Page 26 - DSOC402_SOCIOLOGY_OF_KINSHIP_ENGLISH

Sociology of Kinship

Notes Collateral Inberitance
When the property or post is transfered to brothers instead of sons then it is called collateral
inheritance. This custom is found in some tribes like Kikiyu and Kafir.

Matrilineal Inheritance
When the post and property is transfered to children in maternal basis then it is called mat-
rilineal inheritance. This system is a special characteristic of materilineal societies where two
main forms of property transfer are seen, one is from mother to daughter and second is from
maternal uncle to nephew. In the families where property belongs to women, it gets transfered
to daughter in the form of inheritance. Khasi tribe is the best example of it. In many matrilineal
societies, this process of inheritance moves from maternal uncle to nephew. Pidington has writ-
ten in this context, ‘Matrilineal inheritance’ means transfer of post and title from man to man
through woman.

Patrilineal Inheritance
When the process of transfering the post and property occurs from father to son following the
matrilineal system, then it is called patrilineal inheritance.

What is bilateral inheritance?

3.4 Summary

• Relationship among father-mother-children and brother-sister are called consanguineous
relations.
• Sexual relation between two persons of opposite sex is called marital or affinal relation by
the acceptence of society.
• Relation between mother-father-in-law, brother-sister-in-law is not consanguineous but af-
final.
• Transfer of legal rights related to persons and things is called inheritance.
• There are four main laws of inheritance—bilateral, collateral, matrilineal and patrilineal.

3.5 Keywords

1. Primogeniture: It is a law of inheritance according to which the eldest son (daughter in
matriarchal societies) inherit the property of the parents.
2. Ultimogeniture: According to this rule of inheirtance the youngest son inherits the (du-
aghter in matrilineal socities) parents property. This custom is found in Turks and Mongo-
lian breeds in Asia.
3. Unigeniture: According to this rule of inheritance one person from uterine group inherits
the parent’s property.

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