AN101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Bride Price, Dowry, Endogamy
Document Summary
Marriage is not synonymous with mating: it involves a change in the social position of the participants, it gives offspring a position in society, it established connections between two families. Is symbolically marked by a special ceremony, where the legitimacy of the union is acknowledged. Affinal relationships (marriage) are contrasted to consanguinal relationships ( blood relationships) of descent. Not all cultures have the same rules on who can be married or not. It depends on how the descent groups and blood relationships are established. Marriage outside a defined social group for example: marriage outside the lineage or outside the clean. Marriage within a defined social group for example marriage within a social group between two clan. The patrilineages are exogamous you have to marry outside your own lineage. The opposite is seen as a form of incest you marry with your consanguines. The nuer as a whole social group are endogamous: they do not marry with strangers.