The Basseri Flashcards
True or False?
In some non-western cultures, mariage forms social and political alliances, sometimes transferring wealth.
True
Bridewealth
marital gift by husband and kin to wife’s kin. (most common)
Dowry
marital gift by wife and kin to husband’s kin (less common)
Levirate
When a widow is expected to marry one of her deceased husbands brothers.
Sorate
when a wife dies, the husband is expected to marry one of her sisters.
monogamy
male marrying a female (most common marriage worldwide)
polygyny
marriage between one person and two or more spouses
-practiced in 80% of populations
polygyny threshold model
Shows that females will more commonly marry those guys who have the most food resources.
What is the population of the baseri?
Around 16,000.
How many tents are within a single basseri camp?
30-40 tents
What is the cow and goat herd size for each tent within the basseri camp?
100+
True or false?
The basseri are a nomadic tribe and they do move with all of their possessions.
True
True or fallse
The basseri’s subsistance patterens rely on agriculture, and minorly on foraging.
True
what does the basseri word “il-rah” mean?
“Tribal Road” or traditional route that the basseri move along each time they migrate from place to place.
What percent of the world is lactose intolerant?
70%
Lactose persistence
ability to digest dairy products into adulthood. this is found in many pastorilist groups. genetic variation through natural selection.
The basseri base their wealth on what?
the amount of live stock one owns.
True or False
Premarital sex is allowed in the basseri tribes.
Premarital sex is strictly prohibited.
Neolocal
when couples get married, they establish their own household.
True or false?
each tent within the basseri tribe is self suffiecient in providing food for itself.
True
True or false?
Women are the typical political heads of the household.
False
The males are the heads of the house hold, if no male is present, the wisest individual is head regardless of gender.
What are thew powers of a tribal basseri headman?
He does have authority but has no real power. he acts as an information conduit for the cheif.
What are the powers of the basseri cheif?
The cheif has both authority and power, he can determine routes and timing of migration, resolves disputes, and act as a representative for outside power. He acts as the overall leader of the tribe.
What religion do the basseri practice?
Although the basseri are known as shi’a muslims, they don’t really practice any rituals or organizations of religion.
