Clan

A clan is a group of people united by kinship and descent, which is defined by perceived descent from a common ancestor. Even if actual lineage patterns are unknown, clan members nonetheless recognize a founding member or apical ancestor. As kinship based bonds can be merely symbolical in nature some clans share a "stipulated" common ancestor, which is a symbol of the clan's unity. When this ancestor is not human, this is referred to as animallian totem. Generally speaking, kinship differs from biological relation, as it also involves adoption, marriage, and fictive genealogical ties. Clans can be most easily described as sub-groups of tribes and usually constitute groups of 7000 to 10 000 people.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Some clans are patrilineal, meaning its members are related through the male line. Others are matrilineal; its members are related through the female line. Still other clans are bilateral, consisting of all the descendants of the apical ancestor through both the male and female lines; the clans of Scotland are one example. Whether a clan is patrilineal, matrilineal, or bilateral depends on the kinship rules and norms of their society.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In different cultures and situations a clan may mean the same thing as other kin-based groups such as tribes and bands. Often, the distinguishing factor is that a clan is a smaller part of a larger society such as a tribe, a chiefdom, or a state. Examples include Scottish, Chinese, and Japanese clans, which exist as kin groups within Scottish, Chinese, and Japanese society, respectively. Note, however, that tribes and bands can also be components of larger societies. Arab tribes are small groups within Arab society, and Ojibwa bands are smaller parts of the Ojibwa tribe.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

However, the Norse clans, the ?tter, can not be translated with tribe or band, and consequently they are often translated with house or line.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Most clans are exogamous, meaning that its members cannot marry one another. Some clans have an official leader such as a chieftain, matriarch, or patriarch.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Apart from these different traditions of kinship, further conceptual confusion arises from colloquial usages of the term. In post-Soviet countries for example it is quite common to speak of clans referring to informal networks within the economic and political sphere. This usage reflects the assumption that their members act towards each other in a particularly close and mutually supportive way approximating the solidarity among kinsmen.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Kinship and descent: Kinship and descent is one of the major concepts of cultural anthropology. Cultures worldwide possess a wide range of systems of tracking kinship and descent. Anthropologists break these down into simple concepts which are common among many different cultures....

Apical ancestor: In kinship and descent, an apical ancestor is a common ancestor from whom a lineage or clan may trace its descent. The word apical is used because this ancestor is at the apex of the genealogy. In the case of clans, this may be an assumed or fictional ancestor chosen for unification purposes. If ...

Totem: :This article is about totemism. For the Totem media player, see Totem (media player)....

Clan related Images and Photos (experimental)

Ba-Ta-Clan	Ba-Ta-Clan	Wu Tang Clan	The Clan of the Cave Bear 1986
The Sicilian Clan 1970	Wu-Tang Clan Ghostface Killah Black Cream Vinyl Doll	The Sicilian Clan Argentine Movie Poster 1970	Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Foot Clan T-Shirt
Gaiter-Gaines-Black-Russell Clan Family Reunion Cleveland Lakefront State Park August 25 2006	Wu-Tang Clan and Rage Against the Machine Rolling Stone no. 768 September 1997	Avatar The Last Airbender Fire Clan T-Shirt	Avatar The Last Airbender Water Clan T-Shirt