Question

What type of kin naming system is used by Aztec group?( Hawaiian, Eskimo, Crow, Sudanese, Omaha and Iroquois)

Answer 1

Anthropologists have discovered that there are only six basic kin naming patterns or systems used by almost all of the thousands of cultures in the world.  They are referred to as the Eskimo, Hawaiian, Sudanese, Omaha, Crow, and Iroquois systems.

Eskimo System

The most common kin naming pattern in North America and Europe today is known as the Eskimo system. Members of the nuclear family are given terms of reference based only on their gender and generation.

The Eskimo kin naming system is found mainly in societies that use the bilateralprinciple of descent and that strongly emphasize the nuclear family over more distant kinsmen. Both ego’s mother’s and father’s collateral relatives are considered equally important. That is to say, no distinction is made between relatives on the mother’s and father’s side of the family.  

Hawaiian System

The least complex kin naming pattern is found in the Hawaiian  system. The nuclear family is de-emphasized. Relatives within the extended family are distinguished only by generation and gender. This results in just four different terms of reference.

It is found widely in the islands of Polynesia where it is usually associated with ambilineal descent. Since both sides of the family are treated equally, an individual’s choice of ancestral line to trace is less biased.

Sudanese System

At the opposite extreme in complexity is the Sudanese  system. Most kinsmen are not lumped together under the same terms of reference. Each category of relative is given a distinct term based on genealogical distance from ego and on the side of the family. There can be eight different cousin terms, all of whom are distinguished from ego’s brother and sister.

Omaha System

The Omaha kin naming system is characteristic of societies that use patrilineal descent. Relatives are lumped together on the basis of descent and gender. Siblings and parallel cousins of the same gender are given the same term of reference (5 = males and 6 = females). Father and father’s brothers also have the same kin term (1).

Crow System

An almost mirror image of the Omaha pattern is the matrilineally based Crow kin naming system. Relatives are also lumped together on the basis of descent and gender. Siblings and parallel cousins of the same gender are given the same term of reference (5 = male and 6 = female). Mother and mother’s sister also have the same kin term (2).

Iroquois System

In the Iroquois kin naming system, the same term of reference is used for father and father’s brother (1) as well as mother and mother’s sister (2). This merging is related to shared membership in unilineages, as it is in the Omaha and Crow systems. However, the Iroquois system may be either patrilineal or matrilineal and is usually not as strongly one or the other.