Eskimo kinship (also referred to as Lineal kinship) is a concept of kinship used to define family in anthropology. Identified by Lewis Henry Morgan in his 1871 work Systems of Consanguinity and Affinity of the Human Family, the Eskimo system was one of six major kinship systems (Eskimo, Hawaiian, Iroquois, Crow, Omaha, and Sudanese).
Contents |
Kinship system
The Eskimo system places no distinction between patrilineal and matrilineal relatives, instead focusing on differences in kinship distance (the closer the relative is, the more distinguished). The system also emphasizes the nuclear family, identifying directly only the mother, father, brother, and sister (lineal relatives). All other relatives are grouped together into categories. It uses both classificatory and descriptive terms, differentiating between gender, generation, lineal relatives (relatives in the direct line of descent), and collateral relatives (blood relatives not in the direct line of descent).
Parental siblings are distinguished only by their sex (Aunt, Uncle). All children of these individuals are lumped together regardless of sex (Cousins). Unlike the Hawaiian system, Ego's parents are clearly distinguished from their siblings.
Occurrence
The Eskimo system is relatively common among the world's kinship systems, at about 10% of the world's societies1. It is used in most Western societies (such as those of modern-day Europe or North America) and s small number of food-foraging peoples (such as the !Kung tribe of Africa).
The system is largely used in bilineal societies where the dominant relatives are the immediate family. In most Western societies, the nuclear family represents an independent social and economic group, further emphasizing the immediate kinship. The tendency in Western societies to live apart and interact with extended family only on a ceremonial basis also reinforces this.
Kinship chart
Recently, a kinship chart has been proposed that takes into account which relative belongs to the older generation. The terms in this chart are already in common usage. 2
Chart
The closest relationship prevails (nearest common ancestor)
| If one person's → | Parent* | Grandparent | Great grandparent | Great great grandparent | Great great great grandparent | |
| is the other person's ↓ |
then that other person is his/her ↘ | |||||
| Parent* | Brother/Sister | Uncle/Aunt | Grand uncle/aunt | Great grand uncle/aunt | Great great grand uncle/aunt | |
| Grandparent | Nephew/Niece | Cousin | Second uncle/aunt | Second grand uncle/aunt | Second great grand uncle/aunt | |
| Great grandparent | Grand nephew/niece | Second nephew/niece | Second cousin | Third uncle/aunt | Third grand uncle/aunt | |
| Great great grandparent | Great grand nephew/niece | Second grand nephew/niece | Third nephew/niece | Third cousin | Fourth uncle/aunt | |
| Great great great grandparent | Great great grand nephew/niece | Second great grand nephew/niece | Third grand nephew/niece | Fourth nephew/niece | Fourth cousin | |
- In the Parent row there is also the possibility of having a direct ancestor, e.g. father/mother, grandfather/mother, great grandfather/mother, etc.
- In the Parent column there is also the possibility of having a direct descendant, e.g. son/daughter, grandson/daughter, great grandson/daughter, etc.
Terminology
Eskimo is the accepted term used by Alaska Natives today. Iñupiaq speakers (Iñupiat) are in the Arctic region of northern and northwestern Alaska. Yup'ik speakers (Yup'iit) are in the western and southwestern, sub-Arctic portion of Alaska.
References
See also
- Iroquois kinship
- Family
- Kinship
- Kinship terminology
- Kinship and descent
- Anthropology
- List of anthropologists
Sources & external links
- William Haviland, Cultural Anthropology, Wadsworth Publishing, 2002. ISBN 0-534-27479-X
- The nature of kinship
- The Encyclopedia of North American Indians
Wikipedia content modification information:
- This page was last modified on 22 October 2008, at 14:08.
Wikipedia Authorship and Review
Wikipedia content provided here is not reviewed directly by PediaView.com. Wikipedia content is authored by an open community of volunteers and is not produced by or in any way affiliated with PediaView.com.
Wikipedia Usage Guidelines
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article on "Eskimo kinship".
The URL for this specific entry is:
All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License. (See Copyrights for details). Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.