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Bilineal
descent is system of family descent where blood links and rights of inheritance through
both male and female ancestors are of equal importance.
A cloned child has unilineal, not bilineal, descent; he or she
is genetically kin to only one progenitor. What is more, the genetic kinship is
near-total: the cloned child is not genetically unique, but shares almost completely the
genetic endowment of the "original" progenitor.
In most societies where kinship connections are important, the rules of descent affiliate
individuals with different sets of kin. Descent concerns the tracing of relationships
through succeeding generations, i.e., who has descended from whom. There are several ways
of tracing descents.
Unilineal Descent or ‘one-line’ descent is that form of descent in which a
relationship is emphasised through one sex or line. It is of two types:
1. Patrilineal or Agnatic Descent is a form of unilineal descent traced through males
only. It is important to remember that the person calculating descent may be either female
or male. Females in a patrilineal descent trace their descent through the line of their
father’s as male members do.
2. Matrilineal or Uterine Descent is a form of descent traced through females only. Both
females and males trace their descent in this way.
3. There is also the form of Double or Duo lineal or Bilineal Descent. It is a form of
unilineal descent which combines both patrilines and matrilines. Descent is traced
separately through female and through male lines for different purposes, e.g., inheritance
of immovable property through one line and inheritance of movable property through the
other.
Cognatic or Bilateral Descent is non unilineal descent. Here descent is traced through all
progenitors, female and male, through both the mother and the father.
In India we generally find the patrilineal and matrilineal descent systems. Of the two,
patrilineal descent system is more common. Patrilineal descent is more prevalent in North
India. Among the tribals, many tribes such as Santhals or Mundas have the patrilineal
system. Interestingly the polyandrous Todas too have a patrilineal system.
Tribes such as the Khasis and Garos of North-East have the matrilineal descent system. The
Nayars of Kerala are a good example of matrilineal descent.
Unilineal descent groups often take the form of lineages and clans. Lineage is a set of
kin, whose members trace their descent from a common ancestor through known links. A clan
is often composed of related lineages. A clan is a set of kins who believe that they have
descended from a common ancestor but cannot specify the genealogical links with her or
him. - Extract from: Amit Kumar Sharma, NCERT XII Structure Of Indian Society. |
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