African Family and Kinship Systems PDF

HELLO, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOU ARE HUMBLY WELCOME TO THE STUDY OF AFRICAN FAMILY AND KINSHIP SYSTEMS IT IS A VERY PARCTICAL COURSE AND OUR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION AND CONTRIBUTIONS ARE ELICITED IT IS MY HUMBLE HOPE THAT YOU WILL FIND THIS INTERACTION INTERESTING, INSIGHTFUL A...

HELLO, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, YOU ARE HUMBLY WELCOME TO THE STUDY OF AFRICAN FAMILY AND KINSHIP SYSTEMS IT IS A VERY PARCTICAL COURSE AND OUR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION AND CONTRIBUTIONS ARE ELICITED IT IS MY HUMBLE HOPE THAT YOU WILL FIND THIS INTERACTION INTERESTING, INSIGHTFUL AND USEFUL. CONTRIBUTE MORE AND GAIN MORE READY???, WE GO …..>>>>> AFRICAN FAMILY AND KINSHIP SYSTEMS DAVID KINGSMAN ZUURE, Ph.D 2021  THE FAMILY Family is not easy to define as its nature and compositions differ from society to society  Generally speaking, however, it may be defined as a group of individuals related to one another by ties of consanguinity, marriage or adoption the adult members of which are responsible for the upbringing of children What is a Family???  The family is the basic unit of society. It is the bedrock of human society  The family ensures the replacement of members of the society through procreation/ reproduction It socializes the young ones Serves as the center of political power It enforces norms and laws Transmits cultural heritage Serve as the first line of social security Cares for the young one (food, shelter, clothings) and from harm  Look after the elderly – providing physical closeness and enduring interaction  TYPES OF FAMILY In dealing with the family, we shall focus on the two main types. These are the Nuclear Family and the Extended Family Nuclear Family  The Nuclear Family In other foreign societies like those of Europe and America, when they mention ‘The Family’, then they only mean the nuclear family and nothing else. The nuclear family is sometimes called Elementary Family because it is the basic unit of kinship relations  The nuclear family refers to a married couple and their children. Such a unit is also called the monogamous family. Polygamous family comprises a man, his wives and children (polygynous), or a woman, her husbands and their children (polyandrous)  The emphasis on nuclear family is on husband – wife relationship and because of this marriage tie, it is sometimes called conjugal family.  A nuclear family lasts only as long as the parents and children remain together. Most people belong to at least two nuclear families at different times of their lives. They are born into a family consisting of their parents and siblings. ADVANTAGES OF THE NUCLEAR FAMILY Economic independence High privacy for members Less issues with inheritance Relatively peaceful Effective child training DISADVANTAGES OF THE NUCLEAR FAMILY Absence of assistance in times of need Limited socialization Weak family bond with other extended family members Members of an economically disadvantaged family suffer through life  The Extended Family System Bell and Vogel (1968) define the extended family system as any grouping related by descent, marriage or adoption that is broader than the nuclear family.  This is close to the definition proffered by Murdock who sees it as two or more nuclear families united by consanguineal kinship bond (Murdock, 1949). Such a unit normally lives together under the same roof. Similarly, Goode (1963) defines it as a grouping comprising of a series of close relations along either the male or female line but not along both.  Ayisi (1986) came out with the following in explaining the extended family: The Compound Family: A spouse with his or her partners and children in one compound or house form a compound family.  Stem Family: If parents and their child and the nuclear family live together, it is called stem family (Rosman and Rubel, 1989).  Joint Family: This refers to a situation where siblings and their spouses and children stay together as a single family after their parents has died (Rosman and Rubel, 1989).  A WHOLE CLASS DISCUSSION OF THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE NUCLEAR FAMILY AND THE EXTENDED FAMILY for about 10 minutes  THE IMPORTANCE OF THE EXTENDED FAMILY SYSTEM Economic and social cooperation: The extended family serves as a source of insurance against stress in the sense that it makes it possible for family members to assist each other financially and materially in times of need, crisis, or bereavement  The system also enables families to pool their individual resources together for economic enterprises and to solve a family problem such as funeral expenses. Thus, the financially handicapped members of the family are supported by the better-do ones.  Socialization of the young ones: Members of the extended family have a collective responsibility to socialize the young in the family. This responsibility includes transmitting to the young ones the norms, values and behavioural expectations of the society, among others. The members of the family also share a collective responsibility in the moral upbringing of the young ones.  It also serves to regulate the allocation and distribution of land and other economic resources in the sense that any family member can approach the family head for land free of charge for farming or other projects.  Resolution of conflicts: The extended family helps to prevent and resolve conflicts in the community. The family head acts as the judicial leader of the family and settles disputes between the family members and impose penalties on offending members on the basis of the law and customs of the society. This ensures cohesion in the extended family and the society at large and makes members law abiding.  Conferment of prestige, wealth and power: The members of an extended family are conferred with prestige, wealth and power especially where the individual’s family is well to do or commands a great deal of respect in the community  The extended family gives a sense of unity to the kinship group through its corporate life to its members It further endows certain corporate rights to its members. This is because it is through one’s membership of the extended family, linked with the lineage or descent group that one acquires the following rights The right to use portion of the clan’s land for farming and building To right to participate in the political, social and religious affairs of the clan The right to participate in the worship of the family deity and to enjoy its protection Right to the use of family’s name  Together with other agencies, the extended family is the main agent of enculturation. Members inculcates the society’s culture and mores to the succeeding generations The extended family gives a sense of security and protection to its members especially in times of need. When members are in need of help, other members of the family rally round to come to his or her aid in any form e.g finance, sympathy, condolence etc  It makes it possible for orphans and children born out of marriage to be cared for by other members of the family. Closely linked to this is the fact that old people in the extended family system are adequately catered for. Family members will consider it to be a great disgrace to see an old member of the family begging for food or money  It encourages co-operation, human feeling for one other; and discourages selfishness and individualistic tendencies Of old, the system encourages respect for age and authority making the traditional societies stable The extended family system psychologically makes members to behave properly and avoid social vices and criminal acts that would tarnish the image of the image whole extended family DISADVANTAGES The following are some criticism labeled against the practice of the extended family system: Retards individual progress: the extended family system has the potential to retard the progress of individual members of the family. This stems from the fact that members of the family who have achieved success through their own efforts are expected to cater for many dependent relatives. The cost involved may weigh heavily on the income of the benefactors, making it difficult for them to undertake any meaningful investments. The inability of the successful family members to look after their dependent relatives leads to resentment of other members Stifling of initiatives: The system has the tendency to stifle initiatives on the part of family members and at the same time promoting laziness and fatalism. This stems from the fact that the system may induce some members to be lazy, knowing that the extended family is there to extend hand of help to them Interference in individual’s life: There is the tendency on the part of extended family members to meddle in the private lives of relatives. The interference may affect the work, education, and marriage of relatives. Interference in the marriage of relatives may lead marital problems or even total marriage breakdown Land fragmentation: Sharing of family land among the many members of the extended family will lead to fragmentation of lands. The fragmentation may adversely affect agriculture output especially where the landholdings are small. It is said to discourage hard work since the lazy and never to do well have the hope of relying on the hardworking and successful members of the family It is argued that the extended family system encourages and even breeds nepotism and favouratism since government officials and even those in private firms tend employ their extended family members even when they are unqualified It is seen to be the root cause of financial misappropriation and embezzlement of funds belonging to employers by official in their attempts to get more money to cater for their extended family members The division of the clan into extended family units brings about disputes among various extended families that make up the corporate property such as land stool, or skin Western European society that practices the nuclear family system often attributes low capital formation and investment in African to our adherence to the extended family system. It is argued that instead of the well-to-do member(s) of the family to investment the money into businesses, the money is dissipated on other members of the extended family The system hinders independence of thoughts, initiative and action as well as autonomy of its members. The extended family system is based on the value of obedience or acquiescence to the elderly of the family. There is constant consultation among members on almost every issue and even on private matters. Again, there are a lot of traditions to follow. All these hamper independent actions Other forms of family Matrifocal family. This family consists of a mother and her children. Patrifocal family: This family consists of a father and his children  Monogamous family. This family consists of one husband and wife, including children Polygynous Family. A family consisting of one husband, and more than one wife, and all the children born to all the wives or adopted by each of them. Polyandrous Family. A family made up of one wife and more than one husband, and the children, either born or adopted with each one of them.  Blended family: This describes families with mixed parents: one or both parents remarried, bringing children of the former family into the new family.  Matrilineal Family When ancestry or descent is traced through the female line, or through the mother’s side, the family is called matrilineal family. Patrilineal Family A family in which the authority is carried down the male line, and descent is traced through the male line or the father’s side, is called a patrilineal family. FUNCTIONS OF THE FAMILY FUNCTIONS OF THE FAMILY The function of the family may be listed as: (a) Procreation, (b) Socialization, and (c) Economic cooperation, (d) Security of Comfort, (e) Maintenance of law and order (f) Source of sense of belonging PROCREATION The family provides the general accepted relationship for the procreation of children. This is usually made possible through marriage. It is marriage that lays the legal foundations for the family but the family can exist without marriage. SOCIALIZATION Socialization entails transmitting the society’s culture to the younger generations. It involves teaching the youth the accepted pattern of behavior within the family and society at large. ECONOMIC SUPPORT The family is also an economic unit in the sense that members contribute to make a living. Although, property in the form of land is owned by the corporate descent groups, it is the individual family units that work on it. Each member is entitled to a portion of the land which with the help of his family, he works on it to feed them. PROVISION OF SECURITY The family provides security and comfort to the members. The father as the head of the family provides all the needs including food, shelter, and clothing. Security is also provided to members during sickness, financial needs, and bereavement  Traditionally, CHARACTERISTICS theOFfamily system in THE FAMILY Africa depicts the following characteristics:  Horizontal network: The family system extends laterally or horizontally to embrace members in a given local community Vertical network: The family also extends or stretches vertically to include the departed members, those yet unborn, the deities, ancestors, and the spiritual world.  For this reason the family performs periodic sacrifices, prayers, libation, and festivals for the deities and ancestors. A family may also give Theophanous names to some of its members.  Patrilineal network: the family may be patrilineal as in the case of the Ewe, Nabdam, Ga and the Yoruba. The patrilineal family consists the child, the father, the father’s brothers and sisters, the grandfather, his brothers and sisters etc. in other words, all the male members of a lineage and their male children make up the patrilineal system. Or  Matrilineal network: The family may be matrilineal as in the case of the Akan. In this system membership of the family extends to children, their mother, mother’s brothers and sisters, the maternal grandmother, her sisters and brothers etc. it simply means all members of a lineage and their children from the matrilineal line.  Inheritance: Inheritance is a common feature of the family. In the matrilineal system, a man is inherited by his nephew and nieces while in the patrilineal system he is inherited by his children.  Totem: Traditionally, a family share a totem which is an emblem of the clan which the family belongs. The totem is usually an animal or a plant with which members of a clan have a special relationship. Incest: sexual relationship among members of an endogamous family is known as incest, and it is forbidden. The offence of incest renders the parties unholy and mars their relationship with the spirit powers. Special rites have to be performed to purge the offence. CHALLENGES FACED BY THE AFRICAN FAMILY 1. Poverty and the high cost of living 2. Alcoholism 3. Spouses who live far apart due to the nature of their jobs 4. Cultural practices that tend to be patriarchal and do not give the woman her God given dignity 5. Polygamy 6. HIV/AIDS – many parents have died of HIV/AIDS leaving behind children who often enter the cycle of poverty 7. Moral decadence e.g. Swing – low-swing – high, where married men and women swop spouses for sexual intercourse  8. The changing concept of the family. a. Same sex unions which are calling themselves marriages and claiming the right to raise children. This confuses the minds of the youth on marriage. b. Feminism – women place professional work over marriage and the family c. Single parenthood by choice and children who are raised in unions where the father of each child is different.  Contraception is the single most devastating cause for the breakdown of the family in the modern world. Christianity is the foundation of the family. It is the foundation of the family in teaching and providing grace for the practice of selfless love. Without love, the family either does not exist; or if it exists, it will be destroyed:  Secularization New world order where God is absent and man is supreme The Human rights agenda which talks about my rights, without a mention of my responsibilities and the rights of others: a perverse idea of freedom; where freedom is “conceived not as a capacity for realizing the truth of God's plan for marriage and the family, but as an autonomous power of self-affirmation, often against others, for one's own selfish well-being”. Fear of making lifelong commitment; co-habiting (distortion of sacrament of marriage)  Materialism  Materialism holds that material goods and interests, the pleasures of the body and emotional experience, are the only or at least the main reason for human existence. The real evil of materialism is not the pursuit of things. It is, rather, seeing and treating other people as things – and therefore putting things ahead of people.  Absent parents as they sometimes take more jobs to earn more money at the expense of spending time with their children  Parents who neglect their role as the first educators of their children. Children are left with the house help, parents who abuse their children and fail to be role models for their children.  12. Influence of the Mass media Pornography and its addiction Internet - can access much on the web, both good and bad. Trivialization of sex which poisons the minds of young people.  Distortion of the gift of motherhood THE AFRICAN FAMILY AND CONFLICTS Family harmony provides a sense of belonging and a feeling of security. When conflicts arise, it threatens that security.  Whether the disharmony initiates from within the family unit or from external sources, individual family members and the family as a whole can experience a range of negative emotions and consequences. Unresolved conflict may irreparably damage a marriage and the entire family if family members do not seek help.  Conflict is a state of disagreement. Family violence which is the result of family conflict is a common phenomenon. It comes as a result of failure of supportiveness. It could be seen in nearly every home and can reach its climax in some societies  According to Lauer (2002) family violence is one of the most frequent reasons for police calls. Dawson and Langan (1994) stipulate that 16% of murder victims are killed by family members. Kyriacou (1999) have found out that domestic violence is one of the leading causes of death among women and is the most common cause of known fatal injury. Causes of Family Conflicts Financial constraint Financial difficulty is understandably a major source of family conflict, especially when parents or couples develop money worries and find themselves unable to pay household bills or go into debt.  This include the inability of the head of the family to meet his financial responsibility in the family by paying children school fees, providing basic needs of the family, impecuniousness, unfulfilled promises and expectations of financial buoyancy, pay bills, maintain the mortgage or rent, buy sufficient food and other necessities and have any remaining money for recreation sometimes, job or career etc Children-caused conflicts Communication Work-family balance Family arguments Rivalry Parenting styles Sexual problems Psychological