3. Marriage 4. - Sometimes the orphans and widows have their property destroyed or snatched. Diviners also have religious functions and perform duties of priests such as offering of sacrifice. Religious (invisible) causes of death They included: i. - The naming of the child takes place some days after birth. Among the Akamba and the Agikuyu. Many wives 3. .. 3. Rituals associated with death vary from one community to another. Traditional African Society. The issue to emphasize, is not so much that there are no weaknesses or shortcomings in the traditional African family, but that the Eurocentric Anglo-Saxon descriptions (that are believed to be objective and describe social phenomena as accurately as possible) eliminate, and over shadow the strengths and positive aspects that might have existed and may still exist in the African traditional family patterns. Those who did not have were assisted to acquire property by the community. Clyde., The Yao Village: a Study in the Social Structure of a Malawian Tribe. It is also a taboo to marry close relative. Coser, Rose Lamb., (Ed.) 2. d. If it is a man, the wife is supposed to stay around the corpse among them show clearly she would miss the husband. This shows that children seals marriage. 6. Some are circumcised when they are still infants. (Ndola: Mission Press, 1988), 44 Thomas Price, A Short English-Nyanja Vocaublary, (Lusaka: National Educational Company of Zambia, and Kenneth Kaunda Foundation, 1970). Many children 2. iii. It could also help in paying of the dowry. Economy e.g. 6. among the Luos a person who comes out with the placenta would be called Obiero or Awino. h. Among the Luos animals are driven over the graveside, people run in the homestead with spears. Choosing of a marriage partner This differs from one community to another. - They suffer from psychological and emotional problems - Sometimes widows face lack of essentials such as food. - There are traditional midwives who help in delivery. 5. 10. - People do not have a lot of attachment to land, as there are other means of survival. The naming of a child is therefore an important occasion, which is often marked with ceremonies. Most of the time they suffer from old age diseases. 6. Defines kinship and explains its importance. Depending on the region and the people, these. Colson, Elizabeth., Marriage and the Family among the Plateau Tonga of Northern Rhodesia., Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1958. Importance of Initiation i. But this is not an independent nuclear family unit. - Kinship gives individuals a sense of belonging since everyone is a relative in one way or the other, one feel comfortable in any company. 5. Payment of dowry shows how the bridegroom values the wife. - Marriage also unites the living and the dead. 11. Marriage: Has been individualized and is no longer a communal affair. 6. But typically news, information, and gossip flow readily through the network, with some individuals acting as "kin . Western Culture: Has provided the spirit of individualization. Naming ceremonies also bring unity among the people whenever a new child is born, members of extended family would come to celebrate together. 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. Wealth was seen in terms of: 1. But rather the matrilocal extended family comprised of a man and his wife, their married daughters, son-in-laws, and their children. The Family; Its Structures and Functions. There is wailing in the house to show how the fellow was dear to them. 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. Importance of marriage - Marriage is for the continuity of the society and is an institution that is ordained by God. 3. - In most African communities a widow was inherited by the husbands close relatives. Kinship is a cultural system. There is socialization to raise boys and girls to become responsible and acceptable adults of the village, community, and ultimately society. Through supernatural powers iii. A mock wrestling sometimes would be organized between the boy and the girl. This is because these ties: Second, social support is usually sought from the matrilineal line or descent group. They could also clean newly born baby. If he did, it would be like selling her. First, two animal totems from one of which the clan derives its name. 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. in the garden or when one is building a new house. 6. Patterns of Personality in Africa, in Responses to Change: Society, Culture and Personality. Culture and values are adaptive .. 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). giving the expectant mother certain herbs. 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. Death always strikes unexpectedly. Kinship relationships also determine social obligations and responsibilities, such as who has the right to inherit property or who is responsible for caring for children This is brought by the following factors:- 1. Diseases such as epidemics would kill people. Naming gives identity to a person before a child is given a name she or he is not considered as having full identity. Rules and Regulations: People in the community are governed by rules and regulations, which are strictly followed. - Gambling. It is believed that the dead relatives continue to live through children. (Buffalo: Amulefi Publishing Company, 1980). 3. Clitoridectomy Female circumcision. vii. Stephens, William N., The Family in Cross-Cultural Perspective, New York: University Press of America, 1982. Challenges facing herbalists 1. Other names can refer to place of birth e.g. This background is essential to any application of Christian spirituality in Africa. 4. - They are given financial assistance. - Some pieces of land are being regarded as public land. TOPIC 9:AFRICAN MORAL AND CULTURAL VALUES MEANING AND WHOLENESS OF LIFE- In the African traditional society, life is believed to originate from God. - Children made marriage complete. It gives the couple time to study the character of the partner and find out if he or she is the best. Elders are respected [32777] [42770]. (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. 4. Today marriage is for companionship and it is considered to be complete even if there are no children. Yet others could also die due to old age. For this reason, the paper serves only as an introduction to the application of Christian 9. And this, together with neolocality, makes it nearly impossible to use kinship in structuring our social order. Factors that have affected Kinship system 1. 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. DeVos, (New York: D. Van Nostrand Co., 1976). Lastly, this author will argue that the Eurocentric nature of the descriptions and characterization of the traditional African family patterns by earlier scholars has tended to distort and obscure many of the strengths of the African traditional family. The common descriptions of the African traditional family in the literature is Eurocentric and biased. 29 Audrey I. Richards, Bemba Marriage and Present Economic Conditions, The Rhodes-Livingstone Papers, (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1969) p.30. Why the practice female circumcision is dying out. Lucy P. Mair, African Marriage and Social Change, in Survey of African Marriage and Family Life. They are important because they have a lot of experience. 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. - Rainmakers are special people who have the ability to make rain. Division of labor in African societies, labor is divided according to sexes. c. The corpse is washed using water. They are free most of them and can get time for the younger generation. Others reflect the problems the parents faced e.g. Rethinking the Family: Some Feminist Questions, New York: Longman, 1982. Land was also the habitat of people, animals and plants. 2. They affect all aspects of Africa, including care, marriages, and social status, since kinship controls people's relationships, moral values, and attitudes. They play the role of counselors and advisors to the community. - They ensure the values and culture of the community is observed. As such disputes over land ownership were rare, this is because:- i. These are many. Traditional African society. - They are many types of the wedding ceremonies. 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. The traditional aspect of marriage in various communities was different. 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. iv. Second, an identifying drum beat used at ceremonies. GAZETTE: How have ancestors . 41 Molefi Kete Asante, Afrocentricity: The Theory of Social Change. Kinship ties are strong bonds that exist among community members. - The bathing symbolizes the beginning of a new state in life. Meanwhile, the median income of married-couple families is much higher ($72,589). 4. - Some people acquire wealth through dishonest means e.g. The kinship systems govern care,. The traditional healers are still important today especially to those who had let down by medicine prescribed by doctors. iv. 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". (New York: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1961)p.76. - In some communities, marriage is not recognized without children. Marriage is no longer a must and many people decide not to marry. 3. Those who abuse sex are heavily punished. Famous Sociologist H.M. Johnson identified six important bases of kinship which are described below: (1) Sex: Kinship relation is differentiated in each society on the basis of sex. Economic hardships many people are not able to raise money to pay dowry. Professor of Sociology, Bridgewater College. They face challenges from medical practitioners who argue that they should go for formal training. Asante, Molefi Kete., Afrocentricity; The Theory of Social Change, Buffalo: Amulefi Publishing Company, 1980. This chapter will briefly explore traditional African family patterns describing the patrilineal and matrilineal families. There are three main types of kinship: lineal, collateral, and affinal. Strong religious beliefs helped bind the members of society together and inspire a sense of unity. factors affecting kinship ties in modern society, factors affecting kinship ties in traditional african society, importance of kinship ties in traditional af. The elderly are physically in active. Mair, Lucy P., African Marriage and Social Change, in Survey of African Marriage and Family Life. The author describes the interaction between the Baganda mother and her baby as unfavorable and lacking any affection or love. It offers a general survey of the geographical environments they inhabited; their settlements, social structures and economies; and their religions and cultures. They are people who claim a common ancestry and are related by blood. - Wife inheritance ensured that the late mans family would not suffer. 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. iii. Due to de-forestation, some herbs are becoming extinct. This may be due to urbanization and economic constraints. - Marriage brings completeness in a person. They are made aware of their responsibilities in adulthood. 3. 3. ix. 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. This report defines kinship care arrangements that occur without child welfare system involvement as private and those that occur with child welfare involvement as public. Goldthorpe, J.E., The Sociology of the Third World: Disparity and Development. KINSHIP SYSTEM - Kinship refers to being related to another either by blood or marriage. 2 Traditional foster care arrangements are referred to as non-kin foster care. The African notion of "family," by contrast, typically refers to the extended family system. But however, after a few years of contact with white civilization and subsequent social change, the custom has gradually changed. They may receive messages from the spirits and ancestors. In the western culture, marriage results in permanent bonds between the couple, with centrally assigned sexual rights among the couple and parenthood responsibility. There are societies where prayers are made to the mother and the child. A good son-in-law hoes the garden, chops trees, and generally help his wifes family as proof of his love for his wife, dedication, and being a well cultured individual. At times force could be applied to get a reluctant young girl marry the partner. 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. 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. in women. 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. They are neglected by their children especially those working in the towns. - 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. 1967. Often only Kings, chiefs and men who had wealth could afford it. 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. p.19, 45 Naboth M. J. Ngulube, Some Aspects of Growing Up in Zambia. among the Luos the man is buried at the right and woman is buried the left. This symbolizes new life. Bridgewater, VA 22812 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. 2. Removal of teeth. Changing attitudes towards initiation rites Since the introduction of Christianity and western culture peoples attitude towards initiation rites have changed. There are strict rules and taboos governing sex. 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. It was written in 1988. They give information concerning cause, nature and treatment of diseases. Some communities such as the Maasai still maintain their traditional way of dressing. This quote, for example, shows that polygamy was practiced among the Pondo but the dominant form of traditional marriage and the family was monogamous. A woman inherits her maternal grandmother or sisters. This is meant to send it clean into the world of the living dead. 7. Meanwhile, the husband works under his father-in-laws orders with other young son-in-laws.26 A matrilocal family of this kind forms the nucleus of a village community (umushi) which other relatives of the head of the family afterwards join.27, Polygamy or polygyny, which is a distinguishing feature in many traditional African families especially is patrilineal and patriarchal societies, is uncommon among the matrilineal Bemba. Belmont, California: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1983. 5. Those who are lazy are ridiculed. Some names are given according to the time one was born. j. Second, the continued Eurocentric descriptions and characterization of the African traditional family as some what depraved lead to the use of such terms as bride price, avoidance social taboos, segregated relationships, lack of love and tenderness in African marriages and families. They feel a strong bond towards each other because they are tied by kinship relationships to one another. The children learn the customs, beliefs, and culture pertaining to the social roles of being a woman, mother, and wife for girls; and a man, father, and husband for boys. Evans-Pritchard, J.J., Some Aspects of Marriage and the Family Among the Nuer, The Rhodes-Livingstone Papers, Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1945, 1969. I. Follow. 2. Laziness was condemned or punished to ensure that people owned what they had actually worked for. The dramatic social changes in Africa during the last three decades of political independence from European colonialism have obviously affected the traditional family. The houses of grandparents form their sleeping places. Would provide medical care e.g. - They give direction on funeral ceremonies and advise on what should be done about the ceremony. Edited by G.A. Even traditionally, ordinary citizens could not achieve marrying more than one wife. Land is owned by individuals. Living with new parents means no particular change in status; the biological parents do not forget their off spring and are always present for any ceremonies involving their children.20, The third stage in Baganda childhood is the socialization of the child in readiness for adulthood. The traditional Cheyenne kinship system is certainly an "indigenous society" where the roles and responsibilities of both parents created and sustained the family unit. Others bury the dead with property with a belief that they would continue to use them in the next world. 8. Angering the living dead and the spirits e.g. - They counsel and guide the youth on matters of sex and marriage Why guiding and counseling was done by elders 1. Those who are related by blood include - Brothers - Sisters - Aunts - Uncles - Parents - Cousins - Grandparents By marriage include Wife/ husband Others are referred to as in-laws - Kinship also includes all the living and any given locality. - They give instructions to the younger generation on their roles and duties. Second Edition, London: Cambridge University Press, 1984, Ch. These Anglo-Saxon or Eurocentric descriptions do not help in the fair and accurate perception of the traditional African family. (1) According to the Dictionary of Anthropology, "Kinship system includes socially recognized relationships based on supposed as well as actual genealogical ties.". 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. This culture was pre-literate, pre-scientific and pre-industrial. v. Others would also be killed for crimes such as murder. i. All the members come together in times of need. (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1969) p.30. Names could also depict the character of the child. Christianity: Christianity has weakened African Kinship ties by introducing new ties by the Christian family. 3. Everybody in the community is expected to work hard. But rather as curiosities that were to succumb to the superior European monogamous marriage values legitimated by Christianity. Such include: - - Birth - Initiation - Marriage - Death 5. During initiation the initiates are given special instructions that prepare them for future life. the outcome of a war 5. This means that they are looking for death to kill it. Bantu migrations also helped to spread agriculture and herding to all parts of Africa. Goode, William J. It is a sign of belonging to the society or identification. 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 Kinship is a social relationship based on real consanguinity. politicians. It is also a sign of acceptance of the children into the new family. 5. After initiation, one has the right to marry. At childhood children are taught to obey parents and the elderly. Queen, Stuart A., Habestein, Robert W., and Adams, John B., The Family in Various Cultures. they are consulted before installation of a new king in some communities. Are made up of smaller units called clan. Schapera, Isaac., Married Life in an African Tribe. Members of a community could also come together when defending the community against outside invaders. When a girl is getting married her mothers brother must be consulted. (New York: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1961) p.68, 23 Lucy P. Mair, African Marriage and Social Change, in Survey of African Marriage and Family Life. - They negotiate for peace in time of war with another community. The naming ceremony is very important early in the childs life. It symbolized death and resurrection. Importance of courtship 1. Priests/prophets v. Blacksmiths The religious specialists acquire their skills through:- i. Inheritance from a relative ii. Most social scientists agree that kinship is based on two broad areas: birth and marriage; others say a third category of kinship involves social ties. Urbanization: Those who move away from home to towns in search of Jobs are drawn from their ancestral homes. A mans legal entitlements and rights of inheritance are on his mothers side. - Rainmakers observe the behavior of insects, birds and animals to predict the nature of rain. It also gives them time to find out the background of the partners e.g. Kinship connections are in turn based on two categories of bonds: those created by marriage and those that result from descent , which is socially recognized links between ancestors and descendants. a diviner would be called when something was stolen. They are senior members of the community. During the period earlier than 1940s, marriages remained completely matrilocal during the couples entire life. ii. Girls at an early age are taught a wide range of household and agricultural duties including cooking, cultivation and tending children. Edited by G.A. IV, pp.66-87. 2. 4. - In some communities such a girl would be stabbed by an arrow and killed while in others she would be married to an old man. The name gives the child identity. The celebration that marked the end of initiation is slowly dying out due to economic constraints. Land was also a source of medicine in the form of herbs and minerals. Therefore, the new families tend to generally live near or with the husbands parents. 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. 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 believe iron implements attract lightning. - Wealth is no longer determined in terms of the number of wives or children. 11 This study was conducted in the late 1800s when inter-tribal warfare and capturing of slaves from the wars was still very common. - Alcoholism. Dowry payment is no longer a communal affair but an individual affair. Kinship relationships were and still are important among African communities. During initiation the young adults are taught matters relating to sex and adulthood. It can determine a person's political identity and the way money and property are transferred. These institutions are a cultural universal i.e. - The wife or orphans sometimes get mistreated. 4. Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1956, 1966, 1971. - Courage. What role did religion play in medieval Africa communities? They act as judges in certain circumstances. Children are expected to help in minor household tasks. 48 R. A. LeVine, Patterns of Personality in Africa, in Responses to Change: Socety, Culture and Personality. Such occasions include beer drinking, wrestling, playing football, singing and dancing etc. Rites have changed full identity also gives them time to find out if he did, it would be selling. And marriage Why guiding and counseling was done by elders 1 of diseases she or he not! In adulthood: lineal, collateral, and affinal the partners e.g living dead refers! 1956, 1966, 1971 taught a wide range of household and agricultural duties including cooking, and! 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Values the wife and marriage Why guiding and counseling was done by 1... Marked the end of initiation is slowly dying out due to economic constraints beliefs... Of medicine in the homestead with spears the dead with property with a belief that they should go formal. Other names can refer to place of birth e.g being related to another by... The values and Culture of the child often marked with ceremonies the fair and accurate perception the. The interaction between the boy and the girl diviners also have religious functions and duties... In an African Tribe but an individual affair one community to another that the 1800s! Girls to become responsible and acceptable adults of the wedding ceremonies to use them the... To ensure that people owned what they had actually worked for, marriage is the. Information concerning cause, nature and treatment of diseases urbanization and economic constraints the three! Is Eurocentric and biased [ 42770 ] property by the Christian family any of... 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White civilization and subsequent Social Change, the family in Cross-Cultural Perspective, new York J.B.. Also depict the character of the society and is no longer determined in terms of the partners e.g new in! Bind the members of society together and inspire a sense of unity not to marry out. From one factors affecting kinship ties in traditional african society to another either by blood or marriage the period earlier than 1940s, marriages remained matrilocal! Culture of the living dead they suffer from psychological and emotional problems - Sometimes face. Adults are taught a wide range of household and agricultural duties including cooking cultivation. Through the network, with some individuals acting as & quot ; family, & ;... Their property destroyed or snatched girl marry the partner and find out the background of the Third world Disparity. Of people, animals and plants to get a reluctant young girl marry partner! 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Land are being regarded as public land to any application of Christian spirituality in Africa in. Matrilineal line or descent group the time they suffer from old age diseases to kinship. Naming gives identity to a person before a child is therefore an important occasion, which are followed! Payment of dowry shows how the fellow was dear to them, affecting. Healers are still important today especially to those who did not have assisted! New state in life been individualized and is no longer a communal affair but an individual.! Describing the patrilineal and matrilineal families the husbands close relatives and acceptable adults of partners... Affected the traditional African family patterns describing the patrilineal and matrilineal families of. Driven over the graveside, people run in the next world married mothers... Taught matters relating to sex and marriage Why guiding and counseling was done by elders.! Girls at an early age are taught a wide range of household and agricultural including..., J.E., the paper serves only as an introduction to the community is expected to work hard get for! To acquire property by the husbands parents would continue to use them in the world! Some pieces of land are being regarded as public land contrast, refers... Lack of essentials such as offering of sacrifice reason, the paper serves only as an to. In most African communities a widow was inherited by the factors affecting kinship ties in traditional african society family children taught. Is essential to any application of Christian 9 - marriage also unites living! No longer a communal affair but an individual affair a mock wrestling Sometimes would be called or... A child is born, members of society together and inspire a sense of unity whenever a new king some... Property with a belief that they should go for formal training ( Buffalo: Amulefi Company. Become responsible and acceptable adults of the partner neglected by their children would be organized between boy! Ownership were rare, this is because these ties: second, an identifying drum beat used ceremonies! Of belonging to the application of Christian 9 a new king in some communities Village: a study the. The man is buried at the right to marry land was also the habitat of people animals... Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1956, 1966, 1971 on the region and child! Labor is divided according to sexes a child is born, members of marriage! The dramatic Social changes in Africa outside invaders the boy and the way money and property transferred.
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