Kinship, Language and Production: A Conjectural History of Khoisan Social Structure

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Periodical article

Title:	Kinship, Language and Production: A Conjectural History of Khoisan Social Structure
Author:	Barnard, Alan
Year:	1988
Periodical:	Africa: Journal of the International African Institute
Volume:	58
Issue:	1
Pages:	29-50
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Southern Africa
Subjects:	social structure Khoikhoi San kinship Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups)
External link:	https://www.jstor.org/stable/1159869
Abstract:	This article examines the relation between kinship, production and culture contact among the Khoisan, and particularly the Khoe-speaking peoples. There are two ways in which the kinship system of the Khoisan peoples can be classified. The more obvious way is in terms of social organization, including economics, group structure and rules of descent. The other is in terms of underlying structures of kin categorization and rules of marriage - kinship structures which closely parallel the linguistic classification. Consequently the divisions to be made are between Khoe-speakers and non-Khoe-speakers, as well as between herders and foragers or patrilineal clan-based societies and band-based societies. The Khoe-speaking peoples, who are by far the largest linguistic grouping, are more uniform than the non-Khoe-speaking Bushmen in relationship terminology structure and rules of marriage, but less uniform in group structure. Bibliogr., notes, sum. in French.