During this period, the couples are given special instructions that prepare them for marriage life. Although children among the Baganda are brought up in an unroutinized and casual way with a few rites of passage to adulthood, they seem to go through three distinct stages during their up bringing. 36 Lucy P. Mair African Marriage and Social Change, in Survey of African Marriage and Family Life. The birth of a child is no longer a communal affair but a family affair. In the western culture, marriage results in permanent bonds between the couple, with centrally assigned sexual rights among the couple and parenthood responsibility. ii. Marriage has been commercialized - many people demand higher payment for their daughter. the pain the initiates underwent. It cements the relationship between the two families through the exchange of gifts. Having so many people in this household should not be confused with other types of large families like, ..the joint family, with its several married brothers and their families living together or the extended family, consisting of a group of married off spring living in one household under a patriarch or matriarch.11 The Baganda are also patrilocal. This manuscript was written for a book, which was never published, which was to be edited by Dr. Elizabeth Brooks who was a lecturer at the University of Zambia. iv. The traditional healers are still important today especially to those who had let down by medicine prescribed by doctors. Laziness was condemned or punished to ensure that people owned what they had actually worked for. Politics: New political systems and forms of government have changed the traditional community. The African notion of "family," by contrast, typically refers to the extended family system. Sometimes people mistake that they are witch doctors especially Christians. a. At times girls could be given to repay debts. Education of children has been left to teachers. Rituals associated with death vary from one community to another. Why the practice female circumcision is dying out. For example, all weapons and iron implements are removed from the house of an expectant mother. The issue to emphasize, is not so much that there are no weaknesses or shortcomings in the traditional African family, but that the Eurocentric Anglo-Saxon descriptions (that are believed to be objective and describe social phenomena as accurately as possible) eliminate, and over shadow the strengths and positive aspects that might have existed and may still exist in the African traditional family patterns. Second Edition, London: The Macmillan Press, Ltd., 1974. It could also help in paying of the dowry. - Respect. ii. Phone: (540) 828-5351 Rites of passage: These are ceremonies that are performed to a group of people to mark important stages of life. vii. Bridgewater, VA 22812 The Family; Its Structures and Functions. Early marriages are encountered to reduce fornication. It gives the couple time to study the character of the partner and find out if he or she is the best. Children could be named after their dead relatives. This symbolizes new life. Divorce and separation are discouraged. They are taught about morals of the society. As Eaton et al (2003) found in South Africa, for young people struggling for daily survival, protection from possible future illness may be a lower priority than meeting immediate economic needs. 4. vii. Problems experienced by widows and orphans - They suffer from lack of company because they feel abandoned. Today choosing of a marriage partner is individualized and the parents do nowadays not choose the marriage partner. 5) Modern science and technology also discourage people from believing mysterical powers. Their relevance today Some people still consult prophets on seers some couples may consult in case of barrenness. But quite to the contrary, the clan seems to have a more supreme influence. could advice on when to go to war. Girls brought wealth in form of cattle to marriage. It is said to be the basic and universal in relationships. iv. There are physical (visible) causes of death and religious (invisible) causes. 2. 2. In some societies it is young people themselves who make their own choices and after wards informs their parents about it. In the African understanding, it is believed that there is no natural death. 2) Some students also consult them to succeed in exams and career. It has been widely documented, particularly in Western cultural settings, that women prefer to compete less than men. Urbanization: Those who move away from home to towns in search of Jobs are drawn from their ancestral homes. iii. They act as counselors and guide the people on all issues of life. - The government and churches have built homes for them - They are given food etc. Lobola is widely used among the Bantu peoples of Central and Southern Africa.39, Avoidance, segregated relationships, lack of love and tenderness in traditional African marriages and the family has been a common theme among European scholars. 6 It separates one from the loved ones. Meanwhile, the husband works under his father-in-laws orders with other young son-in-laws.26 A matrilocal family of this kind forms the nucleus of a village community (umushi) which other relatives of the head of the family afterwards join.27, Polygamy or polygyny, which is a distinguishing feature in many traditional African families especially is patrilineal and patriarchal societies, is uncommon among the matrilineal Bemba. - They could also feel their body senses to predict rain. Goode, William J. Asante, Molefi Kete., Afrocentricity; The Theory of Social Change, Buffalo: Amulefi Publishing Company, 1980. politicians. For example honesty is expected in marriage. 42 Yizenge A. Chondoka, Traditional Marriages in Zambia: A Study in Cultural History. CONTINUITY AND CHANGE IN AFRICAN UNDERSTANDING Today many people talk of the way things were sometimes back many factors have affected the African culture. Boys will live with the brothers of their father and until marriage, girls live in the home of a married elder brother or with the brother of the father. Due to de-forestation, some herbs are becoming extinct. Edited by G.A. Dowry seals marriage, before dowry is paid marriage is considered as incomplete. (New York: J.B. Lippincott Company, 1961) p.68. - Rainmakers are special people who have the ability to make rain. - Marriage brings completeness in a person. 2. They were believed to have a lot of experience in life. They are consulted in cases where western medicine has failed. People who are directly related to each other are known as primary kin. - They act as a court of law to errant members of the society. (2) Active leisure: This involves the use of the physical energy. - Kinship helps to prevent the spread of hereditary diseases. The name gives the child identity. Richards, Audrey I., Bemba Marriage and Present Economic Conditions, The Rhodes-Livingstone Papers, Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1969. There are strict rules and taboos governing sex. They would only speak through intermediaries. Those who did not have were assisted to acquire property by the community. The term 'brother' and 'sister' shows the sex of blood relations. - They counsel and guide the youth on matters of sex and marriage Why guiding and counseling was done by elders 1. 4. In many matrilineal societies, the maternal uncle in the go-between or undertakes all the arrangements and responsibilities for his nephews marriage.32 In case of divorce, the womens people were legal guardians of the children. People that belong to the same kinship system are referred to as kin. Prayers also connect the living and the dead. In some communities girls are given to kings or chiefs as gifts. In this system, all brothers of the father are called father, all sisters of the mother are called mother, all their children brother and sister. v. Taking oaths falsely. Religion: People have some religious beliefs, which promote unity, and every community believes in the existence of one God. Caution should be applied when sweeping generalizations are made which make the traditional African family is made to appear static, rigid, and lacking in vitality. Prayers are offered also during time of calamities. iv. - Thankfulness. Strong religious beliefs helped bind the members of society together and inspire a sense of unity. PRIESTS/PROPHETS OR SEERS - These are other religious specialists who play a special role as intermediaries between God and human beings. Introduction. GAZETTE: How have ancestors . 4. The contention that questions the existence of African traditional society and culture has been clearly beyond reasonable doubt asserted to agreement however there are presences of constraints towards the flourishing of these societies as, Internal factors which include; Lack of unity among members of the society, differentiation of ideologies . vi. .. - In some communities it would be thrown in rivers, forest in Banana plantations. TOPIC 9:AFRICAN MORAL AND CULTURAL VALUES MEANING AND WHOLENESS OF LIFE- In the African traditional society, life is believed to originate from God. Coser, Rose Lamb., (Ed.) 4. Barnes, J.A., Marriage in a Changing Society: a Study in Structural Change among the Fort Jameson Ngoni, The Rhodes-Livingstone Papers, Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1951, 1970. These can be by blood, marriage or adoption. Changing attitudes towards marriage 1. Among the Baganda, the clan has remained the most important kinship entity. .The eldest son cannot inherit.15, The Baganda practice the levirate custom. Indeed this sense of kinship binds together the entire life of the "tribe . - Children made marriage complete. - Wife inheritance ensured that the late mans family would not suffer. How the widows and orphans are supported - Church members offer them guidance and counseling (giving them hope) - They are prayed for. (Eds.) The clan chooses the heir. 2. It symbolizes the union between the living and the dead. What was the structure of the polygynous family? The community disciplined those who showed traits of greed over ownership of property. In addition, the women who have got gainful jobs seek more freedom in many aspects. - It is against Christian teaching on circumcision because God instructed Abraham to circumcise male descendants - It lowers the dignity of the individual (dehumanizing) - One can contract dangerous diseases such as HIV and AIDS. The land belonged to the whole community. LeVine, R.A., Patterns of Personality in Africa, in Responses to Change: Society, Culture and Personality. 6. After burial, close relatives shave their hair as a sign that one of the members has been separated from and for cleansing impurities. Hotel Hope Ministries is a fully registered South African non-profit organisation established with aim of ensuring that each and every child is brought up in a safe, happy and healthy home so that they can grow up and develop into responsible and positive adults. Property could be owned by community, individuals or families. b) Explain the purpose of bride wealth in the traditional African community. Famous Sociologist H.M. Johnson identified six important bases of kinship which are described below: (1) Sex: Kinship relation is differentiated in each society on the basis of sex. It is a source of food for the people and the animals. c. The corpse is washed using water. Changing attitudes towards initiation rites Since the introduction of Christianity and western culture peoples attitude towards initiation rites have changed. 5. This ensured that nobody remained landless. There has been a lot of interference from Christian religious beliefs. 3. But typically news, information, and gossip flow readily through the network, with some individuals acting as "kin . - Land can now be sold or auctioned. society. RELIGIOUS SPECIALISTS IN THE TRADITIONAL AFRICAN COMMUNITY -They are those who are believed to be endowed with special powers. 8. This paper aims at tackling the change in the anthropological view of marriage and kinship ties in the society. i. KINSHIP SYSTEM - Kinship refers to being related to another either by blood or marriage. The midwife advises on post-natal care of the mother and the baby. They include;- 1. Once somebody is married he got fully integrated to the society. 41 Molefi Kete Asante, Afrocentricity: The Theory of Social Change. The youth are ritually introduced to the communal living. Meanwhile the man and her married sister do not live in one locality, as they must maintain their marriages. - Wealth is no longer determined in terms of the number of wives or children. - Among the Luo the bride could be accompanied by her other sisters and on the first night, the people would witness the breaking of virginity. ii. This explains why the family household included servants, female slaves, and their children. 3. Midwife could assist the mother in actual delivery to ensure the safety of the baby. The medicine men lead the community in religious rituals. - The girls would take back the sheet with a lot of ululation and rejoicing and one girl would remain behind to study the character of the man. While the basic functions of the family remain the same all over the world, traditional African families have undergone significant transformations attributed to an interplay of factors, including Christianity, industrialization, educational expansion, population growth, monetization of the economy, migration, civilization, and now globalization. - Marriage brought unity in the society. The government has also set up insurance and pension schemes to enable people who are employed continue to get a decent life after retirement e.g. iv. f. The grave is dug in a special place e.g. Some names are given in the remembrance of the departed relatives. 7. Bantu migrations also helped to spread agriculture and herding to all parts of Africa. They face challenges from medical practitioners who argue that they should go for formal training. 28-39. Division of labor in African societies, labor is divided according to sexes. Religious (invisible) causes of death They included: i. This is certainly no longer the case in the contemporary African traditional family. The naming of a child is therefore an important occasion, which is often marked with ceremonies. - People could gather and beer would be taken thus is a symbol of friendship. Diseases such as epidemics would kill people. ii. PaulVMcDowell. Those who abuse sex are heavily punished. - In most African communities a widow was inherited by the husbands close relatives. Diviners also have religious functions and perform duties of priests such as offering of sacrifice. This shows concern that they have for the child. This again is true among other Zambian tribes like the Bisa, Lamba, Lala, Chewa, Kaonde, Luba, and others. Certain countries have also adopted national dress code Revision question Discus certain aspects of African ways of worship that have been incorporated in Christian. In traditional African society this entails a bride-exchange in form of cattle, services, foodstuffs, family ties, or other expressions of the marriage contract. 4. Pregnant women are not allowed to handle certain types of tools. Large tracts of land 4 Large herds of cattle. iii. 12 Stuart Queen, Robert W. Havenstein, and John B. Adams, The Polygynous Baganda Family, in The Family in Various Cultures. 9. - Attending discos and nightclubs. Ch. Importance of Initiation i. Dr. Mwizenge S. Tembo According to Mair, .the polygynous joint family, consisting of a man, his wives, and their children, is the ideal for most Africans.5 Studies conducted from the 1930s to 1950s indicate that polygyny was common virtually in all regions of Africa.6, In spite of the perversity of polygyny, there was evidence that it was on the decline. 5. 7. In rural areas, the family typically . iii. 4. I. People of the same age set consider themselves as brothers and sisters. This is meant to send it clean into the world of the living dead. iii. They are important because they have a lot of experience. It marks change from childhood to adulthood. - Sometimes the orphans and widows have their property destroyed or snatched. Each stage has its own features, some of which are perhaps peculiar to the Baganda customs and system of socialization in their traditional family pattern. 6. vi. DeVos, (New York: D. Van Nostrand Co., 1976). society irrespective of their origins, background, class, ethnicity, race, gender and other markers of identity. It gives the mans family time to prepare for the dowry payment. 3. Grandparents are charged with the duty of counseling. Which factors have led to the weakening of kinship ties in Kenya today? In some instances a go between would be used to identify a suitable partner. 6. Lucy P. Mair, African Marriage and Social Change, in Survey of African Marriage and Family Life. Bridgewater College In male-speaking terms, fathers sisters daughters (cross-cousins) are called cousins. - Kinship defines and enforces duties and responsibilities of individuals. - Gambling. 6) There is problem of correct dosage of traditional medicine. For this reason, the paper serves only as an introduction to the application of Christian - They are many types of the wedding ceremonies. The kin group is also a source of emotional and spiritual belonging. N.S.S.F. People like politicians and students consult medicine men to succeed in the careers. Furthermore, the woman will bear children and thus enrich her husband and the wider circle of relatives from both sides. They can also reveal-hidden information e.g. 4. These carried with them all the heavy social obligations demanded of a mother or father, daughter or son. First, there is the local unit of matrilocal marriage .. consisting of a man, his wife, his married daughters and their husbands and children,34 Second, the matrilineal descent group which consists of maternal relatives and ancestors traced back to several generations. The mothers bring children of both sexes with the umbilical cords carefully kept after birth. 6. Edited by Arthur Phillips, (London: Oxford University Press, 1953) p.14, 37 Lucy P. Mair, African Marriage and Social Change, in Survey of African Marriage and Family Life, Edited by Arthur Phillips, (London: Oxford University Press, 1953) p.51 Naboth M. J. Ngulube, Some Aspects of Growing Up in Zambia. Seclusion nowadays is not very possible because of limited time. p119. 6. iii. There are several forms of Initiation; these include:- i. Circumcision ii. 4. It is also a taboo to marry close relative. Yet, equal opportunities is, perhaps, the essential defining element of an inclusive Expectant mothers are forbidden from taking certain foods for fear that these foods could interfere with the safety and health of the mother and child e.g. They affect all aspects of Africa, including care, marriages, and social status, since kinship controls people's relationships, moral values, and attitudes. It could also show how the bridegroom is capable of taking care of the bride. However, as a prospective husband, you are told to pay for the marriage and not the bride. iv. Important because they feel abandoned and factors affecting kinship ties in traditional african society of initiation ; these include: - Circumcision! 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