african tribalism. how people are related in traditional african society? kinship: means a...
TRANSCRIPT
How people are related in traditional African society?
Kinship: means a relationship that binds two or more individuals
1. Blood relative
2. Marriage
Lineage
• Means line of descent or family tree
Definitions
• Tribe- group of people that share language, customs, traditions, geographic location
• Clan- group of related families • Extended family- parents, children,
aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents (common in Africa)
• Nuclear family- parents and children (not common in Africa )
Marriage customs
• Many traditional African societies are polygamous
• Polygamy: having more than one spouse– Men may only have multiple wives if he can
support them
Bridewealth- payment a man gives a woman’s family before marriage (land, cattle, cloth, tools)
Dowry- payment a woman’s family before marriage (land, cattle, cloth, tools)
Some tribes allow divorce, some do not
Age Set
• Group of boys or girls born in the same year
• Go through rituals together
• Transition into adulthood together
• i.e. Manhood initiation
• Circumcision ceremony for boys
• Scarification- ritual markings for tribe
Religion
Animism = belief in the existence of spirits in all living things; Everything in nature has a spirit
- Traditional African religion
• Ancestor worship- tribes worship and honor spirits of their shared ancestors
TRIBE
CLAN A CLAN B CLAN C
FamilyFamilyFamilyFamily
Family Family
Family Family Family
Family Family
Clanyou
Family
Clan
Share common ancestor
Common property/land
Vary in size
Share customs & language
Know everyone
Has symbols
Age set
Support system/Work together
Communal living
Clanyou
Family
Clan
Tribe
Vary in size
Common customs &language
Thousands inAfrica
Share land
Live in 1 region
Little movement/Protect area
Won’t know everyone
Symbols to identify
Loyalty to tribeNOT country
Causing conflict in Modern dayAfrica
polygamous
animism
Hunter-gather
Conclusions:
• Regionalism or tribalism NOT nationalism
• Tribes see tribe as more important than individual and country
Problems of Tribalism Today
1. The tribe is more important than the nation.2. Communication problems.
3. Inter-tribal warfare --> civil wars.
4. Tribal favorites for government jobs:
Urbanization:
Breaks down tribal traditions.Tribal intermingling on the job.