FAMILY CULTURE:
I. Definition of a family:
A. The Family is the most important type of unit in Native American culture. Despite the disruptions of the Native American family?s social structure in such events as the abduction and boarding of children by the government , it has remained a functional part of their society.
B. Ralph Linton, in his book The Study of Man, stated ?The family will always have its vital functions: reproduction, economic advantages, and education.
1. Reproduction-
�Reproduction between members of the tribe was negotiated and planned.
�Infant betrothal was considered to be a method of payment for the dowry in Northern regions.
�Sexual relationships were discouraged before marriage, and premarital babies could be put to death.
�Sons were considered more valuable, because no dowry was needed, and they could carry on the family name.
2. Economic advantages-
�Because families shared land and possessions, it would be advantageous to marry someone of higher status than you.
3. Education-
�In some cultures, when a boy was ten he was sent to his mother?s brother to receive an education in hunting or trapping, and any other skill that was the profession of his uncle.
�Children were expected to follow the occupation of their parents in other cultures.
II. Types of Families:
A. The nuclear family:
1. Consisted of a married man and woman, along with a child or children.
2. More common in Northwest and is the model of a modern family.
3. Very few tribes used this type of familiar arrangement due to the ease with which divorces took place (The Native American was removed from three or four nuclear families due to death, separation, etc.), and also because of the rate at which men would die in battle, leaving their wives alone and their children orphans.
B. Polygamy:
1. Involved the wedding of two people of the same gender to one person of the opposite gender.
2. Polygamous- The wedding of two unrelated women to one man.
3. Polyandrous- The wedding of two unrelated men to one woman.
4. Sororal Polygamous - The wedding of two related women (Often sisters) to one man.
5. Fraternal Polyandrous - The wedding of two related men (Often brothers to one woman.
6. Polygamous families consisted of several combined nuclear families, and were more advantageous for those involved because it was uncommon that a wife or husband and his or her children would be left to fend for themselves.
C. Methods of residency:
1. Patrilocal- A family in which the son of a married man and woman stays at home with his wife and children while the daughter moves in with her husband?s family.
2. Matrilocal- A family in which the daughter of a married man and woman stays at home with her husband and children while the son moves in wit his wife?s family.
3. Bilocal- A family in which the families of all the married children live together.
4. Avunculocal- A family in which the maternal/paternal grandfather and the maternal/paternal grandmother are brother and sister, and their married children and their family live with one of the siblings.
III. Social and Political organization of families.
A. Social organization:
1. A lineage (family) joins with another lineage to form a clan.
2. A group of clans made up a moiety
3. Two or more moieties joined formed a tribe.
B. Political organization:
1. A family member, usually the eldest male, or female (mostly female in the Northwest) chose another member to be a village council member.
2. All the village council members met regularly and chose a leader amongst them, who was known as the ?chief?.
3. Chiefs met at a larger council of chiefs, who were known as a federation, to discuss issues.