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Himba Woman
Native
African Tribes
Typically, the Himba woman
will perform more chores than the men, in particular the more labor
intensive activities, such as milking cows and goats, hauling water from the
river, raising children, carrying firewood and constructing homes. Despite
the prominent role by Himba women in Himba society, they are not strictly
matrilineal as are many African tribes. In fact, they are both matrilineal
and patrilineal, in that each member of the Himba tribe is a member of two
clans, that of their mother and that of their father. This is referred to by
anthropologists as bilateral descent, an uncommon pattern that only occurs
in a few cultures around the world. The bilateral descent of Himba society
may be an adaptation to the extreme desert conditions in which they live in
that an individual can rely on both their father's and mother's families for
support in times of emergencies. That said, the son typically lives with his
father's clan. However, he does not inherit his father's wealth, rather that
of his mother's brother (maternal uncle). Conversely, a Himba woman will
live with her husband's clan after marriage. This bilateral descent is
unique, occurring in very few African tribes.
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