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. The basic kinship unit of Bemba society is not the individual family, but a matrilocal extended family composed of a man and his wife, their married daughters, and the latters husbands and children.24, A young Bemba couple live in the same hut with a child of pre-weaning age whom they may have. Professor of Sociology, Bridgewater College. In addition, the women who have got gainful jobs seek more freedom in many aspects. To protect the child from evil eyes. Family advocates Malinowski is the cornerstone of every society and culture. food, beer drinking. Changes that have affected land ownership - Today its a requirement by the government that one must possess a land title deed. 2. 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. vii. Overall, there are two forms of social groups that from the basis of Bemba marriage and traditional family. East Lansing, Michigan State University, 1980, Unpublished M. A. Thesis. - Attending discos and nightclubs. 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. They have the ability to foretell what would happen in the future. Kinship ties are strong bonds that exist among community members. Many of the rituals that were performed to the mother and the child are today seen as unnecessary. Some have even gone as far as saying that for the African husband nothing else matters so long as he impregnates his wife every few years.42 In the study of the Baganda traditional family cited earlier, the author describes how children are raised among the Baganda. 3. iv. If one fails to show respect to such seniors. Aboriginal kinship ties, values, beliefs, identity and language are maintained by the family. Polygyny was widely practiced in Africa and it often formed the backbone of the traditional African family patterns. CONTINUITY AND CHANGE IN AFRICAN UNDERSTANDING Today many people talk of the way things were sometimes back many factors have affected the African culture. Having so many people in this household should not be confused with other types of large families like, ..the joint family, with its several married brothers and their families living together or the extended family, consisting of a group of married off spring living in one household under a patriarch or matriarch.11 The Baganda are also patrilocal. 5 It comes unannounced. These relationships which are described in this way are rituals of respect between a son-in-law and his mother-in-law, a daughter-in-law and her father-in-law. - Rainmakers observe the behavior of insects, birds and animals to predict the nature of rain. It gives the mans family time to prepare for the dowry payment. Urbanization: Where people of different cultures interact with one another. g. The body is carefully placed in the grave facing an appropriate direction according to the customs of the people. The celebration that marked the end of initiation is slowly dying out due to economic constraints. 4. 11 This study was conducted in the late 1800s when inter-tribal warfare and capturing of slaves from the wars was still very common. among the Luos a person who comes out with the placenta would be called Obiero or Awino. The naming ceremony is very important early in the childs life. 7. But they are terminologically differentiated from parallel cousins and from sisters. Anthropologists have discovered that there are only six basic kin naming patterns or systems used by almost all of the thousands of cultures in the world. 10. White, C.M.N., Tradition and Change in Luvale Marriage, The Rhodes-Livingstone Papers, Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1962, 1969. PaulVMcDowell. Mothers and children would die at childbirth to cases where there is no skilled mid-wife. - Wealth is no longer determined in terms of the number of wives or children. 6. Queen, Stuart A., Habestein, Robert W., and Adams, John B., The Family in Various Cultures. vi. 4. People who have become educated consider the shaving of the hair unnecessary. 3 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.1. Others reflect the problems the parents faced e.g. Elders act as role models to the youth i.e. To give the mother time to recover the lost energy. Through dreams and vision v. Through observation and practice MEDICINE MEN They have the knowledge of healing certain diseases in the community. Goode, William J. society. Education of children has been left to teachers. However, it is not a form of payment as is mistaken by others. 7) Many of the traditional medicine men are not willing to divulge information to others (a lot of secrecy surrounding traditional medicine) 8) Those who are educated also do not believe in the powers of diviners and mediums. Choosing of a marriage partner This differs from one community to another. The major reason cited is that with increasing modern influences, marrying more than one wife became an economic burden. 1. to find out if they are related. It can determine a person's political identity and the way money and property are transferred. This paper aims at tackling the change in the anthropological view of marriage and kinship ties in the society. - The wife or orphans sometimes get mistreated. Second, an identifying drum beat used at ceremonies. A total of 68 linguistic terms of relationships are used by the Baganda.12, The Baganda have a very important aspect of the social or family structure; the consanguinal kin group or blood line which is a line of descent traced through the male members of the family or patri-sib. BIRTH Pregnancy - This is the first stage in the life of a person. Meanwhile the man and her married sister do not live in one locality, as they must maintain their marriages. DEATH Death is the last rite in ones life and unlike other rites like initiation, naming. - The naming of the child takes place some days after birth. 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. Importance of courtship 1. He is currently Assistant Professor of Sociology at Bridgewater College in Virginia. A Modern Introduction to The Family, Glencoe: The Free Press, 1960. Still, traditional families such as those in Family Ties and The Cosby Show dominated the ratings. Economy e.g. 3. However, as a prospective husband, you are told to pay for the marriage and not the bride. Physical causes of death i. 5. Diviners and mediums iii. Polygyny though set the tone and often determined the strength of the society and pattern of social organization of the traditional African family. The youth are believed to be free with them. Laziness was condemned or punished to ensure that people owned what they had actually worked for. It was written in 1988. Kinship is the relationship, including social relationship, that exists between two or more individuals, and kinship has a major influence on political, and economic systems in many different regions from around the world. ii. 5. But rather the matrilocal extended family comprised of a man and his wife, their married daughters, son-in-laws, and their children. They were believed to have a lot of experience in life. Kinship is reckoned through blood and betrothal (engagement and marriage). 8. iii. 8. A community has distinct beliefs, customs and cultural practices. The youth are taught to be courageous in order to be able to face challenges in life e.g. Culture and values are adaptive .. Boys will live with the brothers of their father and until marriage, girls live in the home of a married elder brother or with the brother of the father. The traditional African family is a very broad concept which has challenging variations across the continent. Each stage has its own features, some of which are perhaps peculiar to the Baganda customs and system of socialization in their traditional family pattern. It starts at birth and continues through to death. For example, among the Tumbuka38 of Eastern Zambia the verb kugula (to buy) is used to refer to purchasing of material objects or commodities and domestic animals. - Marriage was a source of wealth for the family. - There are traditional midwives who help in delivery. Death is believed to be a next journey to the world of the spirits. Clitoridectomy Female circumcision. Elders are respected [32777] [42770]. The traditional healers are still important today especially to those who had let down by medicine prescribed by doctors. But this is not an independent nuclear family unit. Changes that have affected ownership of property and wealth - Women and children are allowed to own property. 1. 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. The kinship systems govern care,. Some reflect the condition of weather or season at the time of birth. - When a woman learns that she is pregnant, she becomes very happy and she becomes a special person in the community and receives special treatment. All rights reserved. Circumcision of the girls is a practice that has been widely condemned for health reasons. The attitude of the parents towards the sex of the child is also changing. 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. 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. 1. factors. Establishing that traditional Kenyan culture and custom was supportive of high fertility in no way establishes how strongly held are these practices today or how quickly they may change as the socioeconomic basis of the real day-to-day society changes. After initiation, one has the right to marry. Reconnecting with a genetic tie Genetic resource and testing connected a person to their blood. These views were expressed before 1930s and as late as 1960s. 5. ii. false T/F: Female slaves generally worked outdoors while male slaves did domestic work. For example, sickness in the indigenous African worldview is not only an imbalance of the body, but also an imbalance in one's social life, which can be linked to a breakdown in one's kinship and family relations or even to one's relationship with one's ancestors. They include: i. Girls brought wealth in form of cattle to marriage. A curse by a senior relative. (2) Active leisure: This involves the use of the physical energy. They are senior members of the community. 9) The practice has also been affected by belief in conventional medicine. 5. Today choosing of a marriage partner is individualized and the parents do nowadays not choose the marriage partner. ii. Ch. The mothers bring children of both sexes with the umbilical cords carefully kept after birth. 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. Second, an identifying drum beat used at ceremonies. The youth are ritually introduced to the communal living. However the mode of dressing has seriously changed due to western influence. MEDIUMS AND DIVINERS - Mediums are people through which ancestors and spirits communicate with the living. Permissiveness in the society has eroded . They act as judges in certain circumstances. vii. Kinship is a social relationship based on real consanguinity. - When the baby arrives, the sex of the baby is announced by ululations. They are free most of them and can get time for the younger generation. 5. iii. - Kinship ties also provide security to all concerned. 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? Both form the basis of the political structure of the tribe since the matrilocal extended family is the nucleus of the Bemba village although many other elements may be added to it, and succession to all political offices is fixed by the rule of matrilineal descent.35, Patrilineality, matrilineality, and the practice of polygyny are three of the major distinguishing variations of the African traditional extended family. Thorne, Barrie., and Yalom, Marilyn., (Eds.) 4. However dowry payment has been hindered by several factors today e.g. - Hardworking. vi. This quote, for example, shows that polygamy was practiced among the Pondo but the dominant form of traditional marriage and the family was monogamous. 3. Diseases such as epidemics would kill people. The government, the church and non-governmental organizations have built homes for the aged. in cases of death, the whole community mourn. The land belonged to the whole community. - Respect. 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. It is a source of food for the people and the animals. Therefore, they try to restrict the kinship ties. Courtship gives the two families time to prepare in advance for the real marriage. These are many. 5. Prayers are offered also during time of calamities. Most of the time they suffer from old age diseases. politicians. Some people believe casting of an evil eye would cause bodily harm to somebody. The Baganda people of Uganda provide the best illustration.7. First, two animal totems from one of which the clan derives its name. There are also cases of inter-tribal marriages. Traditional African Society. Pregnant women are not allowed to handle certain types of tools. New York: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1961. In view of the poor development of social security systems outside the family, hardly anyone would wish to escape the power of kinship ties. NAMING Nearly all-African names have a meaning. 7. - People tend to be individualized. Such influences as end of intra and inter-tribal warfare with the coming of European colonialism, the Western money economy, industrialization, migration, and urbanization have certainly transformed the traditional African family from what it was 50 to 100 years ago. 3. These institutions are a cultural universal i.e. Among the Baganda, the clan has remained the most important kinship entity. a person born during locusts invasion can be called Adede among the luo. 2. For example, in debt and marriage obligations. In rural areas, the family typically . .. iii. I. - Children born out of marriage also provide security to the homes. Those who did not have were assisted to acquire property by the community. Land was owned by the community. Agikuyu umbilical cord is kept to symbolize the link between the mother and the child. iii. They live in one Geographical area. the pain the initiates underwent. This is because; 1 It is unavoidable. Bridgewater College There is no bride price in our society. All the members come together in times of need. Seclusion nowadays is not very possible because of limited time. They are also given special instructions that prepare them for marriage life. - They oversee the division of property in the community after death. They act as counselors and guide the people on all issues of life. Majority of women today give birth in hospitals. 6. 2. 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). These constitute the core of the Bemba traditional African family around which the social organization of the traditional society revolves. MARRIAGE This is the third rite that an individual is expected to go through in life. Members of a community could also come together when defending the community against outside invaders. Indeed this sense of kinship binds together the entire life of the "tribe . In the U.S., it is highly unusual for adult children to continue living with their families, although this phenomenon has increased recently strictly as a function of the current economic recession and the comparative . The purpose of sex is purely for procreation hence this discouraged sex before marriage. The elderly are physically in active. The gift replaces her reminding the family that she has left her people yet she is not dead. - Presents are given to the baby and mother as a sign of good will. Importance of Initiation i. These carried with them all the heavy social obligations demanded of a mother or father, daughter or son. These changes have been brought about by:- i. The subject of traditional family patterns in Africa is so broad that it cannot be adequately addressed in one chapter. The lineage is the effective kinship unit among the Bemba around which marriage and the organization of family life. revolves.31 The matrilineal household and descent determine or influence two major social activities. It is feared and marked with a lot of sorrow. They are made aware of their responsibilities in adulthood. According to Mair, .the polygynous joint family, consisting of a man, his wives, and their children, is the ideal for most Africans.5 Studies conducted from the 1930s to 1950s indicate that polygyny was common virtually in all regions of Africa.6, In spite of the perversity of polygyny, there was evidence that it was on the decline. They advise the expectant mother on how to take care of herself. 1. The clan chooses the heir. -The spirit of sharing. It is a sign of belonging to the society or identification. 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. - Marriage brings completeness in a person. 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. The language of the Baganda carries no word for love or tender affection; the closest is a word that is best translated as like.43. Consanguineal kinship: this kinship is based on blood the relationship meaning the relationship between parents and children also among immediate siblings. - The departed relatives are kept alive through naming. - Kinship helps to prevent the spread of hereditary diseases. 7 Nobody knows what happens after life on earth here. Parents do nowadays not choose the marriage partner this differs from one of which the organization! They advise the expectant mother on how to take care of herself courageous in order to be with. 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