African Family System Research Articles

(Un)rooted spaces of belonging: migrant kinship structures in Nadifa Mohamed’s Black Mamba Boy

While African intercontinental migration to Western countries continues to receive vigorous scholarly attention in African literary studies, this article draws its focus to intracontinental migration during the 1930s and 1940s in Nadifa Mohamed’s Black Mamba Boy (2010). After the protagonist Jama loses his mother, he searches for his father across East and North Africa in a quest to solidify his brittle familial bonds. As Jama constantly refashions his kinship bonds throughout his peregrinations, familial belonging lies at the thematic core of the narrative, which necessitates a more thorough discussion of family structures alongside Mohamed’s realistic portrayal of African geographies transformed by Italian and British colonization to better analyze how kinship operates as a mode of resistance against such forces. Considering Mohamed’s exploration of familial roles in different East African societies, I argue that this novel showcases how migration paradoxically destabilizes and reshapes traditional African family systems foiled by colonial violence. It does so by portraying Africans’ creative resilience in engendering new familial/communal spaces while concomitantly dislodging geographically fixed ideas of belonging. To deploy this analysis, I combine geocriticism and Black Geographies to examine how varied spaces and places shape the characters’ identities and the familial connections they construe. In making this argument, I demonstrate that families/communities mark belonging more significantly than citizenship in the context of migration and buttress space-making for East African migrants in Mohamed’s narrative.

Family of God on Human Rights and its Relativity to the Episteme of the Traditional African Family Systems with reference to 1 Timothy 5: 1-16

Family of God on Human Rights and its Relativity to the Episteme of the Traditional African Family Systems with reference to 1 Timothy 5: 1-16

Meaning and Experience of International Migration in Black African South African Families.

This article explores the experiences of some Black South African families affected by international migration. Historically, emigration from South Africa has occurred in waves, and has been associated with specific political moments. Such migration has often been perceived as a predominantly “White phenomenon”, but recent trends reveal a more complex picture. Prior research on Black migration has focused primarily on internal labour migration, exilic migration and the “brain drain” phenomenon of medical professionals. So far, little research has been done on the impact of international outward migration on the Black family system. This article addresses this gap, drawing on a larger qualitative project exploring the impact of South African emigration on elderly family members staying behind. The findings highlight the significance of close relational ties in the Black South African family system. Familial separation through emigration brings feelings of loss and apprehension for the wellbeing of family members living abroad, including potential racism in destination countries. Migrants abroad highlighted the value of family and of maintaining a Black South African identity, despite separation from the country of origin and the extended family. Significantly, migration is often perceived as a temporary state, in contrast to White South African counterparts. Given increased international migration, the results shed light on the interplay between racial identity and emigration, and the impact of international migration by Black South Africans on family that they leave behind.

“Small House! The Cross’s Religiously Modified Institution.” A Historical Cultural Materialist Approach to the Genesis, Growth and Development of Small Houses in Zimbabwe

The family is the most important basic social institution in any state since time immemorial. It is from this institution that clans, tribes and nations were born. It was the center of the means of production. Africa in general and Zimbabwe in particular, the family system tallies with the religious or the ideological system or vice versa. African Indigenous Religion (AIR) is a religious ideology anchored on communalism and it is anti-individualism in the same way the African family system operates. Through the historical cultural materialist approach this paper argues that the “empire” (imperial states) disrupted, dismembered and destroyed the pristine African family institution through its pervasive tool; “the cross” and its willing agents. The cross (church/temple or Christianity) and its agents criminalised the communal family for the individualistic idealistic family. Individualism is not an African value, it is a foreign model and as such foreign models will not work to the expectations of Africans. Among other causes, the cross, through cultural hegemony gave birth to the “small house” in Zimbabwe. The church is an anti-structure institution to the Zimbabwean communal kinship system. It is the argument of this paper that the cross was developed and deployed to criminalise, shame and stigmatize the African family or kinship values (among them polygamy) resulting in nefarious clandestine legitimation of an illegitimate Western construct “small house”. A family is ideologically unique and as such the conception of a family with regard to the religion of the empire is individualistic as its Christian religious ideology is. The paper goes behind the present through solely focusing on the historical cultural and material conditions that led to the genesis, growth and development of the ‘small house’ in Zimbabwe as an offspring of the church. This chapter concludes by arguing that the small house is a genetically modified institution of the church.

Decoupling African Traditional Religion and Culture from the Family Life of Africans: Calculated Steps in Disguise

Even though African Traditional Religion and Cultural family life seem to have been detached from the indigenous Africans, with many reasons accounting for such a detach, the attempts made by the new wave of Christianity is paramount, under the cloak of salvation and better life. The paper focuses on the steps taken by Pentecostal-Charismatics in Africa to decouple African Traditional Religion and Culture from the family life of Africans in a disguised manner. The paper begins with the retrospection of African Traditional Religion as the religion with belief of the forefathers concerning the existence of the Supreme Being, divinities, Spirit beings, Ancestors, and mysterious powers, good and evil and the afterlife. It then walks readers through the encounter between Christianity and ATR and come out that Christianity from its earliest history has maintained a negative attitude toward ATR. The paper again explores that the traditional understanding of the African family system is portrayed in the common believe system and the functions of the family com-ponents. Again, the paper further unravels decoupling measures such as reaching the masses for audience, demonization of African the world of the spirit, demonization of African elders, pastors as-suming the traditional position of elders of African families are the factors that are being taken to ensure the taking away of African traditional religious and family life from Africans. The paper again discusses the adverse effects of these decoupling factors on Africans. The paper concludes that Traditional African family patterns are slowly but progressively being altered as a result of the process of the decoupling strategies.

The African Family in Crisis: A Brief Analysis of the Transitions and Changing Trends in the Modern African Family

The traditional African Family has always held on to certain values that are not just foundational and core, but also pillars that the family system, structures and values are held together and kept. However, modern agents such as globalization, modernization and their associated extensions seem to be gradually influencing vivid changes in the African family system, values and structures. This Paper explores the issues and opens an academic discourse and possibly, policy implementation for rapid redress.

A PERSPECTIVE ON THE DICHOTOMY OF ACQUISITION OF PARENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND RIGHTS BY FATHERS IN TERMS OF THE CHILDREN’S ACT AND CUSTOMARY LAW

South Africa’s legal system is pluralist in nature. It is embedded in two components, namely, customary law and the common law, which converge to form one national legal system through legislation and case law. However, the distinct development of these two components of the legal system has a significant impact on how their respective frameworks are perceived and subsequently applied in given cases. Traditional African family systems were regulated under the “banner” of customary law, but the validity of the system was ultimately decided in terms of the common law, subject to the repugnancy clause. The repugnancy clause was introduced during the colonial era and was used as a measure discarding certain indigenous African values as contrary to public policy and natural justice (see Juma “From ‘Repugnancy to Bill of Rights’: African Customary Law and Human Rights in Lesotho and South Africa” 2007 21 Speculum Juris 88). Hence, the common law was generally preferred to customary law. This state of affairs influenced the manner in which the two components of the legal system developed, entrenched an outlook of a subservient position towards African customary law particularly in relation to parental responsibilities and rights as asserted below. This position, in turn, rattles the traditional family value system of the indigenous African people.This state of affairs persists regardless of the fact that in the new constitutional dispensation, customary law has been afforded legitimate recognition. Section 211 (3) of the Constitution provides that the courts must apply customary law when that law is applicable, subject to the Constitution and any legislation that specifically deals with customary law. Furthermore, section 39(3) recognises the rights and freedoms “that are recognised or conferred by common law, customary law or legislation, to the extent that they are consistent with the Bill of Rights”.The official recognition of customary law necessitated that the application of the customary law and the common law within the same legal system be harmonised. Issues pertinent to the harmonisation of the common law and customary law were discussed in the South African Law Commission Report of 1999 (South African Law Commission Report “Harmonisation of the Common Law and the Indigenous Law: Report on Conflicts of Laws” Project 90 of 1999). One of the issues raised in the report was how to determine when the customary law is applicable (Himonga and Bosch “The Application of African Customary Law under the Constitution of South Africa: Problems Solved or Just Beginning? 2000 117 South African LJ 314). It was found that generally, the judiciary exercises its own discretion to decide when to apply the customary law (South African Law Commission Report of 1999). A constant challenge that the judiciary faces is to ascertain the customary law position in a given case. This exercise generally requires probing of both the “official” and “living” versions of the customary law. Needless to say, an investigation of this nature is complex. Normally the traditional customary law position, that is, the living customary law of the pre-colonial is considered in light of its significance in the contemporary society. The diverse plethora of customs and cultures has further compounded the process of ascertaining a customary law position of the various indigenous African groups. Finally, it is essential that the judiciary consider the manner in which a group interprets and applies a particular custom. Due to the said complexities that prevail when attempting to ascertain the African customary law position, the attitude, then is generally to adopt the apparent African customary law position.In light of the said entrenched tensions between customary law and common law in terms of application, this note seeks to explore the dichotomy of the acquisition of parental responsibilities and rights as portrayed in legislation and in terms of customary law. Specific reference will be made to the legal position of unmarried fathers in this regard. This note investigates how parental responsibilities and rights are acquired as provided for in legislation. It further examines whether, in terms of customary law, unmarried fathers can acquire parental responsibilities and rights as stipulated in the legislation.

The Impact of Women’s Socioeconomic Position on Marriage Patterns in Sub-Saharan Afirca

Several theories have suggested that Western influences would gradually alter traditional African family systems. Although the predicted convergence toward a Western type of nuclear family has not occurred, there have been important changes in African nuptiality patterns. This article examines theories stating that differentials and changes in marriage patterns are related to the relative status of women. In particular, we assess to what extent factors such as women’s inheritance rights, women’s involvement in trade and politics, and women’s contribution to agricultural labor affect the nuptiality pattern of a society.

Family, Population and Development in Africa.

The data situation - conceptual and methodological aspects the African family - an overview of changing forms the African family - between tradition and modernity African family and changing nuptiality patterns African family in rural and agricultural activities migration and family interactions in Africa African family and the status of women's health African family systems in the context of economic crisis law and the family in southern Africa.

The Demographic Implications of West African Family Systems

This study discusses family systems in Western Africa and the implications for mortality and fertility decline. Nigeria is used as the principal example. The author finds that the greatest changes occurring in Africa are those in the health field. Research confirms the greater extent of use of modern facilities and pharmaceuticals. Most West African women make decisions about the health of children unless expenses are involved. The shift in the recent past to user-pay systems and structural adjustment appears to have led to the decline in use of government services. It is argued that Nigerian infant mortality remained stable and child mortality increased during the 1980s due to the introduction of fees in 1984 devaluation of the currency and the high cost of imported drugs. The author emphasizes that the important issue is that health costs changed from a minor household expenditure to a major one involving family negotiations. West African lineage is a powerful force and distinctive in that its members never leave. Concepts of matrilineality and patrilineality differ in West Africa from East and Southern Africa. In West African societies there is double descent lineage. There is a strong belief that husbands have the final say in reproductive decisions. The survival of children is a fathers responsibility. Even matrilineal societies do not exclude a fathers right to family limitation. West African marriage is a contract between two lineages. Due to widespread polygamy a mother and her children comprise one economic unit. Fosterage is widespread. Shared decision making means shared blame when something goes wrong. West African fathers bear only part of the cost of raising children. It is argued that research gaps exist about how user-pay systems affect changes in health treatment how pressures on male budgets affect family limitation and how to trace divided budgets in lineages and marriages.