essay

Social networks and exchange

turkana herders of the dry savanna : ecology and biobehavioral response of nomads to an uncertain environmentOxford • Published In 1999 • Pages: 88-106

By: Johnson, Brooke, R..

Abstract
This document discusses the context of Turkana social network based on a sample of 22 nomadic and settled herd owners. It shows that the Turkana people have adopted various levels of social interaction and strategies of livestock management that enhance their ability to survive in and exploit the arid scrub savanna environment they inhabit. The relative paucity and patchiness of rainfall require them to keep a variety of livestock. Vulnerability of the livestock to patchy vegetation, limited forage and water, endemic disease, and livestock raids from neighboring tribes requires the Turkana to maintain livestock-exchange and food-sharing relationships that provide a resources safety net. These relationships form an intricate social network that can extend throughout the district and beyond to other areas of the country.
Subjects
Social relationships and groups
Kin relationships
Community structure
Inter-community relations
Friendships
Localized kin groups
Mutual aid
Age stratification
Annual cycle
Household
Family relationships
Eating
Hunting and trapping
Gift giving
Cultural identity and pride
Pastoral activities
Environmental quality
Exchange transactions
Mode of marriage
Visiting and hospitality
Property offenses
culture
Turkana
HRAF PubDate
2010
Region
Africa
Sub Region
Eastern Africa
Document Type
essay
Evaluation
Creator Type
Anthropologist
Document Rating
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
Teferi Abate Adem; 2009
Field Date
1980-1996
Coverage Date
1980-1999
Coverage Place
Turkana, Kenya
Notes
Brooke R. Johnson, Jr.
For bibliographical references see document 24: Little and Leslie
LCCN
99219983
LCSH
Turkana (African people)