The dynamics of cultural continuities : clanship in the Western Cape

Mehlwana, Anthony M

The dynamics of cultural continuities : clanship in the Western Cape

Master Thesis

1996

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Social Anthropology

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Abstract

This thesis came as a result of two years' research in ten households in Makhaza. Makhaza is a shantytown situated in the Khayelitsha complex. The focus of this research is clanship a particularly under researched field in contemporary anthropology in southern Africa. The early anthropological literature mentioned clanship notions only in the context of social group formation. This literature argued that clanship is meaningless in urban situations since there are various social groups in urban towns which are based on criteria other than clanship. The present study argues, however, that clanship continues to be a building block in the construction of many relationships that poor Africans in towns manipulate for many purposes. Clanship manipulation should be understood in the context of the history and the poor conditions under which urban Africans live. As a result of the often forced migration, many Africans in urban areas do not live with their immediate families. In order to adapt to these conditions, they commonly build contingent relationships that they use as resources for reciprocal exchanges. This thesis has looked at these contingent relationships on three levels: a) how they are formed; b) the roles that each social actor is supposed to perform; and c) reciprocal exchange between households which are linked by clanship. It argues that clanship is a powerful symbol which binds these relationships. Clanship relationships are perceived as 'blood' relationships which are culturally defined and that underpin many varied relationships of reciprocity and material assistance among Africans.

Description

Bibliography: pages. 106-111.

Keywords

Social Anthropology

Clanship

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