article
Fosterage in the northern Gilbert Islands
Ethnology • 3 (3) • Published In 1964 • Pages: 232-258
By: Lambert, Bernd.
Abstract
This document focuses on structural factors that led to widespread child adoption and fosterage in two Northern Kiribati communities. Child-giving families and kin groups typically own more land and command more political influence than child-rearers. As a consequence, it makes structural sense for them to have their children raised by the latter, who would groom them as future village heads. In return, the child-rearers received land and political protection from the powerful child-givers. The author argues that the institution has broad resemblance to asymmetrical cross-cousin marriage rules in other stratified societies.
- HRAF PubDate
- 2018
- Region
- Oceania
- Sub Region
- Micronesia
- Document Type
- article
- Evaluation
- Creator Type
- Anthropologist
- Document Rating
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- Analyst
- Teferi Abate Adem ; 2016
- Field Date
- 1959-1961
- Coverage Date
- 1950-1963
- Coverage Place
- Makin and Butaritari, Northern Kiribati Islands, Republic of Kiribati
- Notes
- Bernd Lambert
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 258)
- LCCN
- 64005713
- LCSH
- Kiribati