Kinship and Marriage Outline

Running head: KINSHIP AND MARRIAGE
KINSHIP AND MARRIAGE
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KINSHIP AND MARRIAGE1
The aim of this paper is to discuss the different kinship and marriage practices that
prevailed in the ancient societies and those that are still prevalent today. Kinship refers to the
relationships that are bound by blood ties and marriage. Kinship is a broad term for relationships
that are formed when the people either are born into the family or are given the status of a
relative by marriage or adoption. The kinship systems determine the relations of people in the
society and is the most basic institution of the society. Kinship systems are important for the
survival of human beings. The paper analyses the types of kinship, the different marriage
practices and their influence in shaping the current social status of people in the society.
Kinship systems are an integral part of every society and has been an important part since
the past. They have been an important part of the Australian aboriginal society in the past and
still continue to be so. A lot of diversity exists between the kinship groups and their
classificatory systems that are responsible for the determining the status, their marriage, social
responsibility, relationships, economics and all the other important components in the society
(Nordqvist 2014). Kinship can be both biological and cultural dimensions that define the
person’s social relationships in a universal context. Prior to colonisation, there existed
approximately 500 autonomous nations that had its own laws, cultures and kinship systems.
After the European arrival, which was characterised by forced migration, loss of livelihood and
population loss, the kinship systems and cultures changed too.
Aboriginal kinship structures is one of the most complicated structures in the world.
Aboriginal societies were divided into moieties and into further subsections called skins.
Membership to these kinship systems determined the marriage partners and other social
obligations in the society. They followed exogamous rules of marriage, which means that one
married outside their moiety. The marriages were arranged by the senior kins. Polygamous

KINSHIP AND MARRIAGE2
marriage was found among the Mardu tribe of the western desert. The girls who were not
promised in marriage were handed over to the family who were generous enough and had
supported the family in their bad times. People had to adhere to marriage rules and regulations to
abide by the social obligations. Marriages were governed by rules and involve marriage
preferences and incest taboos. These taboos included the prohibition of marrying close relatives.
Failure to conform to the marriage rules resulted in the banishment of the couple, ostracism or
even death in certain situations.
Marriage forms the basis of all societies. It is socially as well as legally authorised union
between man and a woman usually which is regulated by laws, customs, beliefs and attitudes that
sets the rights and duties of the partners (Walker and Bailey 2014). The universality of marriage
depends upon the fact that it provides personal and social functions that is needed for the survival
of all the human beings. It influences division of labour, economic division and the personal
needs for companionship and affection. Various forms of marriage are prevalent in today’s
society. Exogamous and endogamous marriage, monogamous and polygamous marriage are to
name a few. In exogamous marriage, the individuals are required to marry people from outside
one’s group. In an endogamous marriage, individuals are required to marry inside one’s group
(Dow, Reed and Woodcock 2016). Certain groups like the Orthodox Jews practice such kind of
marriages as a part of their religious beliefs and traditions. Monogamy is the practice where there
is a relationship between only one partner, that is, only one man and a woman. Polygamy
involves the practice of developing relationship between more than one partner (Higdon 2017).
There are two kinds of polygamous practices that can be seen across many societies. The first
being polyandry marriage. In this kind of marriage, one woman is married to more than two men
simultaneously. There are two kinds of polygyny marriages: fraternal and non-fraternal. In the