4 - Kinship and marriage

Summary

Introduction

The Barasana kinship terminology is a variation on the basic Dravidian type (Dumont 1953). In this basic type, members of ego's generation are either ‘classificatory siblings’ or ‘classificatory cross-cousins’. Classificatory siblings of the opposite sex to ego are prohibited in marriage, and classificatory cross-cousins of the opposite sex to ego are potentially marriageable. In the Barasana terminology, there are further distinctions within these O-generation categories. Although the fundamental opposition between marriageable and unmanageable members of the opposite sex exists, there are degrees of marriage-ability expressed in terms of the sub-categories. It would not be relevant to embark on a detailed discussion of either the entire terminological system or even the O-generation categories here. Instead, a brief review of O-generation classification, the application of the O-generation terms and the marriage rules and preferences expressed in terms of these will be enough. A great deal of data on Vaupés marriage practice and on Bará O-generation kinship terminology (collected in Caño Inambú) has been analysed by J. Jackson in a number of works to which the reader should refer for additional information and alternative analytical perspectives (1972, 1973a, 1976, 1977).

The terminological system and set of marriage rules and preferences described by Jackson is very similar to the material presented here.