essay

Minimal politics: the political organization of the Hadza of north Tanzania

politics in leadership: a comparative perspectiveOxford • Published In 1979 • Pages: 244-266

By: Woodburn, James.

Abstract
The Hadza live in small nomadic bands characterized by frequent changes in the number and composition of members. This document identifies two of the most important conditions that enable this flexibility. First, the Hadza live in an area that is unsuitable for farming and herding, but rich in game and edible tubers and fruits. These resources are easy to acquire individually, with minimal assistance from others. Second, Hadza society lacks concepts of property rights, binding kinship ties, or other enduring mechanisms for enforcing mutual help and cooperation among individuals. As a consequence, individuals are weakly committed to other band members, if not to other members of a household.
Subjects
Community structure
Settlement patterns
Kin relationships
Social relationships and groups
Annual cycle
Hunting and trapping
Collecting
Diet
Eating
Real property
Social relationships and groups
Community heads
Ingroup antagonisms
Social control
culture
Hadza
HRAF PubDate
2019
Region
Africa
Sub Region
Eastern Africa
Document Type
essay
Evaluation
Creator Type
Anthropologist
Document Rating
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
Teferi Abate Adem; 2018
Field Date
1958-1961, 1965-1967
Coverage Date
1900-1960
Coverage Place
eastern and southern Lake Eyasi area, Tanzania
Notes
James Woodburn
Includes bibliographical references (p. 265-266)
LCCN
78041116
LCSH
Hatsa (African people)