AN101 Lecture Notes - Bride Price, Nuclear Family, Consanguinity
Document Summary
Involves a change in the social position of the participants: gives offspring a position in society, establishes connections between 2 families. Symbolically marked by a special ceremony, where the legitimacy of the union is acknowledged. Affinal relationships (marriage) are contrasted to consanguineal relationships ( blood relationships) of descent. Not all cultures have the same rules on who can be married or not. It depends on how the descent groups and blood relationships are established. Exogamy: marriage outside a defined social group ie outside a clan. Endogamy: marriage within a defined social group ie. between 2 clans. The use of these terms depend on the context. Clans are exogamous but a social group that has many clans can be endogamous. The patrilineages are exogamous: you have to marry outside your own lineage. The opposite is seen as a form of incest: you marry your consanguines. The nuer as a whole social group are endogamous: they do not marry with strangers.
