How Does the Kinship System Impact the San Culture and Some Aspect Towards Their Survival?

How Does the Kinship System Impact the San Culture and Some Aspect towards Their Survival?

Ronald Orr

ANT 101

Prof. Tristan Marble

January 29, 2012

This research paper will discuss the impact of the Kinship System of San culture (Bushmen) of Africa, and how the American Culture compares against theirs. It will explain several areas that hold San people responsible for their survival, and explain if their long time habits will continue to exist or will government rule force them to change their habits for better or for worst. San culture is known to be one of the oldest forms to run on earth, it's recorded back at least 100,000 years. Primarily located in the Kalahari Desert, a waste land environment that is dreadful for any group of people to survive, and they have preserved for more than anybody can remember. How does the Kinship System impact the San culture and some aspect towards their survival?

San people are Foragers meaning they hunt and gather their means of production. Foragers is also a method that is meant to bring people together, such as to ensure everybody survives no matter what conditions they find themselves. San are constantly roaming a certain part of their land looking for the best vegetation, also moving with the population of animal life. Most men hunt animals, while women gather vegetables and fruit. What is particular to San is that everybody shares what they hunt and gather; everybody gets an equal share of food. According to Nowak and Laird "San only produce no more than what they need for survival (2011, Sec. 3.1, Para. 1)" This method creates equality among San, reducing emotions of envy, and building teamwork to survive.

San communities are small bands that extend only into people they marry into. So everybody knows everybody. When analyzing this, their community will only stretch so far, and reach its limit with the amount of children one have. It's comes with reciprocity that families will have an equal portion, so women will marry toward men, and naturally inherit what their husband's family already has, and vice verse. This builds and enforces strong communities to last for generations to follow.

When it comes to politics or rules, san look towards one person to guide them; this person is more likely an elder who learned throughout their life, and will make decision based on the survival of future generations. Conflict is handled calmly for most disputes, because sans do not possess property or any major individual items, their misunderstanding is based on not helping out the group. San basically work as a team with little disruptions to hold them back; this is not the case in any United States American group or a true U.S. culture.

When observing American culture,