Moiety

Molecules - half of the tribe; a term in ethnology signifying one of two complementary groups in the organization of tribal social, religious and political life.

Genesis

The idea of ​​dividing the tribes into two halves was proposed in 1889 by R. Fison and A.W. Howitt, which was later supported by Edward Burnet Tylor. Literature was introduced by H. Lowie in 1920, which also specified it as one of the catches of the tribe. The concept of moieties was derived by the dualistic model of the social system of two families which formed a rudimentary tribe and exchanged with each other women (direct marriage exchange). This division may have blurred as demographic growth, but could often remain in the above mentioned form. H. Rivers derived this organization from the merging of two tribes that led to mutual coexistence. The dualistic system fulfills important functions in the social and religious life of the group, provided that the principle of reciprocity is fulfilled, although ceremonial hostility (aggressive relations), as in the rituals of initiation or funeral, and in the economy, are also excluded. Sometimes they have a connection with ideology and beliefs as a representation of the construction of the cosmos. They are very common in societies with a matrilineal system of kinship, which can be explained by their association with the original forms of the social system. The dualistic system is also visible in societies with a dual system of affinity. Occurrence

An example of a dual-organization society is the California Indians of the Miwok tribe. The system can also be found in South American Ge-Indians: Kaerang, Kaingang or Apinayé. Bibliography Foreign Bibliography

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