Bilateral descent

Bilateral descent is a system of family lineage in which the relatives on the mother's side and father's side are equally important for emotional ties or for transfer of property or wealth. It is a family arrangement where descent and inheritance are passed equally through both parents. Families who use this system trace descent through both parents simultaneously and recognize multiple ancestors, but unlike with cognatic descent, descent is not recognized through any sexual line.

Overview

In a bilateral descent system, every tribe member belongs to two clans, one through the father and another through the mother. For example, among the hopi people of the United States, a child is born to the mother's clan and father's clan. Among the australian aboriginal people, however, a child is considered to belong to the father's clan.

Characteristics

Bilateral descent is found among only a small number of the world's societies. It is seen in some societies where kinship relationships are the most complex. Notably, bilateral descent occurs among the eskimo people, in certain west african societies, in the netherlands, and in some southeast asian societies.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Advantages of bilateral descent include the ability to form alliances with any relatives on the mother's or father's side. This allows for more flexible marriages and child-bearing decisions, and can also help to maintain social stability. However, a major disadvantage is the complexity of tracing genealogical relationships, as each individual has two family trees to trace.

See Also

• Unilineal descent
• Matrilineality
• Patrilineality
• Family

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