South American Foragers: A Case Study in Cultural Devolution

Contemporary evolutionary typologies characterize band society largely on the basis of patrilocal residence and/or patrilineal descent patterns. The South American data challenge the adequacy and universal applicability of these models with a high incidence of matriliny and matrilocality and with fo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American anthropologist 1969-04, Vol.71 (2), p.243-260
Main Author: Martin, M. Kay
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Archipelagos
Communities
Cultural anthropology
Cultural devolution
Depopulation
Evolutionary/Evolutionism
Foraging
Hunter gatherers
Latin America/Latin American/Latin Americans (see also South America)
Social evolution
Society/Societies
Subsistence hunting
Typology/Typologies/Typological
Warfare
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Description
Summary:Contemporary evolutionary typologies characterize band society largely on the basis of patrilocal residence and/or patrilineal descent patterns. The South American data challenge the adequacy and universal applicability of these models with a high incidence of matriliny and matrilocality and with forms of political integration that extend far beyond the local residential group. Furthermore, when viewed in a diachronic perspective, these hunters and gatherers have undergone a process of simplification from early contact to modern times. Contemporary band societies appear to represent degenerated structures formerly characterized by larger population concentrations, corporate unilineal descent groups, and heterogeneous political communities.
ISSN:0002-7294
1548-1433
DOI:10.1525/aa.1969.71.2.02a00040