A Synoptic Comparison of Mesoamerican Marriage and Family Structure

Nutini, Hugo G.

doi:10.1086/soutjanth.23.4.3629453

Cited by 19 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…Socially preferred patrilocal residence and labor contracting is widespread in Mesoamerica. It is practiced by the Maya, Nahua, Mixtec, and Zapotec, among others (Tax,1952; Nutini,1961,1967,1968; Nader,1964; Selby,1974; Kellogg,2005) and very likely predates Spanish contact (Kellogg,2005). Further investigation of marriage practices, human biology, and genetics in indigenous communities across Mesoamerica should be conducted to validate and augment these findings.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Spouses were essentially chosen according to a theory of comparative economic advantage which focused on successful production of children (Selby et al, Unpublished manuscript). The decision on patrilocal versus matrilocal residence was reached through complex and subtle evaluations and/or negotiations by the respective families, i.e., grandparents of the prospective progeny, that were intended to maximize economic prospects for the young couple (Nutini,1967,1968; Nader,1969; Selby et al,1982). The future bilateral inheritance of the couple, including bride wealth, was the central factor in negotiations, and focus was on maximizing the “condition” of the couple for production of grandchildren.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…These issues provided a platform for posturing and veiled economic argumentation during marital negotiations. The social preference of residence was postnuptial patrilocality which evolves into the establishment of an independent nuclear household after several years in an extended‐family residence involving a labor contract linked to land inheritance (Selby,1966; Nutini,1967; Nader,1969; Selby et al, Unpublished manuscript). Patrilocal arrangements were an investment in sons, whereas matrilocal contracts were investments in daughters.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Marriage patterns in a Mesoamerican peasant community are biologically adaptive

Little

Malina

2010

American J Phys Anthropol

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Differential investment in offspring by parental and progeny gender has been discussed and periodically analyzed for the past 80 years as an evolutionary adaptive strategy. Parental investment theory suggests that parents in poor condition have offspring in poor condition. Conversely, parents in good condition give rise to offspring in good condition. As formalized in the Trivers-Willard hypothesis (TWH), investment in daughters will be greater under poor conditions while sons receive greater parental investment under good conditions. Condition is ultimately equated to offspring reproductive fitness, with parents apparently using a strategy to maximize their genetic contribution to future generations. Analyses of sex ratio have been used to support parental investment theory and in many instances, though not all, results provide support for TWH. In the present investigation, economic strategies were analyzed in the context of offspring sex ratio and survival to reproductive age in a Zapotec-speaking community in the Valley of Oaxaca, southern Mexico. Growth status of children, adult stature, and agricultural resources were analyzed as proxies for parental and progeny condition in present and prior generations. Traditional marriage practice in Mesoamerican peasant communities is patrilocal postnuptial residence with investments largely favoring sons. The alternative, practiced by ∼25% of parents, is matrilocal postnuptial residence which is an investment favoring daughters. Results indicated that sex ratio of offspring survival to reproductive age was related to economic strategy and differed significantly between the patrilocal and matrilocal strategies. Variance in sex ratio was affected by condition of parents and significant differences in survival to reproductive age were strongly associated with economic strategy. While the results strongly support TWH, further studies in traditional anthropological populations are needed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Marriage patterns in a Mesoamerican peasant community are biologically adaptive

Little

Malina

2010

American J Phys Anthropol

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“…Con un Cnfasis teorico diferente, distintos antropologos sefialan la importancia y ~nultiplicidad de pricticas religiosas; entre otros : BRANDES 1988;CANCIAN 1965;CARRASCO 1976; CHANCE y W. TAYLOR 1987;CIRUELO 1986: FOSTER 1972GIM~NEZ 1978;G~NZALEZ 1989;GREENBERG 198 1 ;HANGER 1978;SEGATO 199 1 ; DE LA SERNA 1953;CANCIAN 1965;NUTINI 1967y BELL 1980 ... desde el exterior: historia de las ideas, de instituciones, de terrenos, de almas excepcionales, de grandes peregrinaciones, per0 no de lo corntin, de la masa de 10s fieles". En cuanto tal, lo "popular" no se opone ni a la autoridad ni a lo oficial, ni a la jerarquia cat6lica, ni a la cultura clerical.…”

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Actualidad de la religiosidad en el México rural

Fernandez

1999

ANTHRO

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Family, Kinship Structure, and Modernization in Latin America

Carlos¹,

Sellers²

1972

Lat. American Res. Rev.

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This Paper Analyzes Family and Kinship Patterns in Latin America Among distinct socio-economic groups in urban and rural settings. The literature on which the analysis rests is also critically examined. Much of the focus is on those aspects of the material which deal with extended family (parentesco) relations and with fictive kinship (compadrazgo) ties; less attention is given to studies and components of the nuclear family. The central theme developed in the essay is that familial ties and the institution of fictive kinship are not breaking down under the impact of modernization, despite theories and interpretations of urbanization and industrialization which maintain that the opposite is true. Our position and findings on his matter are summarized in the conclusion.

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A Synoptic Comparison of Mesoamerican Marriage and Family Structure

Cited by 19 publications

References 0 publications

Marriage patterns in a Mesoamerican peasant community are biologically adaptive

Marriage patterns in a Mesoamerican peasant community are biologically adaptive

Actualidad de la religiosidad en el México rural

Family, Kinship Structure, and Modernization in Latin America

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