Clans, descent, marriage rules, councils and coming of age.
A clan is defined by shared descent from a founding ancestor. People who camp together form a band, and people initiated together form an age set.
Matrilineal descent passes through mothers. The Khasi of Meghalaya and the Minangkabau of Sumatra are examples.
Exogamy is the rule of marrying outside a group. Clans are usually exogamous. Marrying inside a group is endogamy.
The youngest daughter, called the khadduh, inherits the house and takes responsibility for the parents and family rites.
Each chief is nominated by the clan mother, the senior woman of his clan, who can also warn him and have him removed.
Consensus means agreement that all can live with, reached through discussion, so that no defeated minority is left.
An age set is a lifelong group formed by initiation, as among the Maasai. The stages it passes through are called age grades.
Because the parties will remain neighbours, customary justice usually seeks compensation, apology and reconciliation.
The quiz needs JavaScript. The answers: 1. A group of people who claim descent from one distant ancestor; 2. The mother's group; 3. Marrying outside a given group, such as your clan; 4. The youngest daughter; 5. The clan mother; 6. Talk continues until everyone can accept the outcome; 7. A named group of people initiated in the same period, who stay together for life; 8. To restore relations between the parties.
Every Monday: seven peoples you may never have heard of, who they are and where they live.