Kinship Systems in Foraging and Horticultural-Based Society of the Iroquois

Iroquois Kinship System

THE IROQUOIS

Iroquois kinship system was initially identified by Morgan, 1871, as the system to define family. Iroquois is among the six main kinship systems namely Eskimos, Hawaiian, Sudanese, Crow, Omaha and Iroquois. The horticulture societies are subsistence-based so as the foraging societies. In the foraging society, the foremost component is the composition and existence of the nuclear family. The nuclear family is together irrespective of their shift to any geographical location or band of cultures. However, in the horticulture society they live in extended family structures which are comprised of three generations including grandparents, parents, children, married siblings with their spouses and children, all adapted to the external environment. In the Iroquois, women are the key food producers and they are joint owners of the land. Because of this, women's central role in food production matrilineal groups is more common in horticulture societies.

There exists many similarities and differences among the foraging i.e. food collecting societies and horticulture i.e. food production societies. Both have the ideology of living with the nature as being part of it rather than controlling it. People prefer living with the notion of nature and encourage egalitarianism. However, foraging population is conventionally stable with thin population. Access to resource and even band membership and sharing of relationship is made based on kinship relationship.

The following text will uncover three specific areas of how kinship system of the Iroquois have an impact on the way a particular culture behaves in terms of their thinking abilities, actions and living patterns. These behavioral patterns are then compared with the modern day city societies and critically analyzed that how the kinship has an impact on behavior or not. The areas which will be discussed are framed in the following three questions that address the cultural aspects of these societies and compares with our modern day living:

1. The cultures of Iroquois kinship of horticulture or forages lives by the notion of 'Original Affluent Society'. Are we not handicapped with the ever increasing desire of modernity?

2. How far does the concept of shelter construction and ownership contradict or resemble the societies we all live in?

3. Formation of families, giving authority to the elder with their deserved respect. To what extend does it relate to the current society?

Discussion & CRITICAL analysis

Social and Economical Ethical norms

Both the cultures for foragers and horticulturalists are direct collector or producer of their living. Horticulturalist are classified to work in the delayed return system where they are able to reap their crop after a certain period of time of the season, on the other hand foragers are classified as immediate return system because their consumption of food and other resources occur immediately. It is the conventional thinking that these people are struggling for their survival. In modern times, they have civilized and their living has been successful in hunting and producing food for themselves and their community at large. The cultures live in 'Original affluent society'. The economy is said to be affluent when either there are abundance of resources available or either the needs or desires of its people are limited in which the available resources are left in abundance. The Iroquois have limited needs and wants for which they don't have to over work themselves and can spare leisure time very conveniently.

Comparison with modern society: When compared to our modern society, we face conflicting issues of needs or wants and purchasing power. We have all sort of facility with an advanced technology and better comforts for which we have to work extra time to earn these luxuries which have now became the necessities of our lives.

Concept of shelter and living

The foraging population and settlement is determined by the environmental patterns and their dwelling is not permanent, mostly depending on their earning and living season. Whereas, horticulturalist have comparatively permanent dwelling lasting at least for a couple of seasons till natural hazards make them apart from the land. Btsisi' are an example of a semi-sedentary society. Mostly foraging communities are mobile. Seasonal fluctuation affects the availability of local plants and animals, consequently affects the people living on the plants and animals. Therefore, foragers must move frequently in search of food and water. Shelters are not permanent; these are made from hay, plant, bamboo and other temporary materials such as camps and are in use as long as required. These camps can be used by someone else when one particular family work has accomplished

Compared with modern society:- modern living is based on well organized and constructed housing societies for which dwellers have to pay heavy amounts depending on the localities. The cost of shifting is therefore high and people have to make wise choices when shifting place.