6. There are meteorologists who predict the weather conditions. viii. - In African traditional society, each individual is related to the other. Wealth was seen in terms of: 1. 12. Girls take care of the babies and fetch firewood. - Wife inheritance has become risky due to HIV/AIDS. Elders are respected [32777] [42770]. d. If it is a man, the wife is supposed to stay around the corpse among them show clearly she would miss the husband. (New York: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1961) p.68. - It causes physical injury to the victim. By combining the patrilocal rule of residence with consanguinal descent, the Baganda have built a formidable system of clans.13, Among the Baganda, the clan has remained the most important kinship entity. - It was a common belief that a woman belonged to the whole community. Good, Changing Family Patterns: Sub-Saharan Africa, in World Revolution and Family Patterns. - Hardworking. Through supernatural powers iii. Land ownership: The ancestral land is communally owned and nobody is allowed to sell it. 4. They are those who do not believe in traditional medicine. Many people have migrated to towns where people come from different backgrounds. 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. 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. Some communities such as the Maasai still maintain their traditional way of dressing. iii. Removal of teeth. In rural areas, the family typically . The mother may hug or caress the child and comfort it when hurt or in distress. 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. - People do not have a lot of attachment to land, as there are other means of survival. Rain makers ii. ELDERS They are people who are elderly in society. 5. Introduction. a child born after a long period of childless marriage is called Ogwedhi among the Luo. (Lusaka: Nalinga Consultancy/Sol-Consult A/S Limited, 1989), 38 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. 126. Prayers are offered also during time of calamities. Edited by G.A. This shows concern that they have for the child. In many traditional African societies, kinship ties are similarly expansive and can include a large and diverse range of relationships. - In most African communities a widow was inherited by the husbands close relatives. They at times suffer from loneliness and psychological problems How the aged are taken care of today 1. In many matrilineal societies, the maternal uncle in the go-between or undertakes all the arrangements and responsibilities for his nephews marriage.32 In case of divorce, the womens people were legal guardians of the children. These changes have been brought about by:- i. iv. - In some communities it would be thrown in rivers, forest in Banana plantations. Those who had not been initiated were not allowed to own property. Land Ownership: It is no longer communal affair but a private affair. 3. Kinship systems provide each person with a defined role (based on age, gender, and other factors), and serve to link people via duties of care [35856]. 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. They are experts in particular religious fields. Bridgewater College Kinship is a social relationship based on real consanguinity. Before initiation one is not fully considered belonging to the community. It shows an act of bravery and hardship one I s to meet in life. Early marriages are encountered to reduce fornication. - Marriage raised the status of the couples once somebody was married he was given a lot of respect. 7. - Different communities have different rules on where the delivery should take place. Chondoka, Yizenge A., Traditional Marriages in Zambia: A Study in Cultural History, Ndola, Mission Press, 1988. - It also shows that the woman is fully integrated to the husbands family - There are certain rules and regulations she is expected to observe. Mitchell, J. iii. Girls at an early age are taught a wide range of household and agricultural duties including cooking, cultivation and tending children. 2. 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 This review finds that parental care remains the best care setting and should be highly encouraged within African society. 2. Those who are lazy are ridiculed. There is a lot of secrecy surrounding the knowledge of herbs. This is certainly no longer the case in the contemporary African traditional family. - A lot of bleeding can lead to the death of an individual. Lous Wirth also believed that the city is not conducive to the traditional type of family life. 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. RITES OF PASSAGE These are important stages in life that one has to undergo. These Anglo-Saxon or Eurocentric descriptions do not help in the fair and accurate perception of the traditional African family. 2) Some students also consult them to succeed in exams and career. (Ndola: Mission Press, 1988), 44 Thomas Price, A Short English-Nyanja Vocaublary, (Lusaka: National Educational Company of Zambia, and Kenneth Kaunda Foundation, 1970). 6. To give the mother time to heal. - The introduction of money economy has reduced the value of land. Today choosing of a marriage partner is individualized and the parents do nowadays not choose the marriage partner. Land is owned by individuals. TOPIC 9:AFRICAN MORAL AND CULTURAL VALUES MEANING AND WHOLENESS OF LIFE- In the African traditional society, life is believed to originate from God. First, the strengths, durability, and resilience of the African traditional family were never dwelt on explicitly and at length. 4. - Property can be owned outside ones ancestral home. IV, pp.66-87. - They are many types of the wedding ceremonies. Their relevance today Some people still consult prophets on seers some couples may consult in case of barrenness. v. They drive a way witches and evil spirits. LEISURE Leisure is the free time that an individual has at his disposal when he is not bound by duty. - In most communities the child and the mother are kept in seclusion for a number of days, depending on the sex of the baby. ..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. Other names can refer to place of birth e.g. Through this, they believed they could receive blessings. Changing attitudes to birth and naming 1. This manuscript was written for a book, which was never published, which was to be edited by Dr. Elizabeth Brooks who was a lecturer at the University of Zambia. Evans-Pritchard, J.J., Some Aspects of Marriage and the Family Among the Nuer, The Rhodes-Livingstone Papers, Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1945, 1969. c) Explain the factors weakening kinship ties among Africa communities. - Some people acquire wealth through dishonest means e.g. Reconnecting with a genetic tie Genetic resource and testing connected a person to their blood. 3. This difficulty in generalization bone of diversity was already apparent to many early scholars of the African traditional family like Mair(1) and Goode(2). Adams, Bert N., The Family: A Sociological Interpretation, 4th Edition, New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers, 1986. This is because; 1 It is unavoidable. Kinship systems are often used for organizational purposes, including the organization of family members. p.19, 45 Naboth M. J. Ngulube, Some Aspects of Growing Up in Zambia. It is believed that the dead relatives continue to live through children. g. The body is carefully placed in the grave facing an appropriate direction according to the customs of the people. Diviners and mediums iii. Priests/prophets v. Blacksmiths The religious specialists acquire their skills through:- i. Inheritance from a relative ii. - 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. 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. - Kinship ties also provide security to all concerned. 2. Rethinking the Family: Some Feminist Questions, New York: Longman, 1982. The government, the church and non-governmental organizations have built homes for the aged. - Marriage extended relationship and therefore enlarged kinship ties. - They negotiate for peace in time of war with another community. During initiation the initiates are given special instructions that prepare them for future life. Although children among the Baganda are brought up in an unroutinized and casual way with a few rites of passage to adulthood, they seem to go through three distinct stages during their up bringing. Some people believe casting of an evil eye would cause bodily harm to somebody. They can foretell the future e.g. 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. There are physical (visible) causes of death and religious (invisible) causes. iii. It gives the mans family time to prepare for the dowry payment. Similar customs or rules of restrictions in interaction apply between many other kin in a traditional African family. 6 It separates one from the loved ones. Lusaka: National Educational Company of Zambia, and Kenneth Kaunda Foundation, 1970. In a typical traditional African society, the family comprised of a number of individuals, ranging from grandparents,aunts,uncles, father, mother, children etc sometimes the "sahwira" is also regarded as part of that family in some sense. Barnes, Marriage in a Changing Society: a Study in Structural Change among the Fort Jameson Ngoni, The Rhodes-Livingstone Papers, (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1951, 1970). (Buffalo: Amulefi Publishing Company, 1980). - Diviners are people who are believed to have the ability to reveal hidden things by use of magical powers Role of mediums and diviners in the societies i. Mediums link the living, spirits and the ancestors. The term 'brother' and 'sister' shows the sex of blood relations. However, both the organization of the family unit, marriage, decent systems and the structure of kinship relations vary from society to society and through time (Ingiabuna et al. vi. Similar systems of kinship terminology can be found, for example, among the Ndebele of Zimbabwe, the Zulu of South Africa, the Ngoni and Tumbuka of Eastern Zambia. Edited by Arthur Phillips, (London: Oxford University Press, 1953) p.1, 10 Stuart Queen, Robert W. Habenstein, and John B. Adams, The Polygynous Baganda Family, in The Family in Various Cultures. They would only speak through intermediaries. Some reflect the condition of weather or season at the time of birth. In view of the poor development of social security systems outside the family, hardly anyone would wish to escape the power of kinship ties. 4. could advice on when to go to war. But typically news, information, and gossip flow readily through the network, with some individuals acting as "kin . 2. There are strict rules and taboos governing sex. 4. 8. As an American Indian insider researcher, I intend to recover the traditional Cheyenne kinship system, relying on archives collected from the Smithsonian Institute (National . In some communities as soon as a woman realizes she is expecting, she and the husband completely stops having sexual intercourse until after birth. There are several forms of Initiation; these include:- i. Circumcision ii. Majority of women today give birth in hospitals. Many women today put on trousers that initially were meant for men. 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. - Life also continues after death, death does not mark the end of life but is just a change of state. Barnes, J.A., Marriage in a Changing Society: a Study in Structural Change among the Fort Jameson Ngoni, The Rhodes-Livingstone Papers, Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1951, 1970. (1) According to the Dictionary of Anthropology, "Kinship system includes socially recognized relationships based on supposed as well as actual genealogical ties.". There are three main types of kinship: lineal, collateral, and affinal. 6. Which factors have led to the weakening of kinship ties in Kenya today? It is kinship, which controls social relationship between people in a given community: it governs marital customs and regulations, it determines the behavior of individuals towards another. Most of the time they suffer from old age diseases. 11 This study was conducted in the late 1800s when inter-tribal warfare and capturing of slaves from the wars was still very common. 1. Bridgewater, VA 22812 People who have gone to school see the aged as old fashioned (generation gap) 6. 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). In difficult times such as during famine, those who have share what they have with their relatives. 7. They are not supposed to take part in heavy duties or carry heavy loads. Mothers and children would die at childbirth to cases where there is no skilled mid-wife. (Eds.) - Kinship helps to care for the less fortunate members of the society e.g. 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. iii. How Names are given in the traditional African societies 1. - Children born out of marriage also provide security to the homes. Religion: Africans now get identified with new groupings e.g. Most of these changes in most cases are in conflict with the African customs. Everybody is a part of the other. It can determine a person's political identity and the way money and property are transferred. Information on traditional marriage customs among both patrilineal and matrilineal peoples of Zambia is available in Yizenge A. Chondoka, Traditional Marriages in Zambia: A Study in Cultural History, (Ndola: Mission Press, 1988). LAND In the traditional African society, people had a lot of attachment to land. 10. They lead people to communal prayer in time of crisis. 3. For example, in debt and marriage obligations. Factors contributing to harmony and Mutual Responsibility in African Traditional Societies In traditional African Society, every individual is related to all. Lobola is widely used among the Bantu peoples of Central and Southern Africa.39, Avoidance, segregated relationships, lack of love and tenderness in traditional African marriages and the family has been a common theme among European scholars. The case studies presented will be those of the Baganda of Uganda and Bemba of Northern Zambia. -The spirit of sharing. 16. They face challenges from medical practitioners who argue that they should go for formal training. As the African society has not been static, changes in the traditional family patterns will be briefly alluded to. 3. Property could be owned by community, individuals or families. iii. Kinship refers to the relationships between people. Christianity: Christianity has weakened African Kinship ties by introducing new ties by the Christian family. Tembo, Mwizenge S., A Sociological Analysis of the African Personality Among Zambian Students. Dressing The dress code differed from one community to another in the traditional African setup. The traditional Cheyenne kinship system is certainly an "indigenous society" where the roles and responsibilities of both parents created and sustained the family unit. iv. They can also reveal-hidden information e.g. Schooling where children spend most of their time with teachers depriving them the time to be with elders. Kinship is reckoned through blood and betrothal (engagement and marriage). People like politicians and students consult medicine men to succeed in the careers. All the members come together in times of need. i. This may be due to urbanization and economic constraints. Most of these ceremonies are religious. Dowry payment is no longer a communal affair but an individual affair. 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. Natural Factors: ADVERTISEMENTS: Natural forces and factors play an important role in unifying or disintegrating the society. Introduction The primary objective of this paper is to define the African traditional religious system as the basis of understanding Christian spiritual warfare within an African context. 5. In some communities the choice is made by the parents. However, the role of these traditional religious leaders has been greatly affected by influence of Christianity, western culture and formal education. 2. In fact cases where the father-in-law has to issue orders are perhaps such a minority that it is ironical that they are used to characterize the whole social interaction. - They can foretell the future by receiving visions, dreams or words from God. Indeed this sense of kinship binds together the entire life of the "tribe . vi. The gift replaces her reminding the family that she has left her people yet she is not dead. 28-39. Circumcision is carried out at times in hospitals for health reasons. KINSHIP SYSTEM - Kinship refers to being related to another either by blood or marriage. RAIN MAKERS - Rain in traditional Africa is understood to come directly from God. 8. 4. Elders iv. 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 cultural and physical diversity added with the dramatic social changes of the last three decades on the continent makes the family pattern situation so variegated as to defy any sweeping generalizations. Kinship is at the heart of First Nations society. Many communities made clothes from animal skins, bark of trees, sisal and leaves. 3. They could also give aid to increase productivity e.g. 25 likes 25,448 views. Modern education and western culture has affected dowry payment in that many educated attach little value to dowry payment. Types of Kinship. Professor of Sociology, Bridgewater College. 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