LEVI-STRAUSS—CLARK

Levi-Strauss’ article on the social organization of the Kwakiutl was very interesting, but left me with quite a few questions. For instance, does their matrilineal system have anything to do with the fact that you can always know who the mother of a child is, but it can be much less certain who the father is? Has that been much of an issue for the Kwakiutl, or are there completely different reasons? Also, and these may be a tad bit specific, but page 165 states, “the woman brings as a dower her father’s position and privileges to her husband, who, however, is not allowed to use them himself, but acquires them for the use of his son.” In this case, where do the women get their position and privileges? Or do they just not because they are female? If a family only has daughters, is the wife’s father’s position and privileges lost on that line?

Thirdly, page 166 states, “an individual desirous of ‘entering a house’ where there was no marriageable daughter, would symbolically marry a son, and failing a son, a part of the body (arm or leg) of the house chief, or even a piece of furniture.” In the situation that a man marries a piece of furniture to enter a house, how binding is the agreement? Can he be “divorced” from the furniture if he finds a more suitable mate that could actually bear him children?