Jonathan Mangini Anthropology Prof Milena Notes Nov 9th 104 01 Marchesi KINSHIP First level of social organization Original roots of communication Passing of culture generation to generation Developed circles of influence Questions Who is related to whom On what basis is kinship biological can it be based on choice What constitutes a family Many complications and interpretations Kinship A system of meaning and power that cultures create to determine who is related to whom and to define their mutual expectations rights and responsibilities Guest 2014 350 Kinship is a cultural system Most westerners recognize 2 types of relatives consanguineal blood relatives and affines relatives by marriage Descent Groups unlineal vs bilateral or ambilateral unlineal patrilineal descent traced thru male lineage and matrilineal de scent traced thru female lineage Lineage and clans are terms or descent tracking The Nuer Live in South Sudan region of Africa Studied by E E Evans Pritchard in 1930s They were Pastoralists and had a Patrilineal kinship system only the men passed on the lineage and organized all the important political and economic activity Kinship Terms and Types Kinship Terms the set of names that people actually use to designate and address their relatives Kinship Types a general designation for individual relationships such as mother father mother s father sister etc