Author: haroonkhan
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THE FAMILY IN THE PHILIPPINES, THAILAND AND JAPAN
Using the above concepts, let us briefly introduce the family in three Asian countries, namely the Philippines, Thailand and Japan, as they represent very distinct family systems to serve as a backdrop to understand family in India. The Philippines14 The Philippines is an archipelago that has Malay connections, but was significantly influenced by its colonizers—Spain…
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Preferred Marriage
If societies do not permit certain relations to marry (incest), they also at times have preferential marriages. One such preferential marriage is between cross-cousins; there are some religions (for example, Islam) which permit even parallel cousin marriages—in them, clan does not function as an exogamous unit. In many societies, cousins are lumped together and are regarded…
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Exogamy and Endogamy
We may now explicate the rules of exogamy (Gr. exo= outside + gamos marriage) and endogamy (Gr. endo = within + gamos marriage). Exogamy implies marriage outside the group, while endogamy signifies rules permitting marriage within the group. The two concepts are not contradictory. An in-marrying group is called an endogamous group, and this group is divided into several exogamous groups. In simpler societies, one can mention…
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A Note on Incest Taboo
In each society, there are rules that forbid marriage between close relatives. Who those relatives are differ from society to society. Marrying them is tantamount to incest. Incest taboos are almost universal. Incest taboo is a feature found in all societies. Murdock writes: … with the exception of married parents, incest taboos apply universally…
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Kinship Usages
In any society, interactions with different types of kin are governed by certain norms. We briefly mention some of these rules that are in vogue not only among primitive tribes, but also in advanced civilizations. Early scholars have tried to explain these practices and relate them with evolutionary theories. Quite naturally disagreements exist with regard…
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Kinship Terminology
In every society, kins are known by the terms used for them. They can be ‘terms of address’ or ‘terms of reference’. A ‘term of reference’ is a formal term used to describe a relationship. But when the person referred to is addressed, a different term may be used—this is called a ‘term of address’.…
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KINSHIP EXTENSIONS
In the previous section, we focused on the family and its extensions. As the basic unit of society, family—particularly the conjugal unit and the nuclear family—is the smallest group, with its members linked either through marriage or birth. We also noticed that such people live together in different types of residential arrangements, and the people…
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A Special Note on a Typical Residential Pattern SUSU
In all the types referred to above, the presence of a conjugal unit was the central point of classification. However, there is a special type of residential arrangement found among the tribes of Guinea and Sierra Leon in West Africa, called Susu. The word Susu—also spelt as Soussou or Sosokui—is also used for a dialect…
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A Polygynous Family
The interpretation of the picture below of a Moro husband and his seven wives is not so much biological as cultural. It is a matter of prestige, perhaps of riches or large land ownership, as well as of polygamy. Among the Moros, the ratio of women to men is not seven to one, (Photo by…
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POLYGAMOUS FAMILIES
The prefix ‘poly’ signifies plurality. When there are plural spouses, the marriage is called polygamous, and the practice is termed polygamy. A monogamous union can be changed into a polygamous one if either party acquires additional spouse/s, and when such a practice is socially recognized. Thus, it precludes those who are recognized lovers out of…