Kinship Systems and Marriage Cultural Overview

Kinship Systems

• Matrilineal: Ancestry traced through mothers.
• Patrilineal: Ancestry traced through fathers.
• Bilineal: Ancestry traced through both parents.

Culture and Socialization

• Canadians define themselves by jobs, interests, and social roles, including family.
• Personal success often linked to independence.
• Harmony in family relationships viewed as a sign of successful socialization in other cultures.

Patterns of Descent

• Bilineal systems (common in Canada): Recognizes ties from both families, but often lose trace beyond great-grandparents.
• Matrilineal societies (e.g., historical Huron): Only mother's family recognized.
• Patrilineal societies (e.g., Bhil in India): Only father's family recognized.

Case Study: Bhil in India

• Patrilineal agricultural society with strong lineage and clan systems.
• Arranged marriages reinforce kinship and social networks.
• Families provide economic support during weddings and life events.
• Economic changes are impacting kinship ties but loyalty remains important.

Case Study: Dobe Ju/'hoansi

• Hunter-gatherer society with a complex kinship system.
• Three systems of kinship: blood/marriage, naming, and elder decision precedence.
• Ensures societal connections for resource sharing and support.

Marriage as a Cultural Universal

• Marriage varies greatly across cultures but generally establishes roles for survival and child-rearing.
• Shift in Canadian marriage post-1960s: increase in common-law and same-sex unions.
• Changes in societal norms regarding marriage and child-rearing.

No Marriage in the Na Society

• Na culture has no formal marriage; men visit women informally.
• Emphasizes maternal roles without traditional paternity.
• Contrasts sharply with normative views of marriage and family.

Types of Marriage

• Monogamy: One partner per individual, prevalent in Canada.
• Polygamy: Involves multiple partners; two forms: polygyny (one man, multiple wives) and polyandry (one woman, multiple husbands).
• Issues in polygamous societies: Economic, social dynamics, and implications for women's rights.

Case Study: Bountiful, BC

• Polygamous community with the complexities of religious belief, legal issues, and allegations of abuse.
• Discussion on the legitimacy and rights concerning polygamy in Canada.

Family Roles and Cultural Effects

• Family roles influence behavior and identity.
• Roles differ across cultures and evolve over time.
• Family obligations shape cultural expectations and self-concept.

Landmark Case Study: Death Without Weeping

• Examination of maternal attitudes toward child mortality among impoverished women in Brazil.
• Cultural context greatly influences maternal behaviors and responses to infant death.