The aim of this study is to assess the role of kinship and marriage system in Andoni. Other specific objectives were to undertake critical survey of the origin, migration and ethnography of Andoni, to survey and bring to light the practice of kinship and marriage system in Andoni, lastly to see if there is any future hope and prospects for a proper understanding of kinship and marriage system in Andoni kingdom.
Mbiti (1977) has opined that, in Africa within each lineage, there is a deep sense of kingship. According to him, kinship is reckoned through birth, and therefore, blood and marriage. It is kinship that controls social relationship in a given community. It governs marital customs and regulations and regulates the behaviour of an individual towards the other; it is extended to cover plants and animals through the totemic system.
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of Study
1.2 Statement of Problem
1.3 Objectives of Study
1.4 Research Methodology
1.5 Scope of the study
1.6 Limitation of the Study
1.7 Significance of Study
1.8 Definition of Terms
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Kinship
2.1.1 The basics of kinship
2.1.2 Kinship Terminologies
2.1.3 Descent and Affiliation
2.1.4 Alliance and Marriage
2.1.5 Significance of Kinship and Descent Systems in Africa
2.1.6 Relevant studies on Kinship
2.2 Marriage
2.2.1 Types of Marriages
2.2.2 Family, Marriage and Kinship
2.2.3 Theoretical Reviews on marriage
2.2.5 Empirical Reviews on Marriage
2.2.5.1 Marriage Form and Family
2.3 Family Structure
2.3.1 Family
2.3.2 Family and Family System
2.3.3 Meaning and Definition of Family
2.3.4 Role of Family
2.3.5 Nature and Characteristics of Family
2.3.5.1 Types of family
2.3.5.2 Forms of family
CHAPTER THREE: A SURVEY OF KINSHIP AND MARRIAGE IN ANDONI
3.0 Introduction
3.1 Ethnographic Profile of Andoni People
3.1.1 History
3.1.2 Language and Location
3.1.2.1 Location
3.1.3 Belief System
3.2 Kinship in Andoni
3.3 Relationship between Kinship and Marriage in Andoni
3.3.1 Marriage in Andoni
3.3.2 Introductory Rites
3.3.3 The Marriage Gifts
3.3.5 The Wedding: Traditional Marriage Proper
3.3.6 Escorting the Bride
3.3.7 First Assignment
3.3.8 Cultural Display/Food/Atire
3.4 Divorce and Remarry in Andoni
3.5 Summary and Conclusion
CHAPTER FOUR: ANALYSIS
4.0 Introduction
4.1 The Importance of Kinship in Andoni Marriage
4.2 The Role of Bride Price
4.3 The Nature of Validity of Andoni marriage System
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
5.0 Summary
5.1 Conclusion
5.3 Recommendations
Objectives and Themes
This research aims to critically examine the kinship and marriage system within the Andoni community, exploring how these cultural institutions define social relationships, marital obligations, and legal recognition. The study seeks to understand the interplay between traditional customs, lineage structures, and the contemporary shifts impacting the preservation of Andoni cultural identity.
- Evolution of kinship and lineage dynamics in the Andoni Kingdom.
- Traditional marriage rites, including introductory practices and bride price significance.
- Constraints and taboos governing partner selection and social marriage validation.
- Impact of socioeconomic development and cultural transitions on matrimonial traditions.
- Comparative analysis of Andoni practices with other Niger Delta cultural structures.
Excerpt from the Book
3.3.3 The Marriage Gifts
According to Chief Isaiah Gogo, the village head of Samanga, he listed the following marriage gift in Andoni Traditional Marriage as follows;
1. Knocking at the door
i. Two Bottles of Hot drinks (St Remy/Campari)
ii. 3 bottles of Assorted drinks
iii. 3 crates of Maltina
iv. 3 Crates of Mineral
v. Cash N30,000
Summary of Chapters
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION: This chapter provides the foundation for the study by outlining the background of Andoni culture, the research problem regarding complex marital choices, the stated objectives, and the critical historical methodology employed.
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW: This chapter contextualizes the study within global and African anthropological discourse, reviewing theories of kinship, marriage, and family structures as defined by prominent social scientists.
CHAPTER THREE: A SURVEY OF KINSHIP AND MARRIAGE IN ANDONI: This chapter provides a detailed ethnographic profile of the Andoni people, covering their history, belief system, and the specific, step-by-step traditional rites and cultural displays associated with their marriage process.
CHAPTER FOUR: ANALYSIS: This chapter explores the socioeconomic and cultural significance of kinship in regulating marriages in Andoni and analyzes the critical role of bride price as a tool for marital validity and social commitment.
CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION: This chapter synthesizes the core findings and offers recommendations on how the Andoni cultural heritage can be preserved while adapting to contemporary social changes.
Keywords
Kinship, Marriage, Andoni Community, Cultural Artifact, Lineage, Bride Price, Ethnography, Social Obligation, Traditonal Marriage, Patrilineal, Matrilineal, Marriage Rites, Social Structure, Andoni Kingdom, Family Organization.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this research?
The research fundamentally investigates the kinship and marriage systems within the Andoni community of Rivers State, Nigeria, analyzing how these traditions organize social interaction and reproduction.
What are the core thematic areas explored?
The study covers the ethnographic background of the Andoni Kingdom, the evolution of kinship terminologies, the systemic structure of traditional marriage, and the influence of cultural taboos on family formation.
What is the central research objective?
The primary goal is to assess the roles of kinship and marriage in the Andoni community, specifically looking at how these systems influence marriage partner selection and the societal recognition of marital unions.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The researcher employs a critical historical method, integrating primary and secondary sources with field-based interviews and participant observation to ensure an objective qualitative analysis.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The main body details the historical migration of the Andoni, the specific kinship lineages (lineal and collateral), and a comprehensive breakdown of the traditional marriage process—from the initial "knocking on the door" to the final wedding attire and rites.
Which concepts define this research?
The work is characterized by concepts such as the "biological idiom" of kinship, "bifurcate merging" in terminology, "exogamy," "bride price as marriage compensation," and the "social responsibilities" inherent in the Andoni family system.
How is the bride price viewed in the Andoni context?
In Andoni, the bride price is not treated as a commercial transaction but as a vital instrument of "rectification" and honor, confirming the bride’s value and establishing formal trust between the bride's and groom’s families.
What unique cultural element is mentioned regarding marriage validation?
A unique condition noted is that if a man has children with a woman without paying the bride price, the children belong to the woman's family; he must retrospectively fulfill all marriage rites to obtain legal recognition over the children.
- Quote paper
- MfonAbasi Okon (Author), 2022, Kinship and Marriage System in Andoni Community, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1267323
