Page:American Anthropologist NS vol. 22.djvu/130

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��AMERICAN ANTHROPOLOGIST

��[N. s., 22, 1920

��We may say that the numayms are based on descent with a preference for the paternal line ; the highest positions in the numaym which form the nobility are the senior lines, at the head of which stands the first-born line. There are, therefore, a series of noble names in each numaym that may be considered as similar to offices which must be filled. The occupants of these positions must have the hereditary right to occupy their places, but their positions are actually determined by assignment, each occupant of a position having the right to determine his successor providing the laws of descent give him a title to the position.

The peculiar transfer of name, position and privileges from the woman's father to his son-in-law has been described by me before. The complex rules of this transfer have given rise to much discussion. Ordinarily name and position are given by a man to his son-in-law's children. This does not entail any difficulties when the woman is a first-born child and nobler than her husband, or when younger children are concerned. When the husband is the x nobler, it would however, contradict the rules of primo-geniture previously described.

I have said in earlier publi- cations that the son-in-law holds the name and privileges which he receives from his fath- er-in-law on behalf of his son who becomes the real owner when he grows up. I believe this does not quite correspond to the actual conditions. In return for the marriage pres- ents given by the young man, the father-in-law promises to give names, positions and privileges to any member of the son-in-law's family, to the son-in-law himself, his father, brother or sister, and for his prospective children.

The transmission from individual to individual through mar- riage is most arbitrary. Thus we have one case in which a man (i) obtains his name and position (a) from his sister's husband (2), who had obtained it from his own father (3), who in his turn ob-

���FIG. 5. (P. 10.)

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