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- KINSHIP ORGANIZATION IN NORTH-WEST 101
side of the family, receives a share of the bride-price, as does
the mother's father also. In general a boy has the privilege
of appropriating his maternal uncle's goods for his ovum needs
during the lifetime of the latter, and, in return, he owes him
strict obedience. Contrary to the practice of Seniang, a man
is more or less free to obey or disobey his father, but the
commands of his mother's brother are law. Thus, should
the latter say to his nephew, “ Come, let us go and ï¬Åght,"
the boy will go with him, even though his father should forbid
him to do so. If the father were determined to prevent his
boy going off with his wife's brother, he would have to use drastic
methods. On the other hand, were the father to tell his son to
join him in a ï¬Åght, and the maternal uncle to forbid him to go,
the lad would desist and stay at home. But although a
man owes great obedience to his mother's brother, their
relations are those of mutual friendship, rather than of authority
on the one hand and subservience on the other. The attitude
of the nephew is that though his uncle must be obeyed, he
is, at the same time, a “good sport ". If a man dies or is
injured as a'result of carrying out orders given to him by his
mother's brother, the latter must pay the boy’s father a pig
in compensation; in the same way, should death or injury
be brought about by some command of the father's, he
must make ‘similar compensation to the maternal uncle.
_ _ Although the terms for mother's brother and father's sister's
husband are the same (bimbi), the patterns of behaviour towards
‘th_es'e&"two m’en are distinct. A man has, apparently, no special
towards the latter, but treats him with a certain respect
aiid‘is'hot'allowed to " chaff â€ù (sembwesam) him.
Brother and Sister I
A brother and sister are somewhat reserved in their relations
with each other, which is in marked contrast to the familiar
friendliness permitted in Seniang. If a. girl is alone in a house
and her brother comes to speak to her, he will not go inside, but
will stand and speak from the door. It is not considered proper
for brother and sister to go about together, and should they,
perforce, walk along a path in each other’s company, the man is