DISCUSSION QN: QN: pattern of relationship established in bilateral system, especially in Kalinga society who practiced the system of bilateral

QN: pattern of relationship established in bilateral system, especially in Kalinga society who practiced the system of bilateral

CONCEPT OF DESCENT

Descent is the eligibility for membership in kin group. This cooperate could describe those unilineal and matrilineal descent group where properties inherited. In this it refers to a person’s family origin to where there is socially recognized connection between a person and his or her ancestors either through father or mother. Therefore in descent is where social group members talks about common ancestors. So this can be through matrilineal, patrilineal and bilateral descent (Shankaroo C.N, 2006).

DEFINITION OF KEY TERM

Unilineal system, is the system of tracing descent where a member can be in one line either patrilineages or matrilineages according to the prevailing descent role (Shankaroo C. N, 2006).

Unilineal system is the system in which the descent of an individual is reckoned either from the mother or father’s line of descent, and those are called matrilineal or Patrilineal role of descent (www.manitoba.ca/faculties/arts/anthropology/tutor/descent).

Patrilineal descent is the system to where an individual is traced descent through the father’s line or male line. The descendants in this are called matrilineal kin (Shankar rao, C.N, 2006).

Matrilineal descent, this is the descent role to where an individual is traced through the mother’s line or female line and descendants in this are called patrilineal kin

(Shankar rao, C.N, 2006).

Double unilineal system, this is a system where by society recognizes both the patrilineage and matrilineage but assigned to each different set of expectation. On this, society reckon descent Patrilineal for some purposes and matrilineal for others. For example in the issue of inheritance of properties where by immovable materials such as land were inherited through the male line while others movable objects such as livestock, these inherited by the female line (http://www.britanian.com/EBchecked/descent).

Bilateral system, this is the rule in which the descendant is traced through lines, the female line and also the male line (Shankar rao, C.N, 2006).

Bilateral descent, it is the family arrangement where descent and inheritance are passed equally through both parents simultaneously and recognized multiple ancestors (www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilateral-descent).

Generally, bilateral descent is the system of family lineage in which the relative on mother side and father’s side are equally important for emotionally ties or for transfer of property or wealth.

The following are the pattern of relationship established in bilateral system, especially in Kalinga society who practiced the system of bilateral as follows;

The Kalinga are group dwelling in the North-Central portion of Northern- Luzon in the Philippines. The population when studied was 25000 with an average density of three people per square mile.

Production and economic system; Kalinga society engaged in agricultural activities, they grow rice on terraced field on the mountainsides which influenced by their geographical location. Also in economic activities is unified among the member of the family, the economic unit in the household made-up of the simple family and other dependant relatives within the family and play a big role as a labor force.

System of marriage; In this system Kalinga society also cooperate in marriage, where by they encourage marriage between second cousin from the same kin (endogamy), Through this system of marriage which practiced by Kalinga society, they help them to maintain or to make maintenances of their properties, because when some one marries the wealth will remain or return within their clan.

Political organization; In this issue, Kalinga society is organized primarily in the bilateral principle and secondary on territorial unit called a ‘region’

which consist of a certain villages with their land within the defined boundaries.

Transfer of properties; Among the Kalinga society the properties of each spouse is regarded as individually owned. It consist of land and other properties, which are inherited by the children, if the marriage is childless the properties reverts in to the partners’ respective kin after their death.

The following are the differences between unilineal system and double unilineal system. These are;

System of owning property, in society with bilateral systems women inherit

Land and also can transmit it but quite difference with the society of double unilineal, where by a women can inherit only movable wealth such as cattle but they can neither inherits nor transmit land as in bilateral. For example the Kalinga society practiced bilateral while Lodagaba practiced double unilineal system.

Functional difference, in double unilineal system both matrilineal and patrilineal grouping/corporate people into discrete and exclusive unit stocks to establish a system of multiple membership. In this individuals belonging to more than one group minimally to both their mothers and maximally to as many groups as they have recognized ancestors in any line to which each stock to has a different membership composition from the others because people can belong to more than one stock and group memberships. In

Bilateral system it is impossible to assign exclusive right such as residence, to where it will be difficult in the formation of the corporate group.

Structural difference, in this the kinship in bilateral system is based on tracing relation through both parents thus it includes huge number of person, a good example is Kalinga society who practice bilateral system. This is different to Lodagaba who practice double unilineal to where the kin group is traced through male for one purpose and through female for another purpose. Through this it leads to the narrowness of the number of a person involved in any given line.

Political and social organization, social organization in bilateral is stratified while in double unilineal is unstratified. This is due to the reason that in bilateral system it is very important to achieve role and statuses, in that there is some sort of classes in that society in order to perform their work properly. Back to the side of double unilineal where by society recognized both Patrilineal and matrilineal but each assigned to his/her purposes. Therefore by that sense everyone in double unilineal should take responsibility within the kin.

System of marriage; In double unilineal system, for example Lodagaba society usually practice polygamy and they practice also clan exogamy,

while in bilateral system they encourage marriage between second cousin from the same kin (endogamy). Through this system it helps the maintenance of wealthy within the clan because those properties were returned to the same kin.

RECOMMENDATION

Due to the fact that bilateral system based on equal distribution of property in such away that it consider both sexes, male and female, societies encourages to use the bilateral system in order to promote equality as well as maintenance of property within the clan because it support endogamy system of marriage.

CONCLUSION

Development of science and technology has left many culture and tradition with no option to change from one way or another. But through culture diffusion and revolution which are boosted up by science and technology even unilineal and bilateral societies has adopted some changes in terms of living style, traditionally and culturally. Generally the world of globalization opened the way for the people and society to learn and practice different life style from different places in the world.