Unilineal Descent Group Essay

A descent group is a social entity where members require lineal descent from a specified ancestor (h196). The ancestor whom is required to be descended from may be real or mythical depending on the descent group (h193). Descent groups typically determine the basis of kinship and social organization followed by the members (h205). Descent groups are used to help solve common problems that societies need dealt with such as; dividing resources, organizing workforces, enforce support and protection, and more (h193). Descent systems may also have a big role in the; economic, religious, ritual, and well-being of the group’s members (h202). Descent groups are more commonly found in nonindustrial food producing groups like; horticultural, pastoral, and intensive agricultural societies (h205).

Unilineal descent groups authorize membership solely based on the descent line of an individual’s mother or father (h196). Unilineal descent groups usually take place in horticultural and pastoral societies (h196). Memberships are normally given to individuals at birth (h196). Depending on the Unilineal descent group, the new member will then be assigned according to

The names given to children must be inherited from the child’s ancestors which results in a limited palate of names throughout the society (l76). The first born son in the Ju/hansi culture is named after his grandpa on his father’s side; and the first born daughter is named after her father’s mother (l76). The second born son is then named after his mother’s father, while the second born daughter would be named after her mother’s mother (l76). If more children are born into the family they are then named after the child’s uncles and aunts and sometimes named after distant relatives (l76). Since there are so many people who have the same name and there are no surenames in the Ju/hoansi culture; nicknames are often used to distinguish one another