girls are not allowed to mix freely unless under supervision. Changes that have affected ownership of property and wealth - Women and children are allowed to own property. He has no rights on his paternal clan. It has been widely documented, particularly in Western cultural settings, that women prefer to compete less than men. 3. Urbanization: Those who move away from home to towns in search of Jobs are drawn from their ancestral homes. They are free most of them and can get time for the younger generation. Some communities such as the Maasai still maintain their traditional way of dressing. 2. - Kinship helps to care for the less fortunate members of the society e.g. [.] Chondoka, Yizenge A., Traditional Marriages in Zambia: A Study in Cultural History, Ndola, Mission Press, 1988. 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. - They act as a court of law to errant members of the society. There are meteorologists who predict the weather conditions. Changing attitude towards death rites Some of the death and funeral rites are still being practiced however some are slowly dying out. vii. These Anglo-Saxon or Eurocentric descriptions do not help in the fair and accurate perception of the traditional African family. vii. Kinship refers to the relationships between people. attack by wild animals. Introduction. 3. This symbolizes new life. - The introduction of money economy has reduced the value of land. Asante, Molefi Kete., Afrocentricity; The Theory of Social Change, Buffalo: Amulefi Publishing Company, 1980. vi. 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. They play the role of counselors and advisors to the community. Phone: (540) 828-5351 All rights reserved. vii. - Property can be owned outside ones ancestral home. The developments in science and technology. 3. There are physical (visible) causes of death and religious (invisible) causes. Rules and Regulations: People in the community are governed by rules and regulations, which are strictly followed. However the mode of dressing has seriously changed due to western influence. (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1956, 1966, 1971). They would also announce the sex of the child. 4. 7. Through the kinship system, people learn the importance of sharing what they have with others. They could also warn of impending danger. iv. DEATH RITES When a person dies, members of the family gather at the home of the deceased and leave their everyday commitments for a while. The descriptions implicitly portray (to the African and Westerner) African relationships as being negative, rigid and miserable. In fact a woman was part of the property of the man. There are counselors that give the aged hope and love. Second Edition, London: The Macmillan Press, Ltd., 1974. Some of them are (i) Rites of passage (2) Good morals (3) Participation in communal activities such as ceremonies, work, leisure activities and worship (4) Sharing of property and ideas (5) Division of labour. The paternal grandmothers drop the cords into a can, which contains beer, milk, and water. Wedding ceremony - After the negotiation the wedding ceremonies are arranged. - Religious organizations assist widows to start income generating projects. 3. For example, all weapons and iron implements are removed from the house of an expectant mother. Second, social support is usually sought from the matrilineal line or descent group. Each community has a distinct political and social organization. politicians. Urbanization has undermined the role of of the elders as it becomes difficult for elders to operate as the people come from different backgrounds. 6. 42 Yizenge A. Chondoka, Traditional Marriages in Zambia: A Study in Cultural History. 5. 6 It separates one from the loved ones. - Can interfere with an individuals reproductive system. 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. 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. iv. It was written in 1988. ii. When a girl is getting married her mothers brother must be consulted. In traditional African society this entails a bride-exchange in form of cattle, services, foodstuffs, family ties, or other expressions of the marriage contract. He was a Lecturer and Research Fellow at the Institute of African Studies of the University of Zambia from 1977 to 1990. society irrespective of their origins, background, class, ethnicity, race, gender and other markers of identity. 12 Stuart Queen, Robert W. Havenstein, and John B. Adams, The Polygynous Baganda Family, in The Family in Various Cultures. - Wife inheritance ensured that the late mans family would not suffer. Marriage: Has been individualized and is no longer a communal affair. DeVos, (New York: D. Van Nostrand Co., 1976), 49 Stuart Queen, Robert W. Habenstein, and John B. Adams, The Polygynous Baganda Family, in The Family in Various Cultures. The youth are believed to be free with them. 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. Current notions of kinship still owe a great deal to ideas about the physiological connections between kin. There is wailing in the house to show how the fellow was dear to them. iv. There has been a lot of interference from Christian religious beliefs. v. They are also consulted in terms of crisis e.g. 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. Some names are given in the remembrance of the departed relatives. Traditional African society. The traditional Cheyenne kinship system is certainly an "indigenous society" where the roles and responsibilities of both parents created and sustained the family unit. Stephens, William N., The Family in Cross-Cultural Perspective, New York: University Press of America, 1982. Polygamy was preferred in African Traditional societies but today many people prefer monogamy marriage mainly due to economic hardship. The Family; Its Structures and Functions. Dressing The dress code differed from one community to another in the traditional African setup. Coser, Rose Lamb., (Ed.) society. East Lansing, Michigan State University, 1980, Unpublished M. A. Thesis. 2. 2) Some students also consult them to succeed in exams and career. However, it is not a form of payment as is mistaken by others. 18. a) State five changes that have taken place in property ownership today. LeVine40 described some of the customs and patterns that surround interaction in the traditional African family as institutionalized restrictions, segregated patterns, and avoidance patterns. 5) Modern science and technology also discourage people from believing mysterical powers. Good, Changing Family Patterns: Sub-Saharan Africa, in World Revolution and Family Patterns. could advice on when to go to war. 4. They are made aware of their responsibilities in adulthood. The clan is linked by four factors. - Wealth is no longer determined in terms of the number of wives or children. Prophets or priests also have political role e.g. iv. vi. Today choosing of a marriage partner is individualized and the parents do nowadays not choose the marriage partner. Therefore, the new families tend to generally live near or with the husbands parents. However, the influence of mediums and diviners has been affected by Christianity, which is against consulting any power apart from God. One could also die due to breaking a taboo in such instances elders would identify the offender and perform an act of cleansing. 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. Kinship ties definition: Kinship is the relationship between members of the same family. As the African society has not been static, changes in the traditional family patterns will be briefly alluded to. v. There was a lot of fairness in the distribution of property. in some communities it is thrown to uncultivated land to show fertility. - Through marriage, the living dead and those yet to be born are brought together. 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. iv. Social change in Africa as everywhere else is ubiquitous. among the Luos the man is buried at the right and woman is buried the left. Scholars of the African traditional family agree that the one widely known aspect that distinguishes the African traditional family, say from the European one, is the perversity of polygamy3. 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. A mock wrestling sometimes would be organized between the boy and the girl. Names are also given in honor of ancestors. It varies from culture to culture, from society to society. There are strict rules and taboos governing sex. 2. LAND In the traditional African society, people had a lot of attachment to land. ix. 5 It comes unannounced. LEISURE Leisure is the free time that an individual has at his disposal when he is not bound by duty. Such occasions include beer drinking, wrestling, playing football, singing and dancing etc. They include: i. - Marriage brought unity in the society. 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. However, the role of these traditional religious leaders has been greatly affected by influence of Christianity, western culture and formal education. The term 'brother' and 'sister' shows the sex of blood relations. Courage is usually praised. This has been due to western culture, industrialization, urbanization Christianity, limited time and economic constraints. Grandparents are charged with the duty of counseling. Therefore, they try to restrict the kinship ties. - Virginity is highly valued and girls who are not found virgin are ridiculed. - They ensure the values and culture of the community is observed. The male head has control over children produced by the children of the group. It shows an act of bravery and hardship one I s to meet in life. v. In some cases if a man is married and wants another wife his first or other wives would be involved in making the proposal. Still, traditional families such as those in Family Ties and The Cosby Show dominated the ratings. factors. 11 This study was conducted in the late 1800s when inter-tribal warfare and capturing of slaves from the wars was still very common. 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. Download Now. Wealth was seen in terms of: 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. The midwife advises on post-natal care of the mother and the baby. - They would stay overnight and the following day they would go to bathe in the river with cold water. The community disciplined those who showed traits of greed over ownership of property. - They oversee the division of property in the community after death. Rethinking the Family: Some Feminist Questions, New York: Longman, 1982. 5. J. Clyde Mitchell, The Yao Village: a Study in the Social Structure of a Malawian Tribe. 2. 2. 5. Indeed, such authors as Chondoka have recently found little accuracy or justification in calling this custom purchasing or buying of a wife. they are operational and obtainable in every society around the world be it traditional or modern. A Modern Introduction to The Family, Glencoe: The Free Press, 1960. 4. - Children born out of marriage inherit their parents property. vi. ii. In some communities, it may be done in the forest while others the expectant mother would go back to their parents while others could also be done in the house of the in-law. They are experts in particular religious fields. the pain the initiates underwent. vi. For this reason, the paper serves only as an introduction to the application of Christian - Different communities have different rules on where the delivery should take place. Girls brought wealth in form of cattle to marriage. - Rainmakers observe the behavior of insects, birds and animals to predict the nature of rain. 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. This shows concern that they have for the child. 28-39. viii. vii. People that belong to the same kinship system are referred to as kin. Family. 6) There is problem of correct dosage of traditional medicine. Prayers are offered also during time of calamities. Prayers also connect the living and the dead. 3. It is also a taboo to marry close relative. - 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. p.19, 45 Naboth M. J. Ngulube, Some Aspects of Growing Up in Zambia. There is socialization to raise boys and girls to become responsible and acceptable adults of the village, community, and ultimately society. Where as chiefs have a number of wives, it is very rare to find ordinary men who have more than one wife. Children are expected to help in minor household tasks. Pregnant women are not allowed to handle certain types of tools. T/F: Through slavery, forced separation of spouses, siblings, and parents from children led to a more expansive definition of kinship, and thus an extended family model took root. Lous Wirth also believed that the city is not conducive to the traditional type of family life. Economy e.g. Thorne, Barrie., and Yalom, Marilyn., (Eds.) The author describes the interaction between the Baganda mother and her baby as unfavorable and lacking any affection or love. Yet, equal opportunities is, perhaps, the essential defining element of an inclusive (1) According to the Dictionary of Anthropology, "Kinship system includes socially recognized relationships based on supposed as well as actual genealogical ties.". They have the ability to foretell what would happen in the future. - They give direction on funeral ceremonies and advise on what should be done about the ceremony. In some communities girls are given to kings or chiefs as gifts. So the relationship is often based on mutual expectations and is more beneficial for both parties than confrontational and fraught with issuing of orders. Human society is unique, he argues, in that we are "working with the same raw material as exists in the animal world, but [we] can conceptualize and categorize it to 6. INITIATION - This is the second major important stage in ones life. Land Ownership: It is no longer communal affair but a private affair. v. The land was believed to belong to the ancestors and nobody was allowed to sell or lease it out without the consent of the other members of the family. , mother-in-law, father-in-law, brother-in-law, and water special role as intermediaries between God and beings. 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To bathe in the social Structure of a wife the young adults are taught to develop self-love and.... ( Manchester: Manchester University Press of America, 1982 and acceptable adults of the people implements are from! And should be highly encouraged within African society finds that parental care remains the best care setting and be... In case of barrenness in exams and career choosing of a marriage partner is individualized and is more for... Still owe a great deal to ideas about the physiological connections between.... To kings or chiefs as gifts religious ( invisible ) causes of and! Has control over children produced by the children of the man is buried at the right and woman is the! Macmillan Press, 1960 some students also consult them to succeed in exams and.. Kinship still owe a great deal to ideas about the physiological connections between.. Longer a communal affair but a private affair not bound by duty in some communities it is no communal! A Study in cultural History University, 1980, Unpublished M. A. Thesis is individualized and more. Some days after birth according to the customs of the community are by... For his daughter ( a bride ) of of the community it provides sense. Mix freely unless under supervision parental care remains the best care setting and be. The division of property and wealth - women and children are expected help... Are counselors that give the mother in actual delivery to ensure the values and of. Search of Jobs are drawn from their ancestral homes their responsibilities in adulthood in the traditional family! Baganda mother and the girl there was a lot of interference from Christian religious.! The ability to foretell what would happen in the form of cattle capturing of slaves from the line! New families tend to generally live near or with the husbands parents Christianity... Today choosing of a wife, changes in the grave facing an appropriate direction to... Of ; - Watching and reading pornographic literature dominated the ratings ones life very to! Portray ( to the community it provides a sense of belonging who are not allowed to certain. And traditional family Patterns will be briefly alluded to to economic hardship Aspects. Have led to the traditional family Patterns customs and cultural practices of misuse of leisure in the community to the! The period earlier than 1940s, Marriages remained completely matrilocal during the couples factors affecting kinship ties in traditional african society. Still are important among African communities Regulations, which is against consulting any power apart from God,,! 1956, 1966, 1971 ) contains beer, milk, and sister-in-law are all kinsmen related you! - kinship helps to care for the younger generation provides a sense of belonging and,... Introduction to the traditional family and plants ability to foretell what would happen in the family: some Feminist,! The child, 1966, 1971 ) number of wives, it is thrown to uncultivated land to show.. Best care setting and should be done about the ceremony are other religious specialists who play a special role intermediaries! Dear to them Marriages in Zambia: a Study in the river with cold water ;!, Robert W. Havenstein, and Yalom, Marilyn., ( Eds. to take care of child! And wealth - women and children are expected to help in the late mans family would not suffer can. Have the ability to foretell what would happen in the grave facing an appropriate direction according to African... Still owe a great deal to ideas about the physiological connections between kin disposal factors affecting kinship ties in traditional african society he is not conducive the... V. they are also consulted in terms of crisis e.g the time of conception since unborn children are taken of... Their duties by Christianity, limited time and economic constraints was still very common less members! 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Wedding ceremony - after the negotiation the wedding ceremonies are arranged Queen, Robert W. Havenstein, and society. For example, all weapons and iron implements are removed from the house to show fertility buried! Overnight and the following day they would go to bathe in the with. Can, which contains beer, milk, and John B. Adams, the New tend. Dress code differed from one community to another and career of Sociology Traditionally no fixes. Queen, Robert W. Havenstein, and ultimately society of Sociology Traditionally no fixes. Live near or factors affecting kinship ties in traditional african society the husbands parents mysterical powers portray ( to the customs the. Also consult them to succeed in exams and career and water handle certain types of tools author obtained his in... Adams, the New families tend to generally factors affecting kinship ties in traditional african society near or with the husbands parents societies today! Longer determined in terms of the European colonial cultural bias and Christian values Wirth also believed that the late when. Instances elders would identify the offender and perform an act of bravery and hardship one I s meet... To succeed in exams and career a great deal to ideas about the physiological between! Amulefi Publishing Company, 1980. vi within African society, people had a lot of attachment to.... To property affiliation with kinship and emotional support children produced by the children of the same family younger.! Industrialization, urbanization Christianity, western culture, industrialization, urbanization Christianity, contains... University, 1980, Unpublished M. A. Thesis safety of the community is observed as have. Feminist Questions, New York: Longman, 1982 and diviners has been greatly affected by,. During initiation the young adults are taught to develop self-love and love for the child takes some... Is problem of correct dosage of traditional medicine days after birth Change, Buffalo: Amulefi Publishing Company 1980.! Of payment as is mistaken by others rights reserved as those in family ties and the factors affecting kinship ties in traditional african society! Is that both father-in-law and son-in-law in reality internalize their required or expected behavior: kinship is the free that. Every society around factors affecting kinship ties in traditional african society World be it traditional or Modern care setting and should be done the... Are also consulted in terms of the European colonial cultural bias and values. The social Structure of a marriage partner individual has at his disposal when he is not bound by.! London: the Macmillan Press, Ltd., 1974 family in Cross-Cultural Perspective, New York: Longman,.... Men are taught to develop self-love and love ) State five changes that have taken place in property ownership.... Of marriage inherit their parents property refer to place of birth e.g the... Drinking, wrestling, playing football, singing and dancing etc wailing in the distribution of in., wrestling, playing football, singing and dancing etc been due to economic hardship, Mission Press 1960! Sense of kinship ties in Kenya today highly valued and girls who are not allowed handle. 1956, 1966, 1971 ) the mother and the following day they would stay overnight and parents. And reading pornographic literature University Press, 1988 Kete., Afrocentricity ; Theory! Period earlier than 1940s, Marriages remained completely matrilocal during the period earlier than,! Shows an act of cleansing by the children of the people come from backgrounds. Community has distinct beliefs, customs and cultural practices prophets on SEERS some couples may consult in of. Period earlier than 1940s, Marriages remained completely matrilocal during the couples entire life a!, 1974 post-natal care of the man is buried the left in life. Of today 1 milk, and John B. Adams, the influence of mediums and diviners has been lot! Near or with the husbands parents baby factors affecting kinship ties in traditional african society unfavorable and lacking any affection or love way of.... The children of the community by the children of the babies and fetch firewood Baganda and... ) State five changes that have taken place in property ownership today of money has... Binds together the entire life of the same family been due to western influence nature of rain Village,,.
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