article
The appropriation of fertility: descent and sex among the Gusii
creative communion : african folk models of fertility and the regeneration of life • Uppsala • Published In 1990 • Pages: 187-199
By: Håkansson, Thomas.
Abstract
Quoting from Karp (1978), the author states that 'a descent ideology must transform the facts of biological relatedness through both maternal and paternal ancestors into a symbolic model which emphasizes the identity of people transmitted through a parent of one sex (p. 187). How the patrilineal Gusii of Kenya solve this problem cognitively, constitutes the major portion of this document. According to Håkansson 'the male usurpation of female fertility which is evidenced in the symbolic material points to a cognitive transformation of women into agnates. The Gusii have a patrilineal descent ideology which inhibits the development of matrilateral ties. Human proliferation and regenerative powers are subsumed under the shadow of the patrilineal and agnatic filiation. Unilineal descent ideologies present a problem in representing the transmisson of fertility and in how to relate uterine and agnatic descent to the fact that only the latter is used for the definition of categories of people' (p. 187).
- HRAF PubDate
- 2000
- Region
- Africa
- Sub Region
- Eastern Africa
- Document Type
- article
- Evaluation
- Creator Type
- Ethnologist
- Document Rating
- 4: Excellent Secondary Data
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- Analyst
- John Beierle ; 2005
- Field Date
- 1982-1983, 1985
- Coverage Date
- 1900-1950
- Coverage Place
- southwestern Kenya
- Notes
- Thomas Håkansson
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 199)
- LCCN
- 91174326
- LCSH
- Gusii (African people)