Page 16 - DSOC402_SOCIOLOGY_OF_KINSHIP_ENGLISH

Sociology of Kinship

Notes The interpretation of Morgan regarding primitiveness of maternity in comparison to the origin
and paternity of exogamous sibs is more at random and less historical. The claim of Morgan
seems false on the basis of the example of sibs popular in the then human society. According to
Morgan’s principle, its distribution is not universal, but on the basis of reality the principle of
Morgan proves false automatically.
There was no lineage in primitive society. A special example of it is residents of Andaman. We
had already discussed about no lineage in Kadar tribes. Sib is found in Australian tribal society,
whereas families are also found popular with sibs on other places. It should be cleared that
Australian tribal are not more primitive than Andaman residents in any form. In African primi-
tive tribes, sibs are not found in Hottentot whereas found in Baantu and Masaai. Such examples
can also be obtained from the social life of North American Indians. Simultaneously, property
enhancement has not created problem in all situations of maternity. In India also, there is no
effect of property enhancement due to potato like commercial agriculture on Khasi succession
arrangement. Yes, many problems evolved as a result of Christening. The position of Garo tribe
is also like that. In North American Navaho, Koh and Hidasta tribes, the popularity of maternal
succession continued after compilation of property in form of animal property. As it is already
discussed above, the useful results of lineage exogamy in biotic view cannot be supported by
adequate research. Simultaneously, it cannot be overlooked that lineage exogamy is applied on
one party only not on both. Morgan has told the lack of knowledge of the role of father in pro-
creation is also an evidence to prove the primitiveness of maternity. But Malinosky and others
had shown that the sociological role of father is very important in social view and is unanimous.
In many societies, there are traditional ways of adoption and establishment of paternity. In this
reference, description of celebration of gifting arrow and crossbow in polyandrous Toda tribes
is done. The immateriality of biotic paternity in comparison to functional and sociological pa-
ternity becomes evident by this. The man called father has to perform many social functions.
Till these functions are fulfilled the society doesn’t pay any heed that the biotic paternity and
sociological paternity are in accordance or not. Possibly, as result of the awareness of these facts
two words in Latin language has been adopted i.e. Patter and Genitor whose meanings are
sociological and biological father respectively. Therefore, the ignorance of genitor should not be
considered as supporting argument to primitiveness of maternity.
Toyler has presented a description like Morgan in his one article. He said that like geological
level is alike on earth everywhere, in the same way cultural level is also alike and universal and
remain unaffected from diversity of caste, language and cultural specificity. Toyler believes
that on thorough examination such stratification of these cultural levels is found whose ancient,
medieval and modern levels are maternal, maternal-paternal and paternal respectively. In sup-
port of such argument, widow succession marriage (adopting step mothers or mothers by son in
succession after death of the father) and indicating institutes named Kuved told that it is found
in the maternity-paternity and paternity respectively. In paternity situations, as kuved became
fainted, the proximity of maternity is proved by it. Under the definition of maternity situation
the main characters told are maternal inheritance, supreme power to mother (maternal right)—
which generally conducted by brother of the mother (maternal entity), feminist succession of
property and position etc. No such society is known yet in which these factors are available with
ancient purity and ascendance. Khasi tribe is its nearest representative only.
The principle of Toyler is true in logical view, but unsuccessful due to factual evidence. Some of
its limitations are already discussed above. In this regard, the objection of Lowy cannot be over-
looked. He says that only on logical basis such unbending ordinals of cultural institutions can-
not be accepted because expansion of culture demolish such development. The hypothesis of the
development of paternity from maternity cannot be accepted on the pure logical basis because
the development held in independent form or by expanding is totally reverse the last tradition
and totally opposite principle is acknowledged. These two stages of social organisations are not
periodical stages. Thus as Lowy says, two different principles are needed to describe them. This
matter is proved with fact that many paternal primitive tribes remained as such from ancient
period whereas many developed tribes are maternal even now. Two clear conclusions come out

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