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Btsisi Kinship

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Btsisi Kinship
Btsisi Kinship
Elizabeth Safady
Ashford University
Anthropology
Instructor Reeves
March 11, 2013

The Btsisi kinship in horticultural, in otherwords, they culitvate to produce their own food. Marriage in the Btsisi culture is arranged by the elders in the community. Marriage is extremely important, as it helps form alliances and create firm relationships not only outside the community, but inside as well. The Btsis society is made up of bands. Each band consists of a nuclear family and an extended family. The nuclear family is made up of the mother, father, and children. The extended family is made up of the grandparents, aunts, uncles, and others. This type of living is the reason for such coalition and sharing among families. The ability of the band and individuals to work together greatly is what the survival of this culture depends on. In the Btsisi culture, their kinship has the roles divided between men and women, but not nearly as strict as other societies such as foraging societies. Women traditonally care for the home, finances, and children, while the men handle things such as heavy lifting and business that is not in the village. The couple is instructed about the proper duties as husband and wife during their wedding ceremony. This is so important because married couples are the solid structure of the Btsisi society. Husband and wife consider their spouse to be best friends, and they form a self-sufficient and cooperative team. The main practice of the Btisis is general reprocity, which is a form of exchange where no immediate return of an item is expected in exchange for something else. This ensures that even if a family is going through hard times, they will be okay, because the other members of their culture are going to make sure of it. Through rough times, kinship is what Btsisi live by to help them stay alive. Two of the many reasons why the Btsisi have remained so close, and also as to the reason their kinship has been the same for

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