The Dynamics of Clanship among the Tallensi: Being the First Part of an Analysis of the Social Structure of a Trans-Volta Tribe

Cover page
Halftitle page
Title page
Copyright page
Title page
Copyright page
Dedication
Epigraph
FOREWORD
CONTENTS
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTORY
	The Natural Environment of the Tollend
	Cultural Affinities of the Tallensi
	General Characteristics of the Tallensi
	British Rule and Contact with Western Civilization
CHAPTER II THE MEANING OF ‘TALLENSI'
	Tribal Divisions
	Cultural Segmentation of the Tallensi
	The ‘Real Talis’
	Nomenclature and the Structural Scheme
	Myths of Origin
	The Major Cleavage in Tale Society
CHAPTER III PARADIGM OF THE LINEAGE SYSTEM
CHAPTER IV CLANSHIP: THE NAMOOS
	The Dispersion of Mosuor biis
	The Chain of Sub-clans
	The Critical Norms of Clanship
	Mosuor biis: a Maximal Lineage
	The Lineage Principle in the Structure of the Clan
	The Internal Differentiation of the Clan: (A) Sie
	The Internal Differentiation of the Clan: (B) Tongo and the Status of Accessory Lineages
	The Nexus of Clanship Ties
	The Field of Clanship
CHAPTER V THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE NAMOOS
	The Distinctive Ritual Observances of the Namoos
	Significance of the Totemic Taboos of the Namoos
	Other Namoo Clans
	The Meaning of ‘Namoo’
CHAPTER VI THE STRUCTURAL RELATIONS OF THE TALIS
	A General Point
	The Clan Structure of Zubiun
	Ritual Differentiation and Integration of Zubiun
	Linked Maximal Lineages and the Field of Clanship
	The Gradation of Clanship Ties
	The Pattern of Clanship among the Talis
	The Mesh of Clanship among the Talis
	Quasi-Clanship: Joking Partnership
	Privileged Moral Coercion
	The Rationalization of Clanship Ties
CHAPTER VII CLANSHIP AND RITUAL COLLABORATION
	The Significance of Sacrificing Together
	Ritual Relations in Namoo Clans
	Ritual Collaboration among the Talis: The External Bɔyar and the Earth
	The Underlying Principles of Ritual Collaboration
	The Scheme of R itual Collaboration among the Hill Talis
	The Network of Ritual Ties between Talis Clans
	Native Thought and the Realities of Social Structure
	The Network of Structural Ties among the Gɔrisi and in the Sie District
CHAPTER VIII TOTEMISM AMONG THE TALIS AND OTHER NON-NAMOOS
	The Unity of all the Talis
	Funeral Customs as Criteria of Social Alinement among Talis Clans
	Totemic Avoidances and Clanship Ties
	Totemic Myths
	The Totemic Avoidances of the Talis as a Reflex of the Social Structure
	Totemic Taboos and the Patrilineal Principle
	Totems, Clanship, and External Bɔyar
	The Significance of Animals as Totems
	Taboos of the Earth
	Functional Differentiation and its Symbolism
CHAPTER IX THE PLACE OF WOMEN IN THE CLAN ORGANIZATION
	The Concept of a Clanswoman
	Institutionalized Recognition of a Clanswoman's Status
CHAPTER X THE SOCIAL STRUCTURE OF A SETTLEMENT
	Introduction
	Types of Settlement and Distribution of Population
	The Stability and Continuity of a Settlement
	Topographical Distinctions and the Natives' Knowledge of Natural History
	Settlement Boundaries
	The Concept of the Tɛn
	The Section— Yizug
	The Sections of Tongo
	Territorial Distribution and the Tɛn in its Mystical Aspect
CHAPTER XI LAND, LOCALITY, AND THE EARTH
	Definition of the Bonds between People and the Land
	Farm-land and Subsistence
	Productive Efficiency and the Bounds set by Nature
	Striving after Security: the Ritual Background
	The Social Framework of Production: Land Tenure
	The tɛndaana’s Tɛn
CHAPTER XII THE LINEAGE IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITY
	General Features
	Analysis of a Lineage from Within
	The Principle of Segmentation in the Lineage
	Lineage Grouping and Local Grouping
	The Concept of the Lineage Home
	The Influence of Lineage Localization in the Social Life
	The Section
	Segmentation and Equilibrium in the Sub-clan
	The Local Embodiment of the Ritual Focus of the Sub-clan
	Structure of the Clan Settlement among non-Namoos
	Structure of Peripheral Settlements
	Seniority and Authority in the Lineage
CHAPTER XIII THE FORM OF TALE SOCIETY
	The Socio-geographic Region
	Re-examination o f the Major Cleavage: Warfare
	Equilibrium, and Solidarity within the Clan and Lineage
	Modern Factors of Disequilibrium
POSTSCRIPT
INDEX