Anishinaabe Clan System Analysis and Overview - Essay Example

Anishinaabe people and our Homeland Introduction This term’s learning process was as invigorating just as it was enlightening.The course curriculum consisted of specific features that enhanced the learning process thereby ensuring that learners participated in the learning process. Student participation through systematic interactive processes does not only enhance the learning process but also develops desirable personalities in the learners. The clan system, which was the main topical issue in this term’s course, was interesting since it provides a unique view of the society, one that operates cohesively with effective structures to ensure the growth of the society in an orderly and lawful manner as the discussion below portrays. A clan refers to a group of people sharing a particular kinship thus descent. The Anishinaabe people are among the indigenous people of North America. The society had a unique patrilineal clan system that helped organize the society. The clan for example helped in the enhancing inter-tribal relations, managing traditional occupation and marriages among other basic features of the society (Hosmer & Nesper, 2013). As explained earlier, the clan system enhanced the creation of a cohesive society that functioned efficiently. The system developed systems of traditional occupations in which every family had a unique specialization. This ensured that the society enjoyed all the vital occupations and services from the member of the society. Additionally, inter-tribal and inter clan relations were equally important in managing the peace and stability of the political and economic systems. The clan system thus ensured that a particular group had a definite representation thus a forged way of interacting with the other groups. The family was the basic institution in a clan. In such a system, the family had a patrilineal relation with the other families in the clan. This implies that the Anishinaabe people in lived in groups of related people who shared specific interests. The families in a clan thus shared love among other vital values that enhanced the existence of the society as singular unit. Children grew up in age groups and age sets thereby acquiring varied roles depending on their ages and interest. Through such systems, the society ensured that it transited from one generation to another successfully. Key among the importance of raising children in age sets and age groups was the fact that they learnt the various social and cultural values thereby becoming responsive adults who understood the ways of the society. Marriages were therefore important since they provided avenues for the creation of families. The clans oversaw the formation of such unions thus ensuring that they enhanced the peace and stability of the Anishinaabe. Clans intermarried a feature that minimized aggression among the various clans owing to the blood relations that they created with the other clans. Additionally, the Anishinaabe people had effective social order that helped distinguish each group from the other. The Maandawe-doodem was the fisher clan. The clan lived along the southern shores of Lake Superior. Fishing was the main economic activity of this clan. They fished and cultivated their fertile land along the lake thereby trading with the other clans living in other parts of the region. Other clans such as the Waagosh-doodem and the Waabizheshi-doodem occupied other parts of the region where they engaged in various economic activities such as hunting, gathering and farming among others (Benjamin, 2008). The regions helped determine the economic activities since each geographic region sustained specific economic activities. However, the clans engaged in trade among other forms of interaction. Trade helped the clans obtain products they did not produce in their region. Through systematic batter trade, the people exchanged goods and services with members of various clans. As explained earlier, interactions were vital in enhancing the structures of the clans. As such, the society organized various platforms for interactions key among which was trade. Trade among other commercial activities brought the people from various clan together as they exchanged goods and services. Additionally, the people organized various cultural activities such as sports among other celebrations. Various rites of passages such as circumcision and marriage served as appropriate stages of interaction as the people came together in merriment and celebrations. Wars were yet other important forms of interactions that influenced the structures of the clan. Various clams engaged in warfare whose result influenced the social structure of both clans. The winner in most of the wars often assimilated the losing clan thereby acquiring its land among other resources. The clans extended their territories through wars. Besides economic prosperity, the interactions formed basis for the creation of the clans. Through such interactions, the males in either clan obtained spouses from the other clan since the traditions of the society banned marriages within the clan. The societies organized appropriate platforms to bring people from various clans together thus enhancing the formation of family ties (Johnson, 2011). Additionally, most of the marriages were strategic and sought to build political relations. The royalties in the society organized appropriate marriages with the view to enhancing their political alliances thus perpetuating their rule in the region. This way, the leadership of both the clans and the society ensured that they maintained peace and stability of their respective clans. In retrospect, the clan system among the Anishinaabe people was successful in creating an appropriate and conducive society for the people. However, creating such a system in the modern society is impossible. The modern society has a unique social structure that cannot sustain the clan system, as was the case with the Anishinaabe people. The political system in the modern society for example is complex and extends to the intricate features of the society. As such, it does not create a vacuum for the can leadership to occupy. Another equally important feature about the contemporary society is the heightened integration among the people. The world is a global village. This implies that people from various backgrounds can live in any part of the world. The level of integration in the contemporary society discourages the existence of any organized group of patrilineal relations. The economic structure of the modern society is yet another factor that would discourage the creation of similar systems. The settlement pattern arising from the mechanized society discourages the creation of such a distinct group as a clan. References Benjamin, V. B. (2008). Clan Destined Communities: The Persistence and Revitalization of Ojibwe Clan Identity in Ojibwe Literature. New York: ProQuest. Hosmer, B. C., & Nesper, L. (2013). Tribal worlds: Critical studies in American Indian nation building. Albany: State University of New York Press. Johnson, B. (2011). Anishinaabe Peoples, Including: Ojibwe, Anishinaabe Clan System, List of Algonquin Chiefs, Weechi-it-te-win Family Services. New York: BiblioBazaar. Read More