Book

Hopi kinship

American Museum of Natural History30 (7) • Published In 1929 • Pages: 361-387

By: Lowie, Robert Harry.

Abstract
In 1914 W. H. R. Rivers presented a theory in his book ‘Kinship and Social Organization’ which stated in effect that clan exogamy and the classificatory system of terminology are functionally related phenomena. To test this theory, Lowie made a provisional examination of the North American data which seemed to substantiate Rivers' hypothesis as a whole, although the information on the Southwestern area was too inadequate to make a more positive statement for this region. In order to make up this deficiency and to further test the theory, the author did some additional fieldwork among the Hopi and Zuni, collecting further data and supplementing these with material from the works of Parsons, Spier, Reichard and others whose knowledge of the area was quite extensive. The combined information gathered as noted above is presented here in the form of a detailed analysis of Hopi kinship terminology, with frequent references to similar terms among other Shoshonean tribal groups in the Southwest. Based on the analysis of his data, which also involves some discussion of clan organization, the author concludes that the clan concept has indeed exerted a deep influence on Hopi kinship nomenclature (p. 383). In addition to the above, the source also provides some valuable information on the relations between children and their grandfathers and father's sister's husband, ceremonial and other extensions of kinship terminology, and limitations involved in relative marriages.
Subjects
Kinship terminology
Comparative evidence
Grandparents and grandchildren
Avuncular and nepotic relatives
Regulation of marriage
culture
Hopi
HRAF PubDate
2000
Region
North America
Sub Region
Southwest and Basin
Document Type
Book
Evaluation
Creator Type
Ethnologist
Document Rating
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
John Beierle ; 1988
Field Date
1915-1916
Coverage Date
1915-1916
Coverage Place
Hopi pueblos, First and Second Mesas, northeastern Arizona, United States
Notes
by Robert H. Lowie
Includes bibliographical references
LCCN
29025635
LCSH
Hopi Indians