Page 64 - DSOC402_SOCIOLOGY_OF_KINSHIP_ENGLISH

Sociology of Kinship

Notes “specific” blood Kinship. According to Fortes, “A Descent group is such a system of individuals
which helps in achieving valid social and personal motives.”
Riverse, in 1907, at the British Association, defined Descent as follows, “Descent is such a group,
the membership of which is by birth; where individuals can decide whether they are from the
mother’s or the father’s lineage.
Redcliffe-Brown terms Descent as a Jural Concept.

Descent is that biological and socio-cultural system which links the children to
their parents. Only the Kin by birth or by blood are included; who are linked by
original and imaginary Kinship, which is recognised by the society.

Methods of Reckoning Descent
In the various societies, Descent is determined by different methods, which are related to three
kinds lineage: (i) Patrilineal (ii) Matrilineal (iii) Bi-lateral
When we count Descent on the basis of one party only (either mother or father), it is called uni-
lateral Descent. Unilateral Descent has two parts— In one, the counting is done by Patrilineal
Descent and in the other, by Matrilineal Descent. In the Patrilineal Descent, the Descent count-
ing is done from the side of man, i.e., when an individual’s Descent is counted from his father
side, it is called Patrilineal Descent. The Romans were the first to use Patrilineal Descent as they
had no term (word) to determine the Descent by women. The Patrilineal Descent has been found
prevalent amongst the cattle-rearing societies of ancient Rome, China and East-West Africa. All
the Kin, related to the Patrilineal Descent are called Agnates.
When an individual’s descent is counted from the side of his mother, it is called Matrilineal De-
scent and all such Kin are called utarine Kin. All the blood related Kin of an individual, which
includes kin of both the father’s and the mother’s lineage are called Cognates. For example,
an individual’s paternal grandfather- paternal grandmother, cousin-brother-cousin sister, who
are Patrilineal and maternal grandmother-maternal grandfather, maternal aunt, maternal uncle,
who are Matrilineal together are called Cognates. The Matrilineal descent is found amongst the
Garo, Khasi and Nair tribes of India, American, Indian, tribes of Australia, Indonesia, Malaya,
Central Africa’s Bantu tribe and the Akan tribe of Ghana.
Sometimes, the descent is determined by both the father’s and the mother’s lineage. It is called
Bilateral Descent. When the descent is determined by either the mother’s or the father’s lineage
it is called Ambilateral Descent. In such a situation, it is not certain from which party the count-
ing would be done. Thus, it is called Ambilateal Descent. Such a descent is found amongst the
Hapu maories of New Zealand.
The relation of children belonging to one family, like, brother-brother, brother-sister, etc., in
Kinship system is known as Collateral Kin. In this manner, the children of the same parents are
Collateral Kin. Leach says when the members of one Descent group like close to each other in
one place, it is called Local Descent Group. Fortes has divided Descent and filiation. An indi-
vidual’s relation with his parents is called Filiation while his relation with his ancestors is called
Descent. In this way, Descent has the depth of generations rather than Patrilineage.

Self Assessment
Fill in the blanks:
1. An individual’s paternal grandfather-paternal grandmother, cousin-brother, cousin-sister
are ____________.

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