Agnatic and Uterine Relations among the Fante: Male/Female Dualism

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Periodical article

Title:	Agnatic and Uterine Relations among the Fante: Male/Female Dualism
Author:	Chukwukere, I.
Year:	1982
Periodical:	Africa: Journal of the International African Institute
Volume:	52
Issue:	1
Pages:	61-64
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Ghana
Subjects:	Fanti sexuality death rites Women's Issues Peoples of Africa (Ethnic Groups)
External links:	https://www.jstor.org/stable/1158370 https://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&res_dat=xri:pao:&rft_dat=xri:pao:article:4011-1982-052-00-000004
Abstract:	Behind matrilineal Fante Akan social structure lies a basic principle of classification of behaviour into broadly 'male' and 'female' classes. Sociological analysis and explanation of the juxtaposition of fundamental uterine and pronounced agnatic descent features should take this into serious consideration. It is closer to the empirical reality than concepts based on filiation, e.g. 'double descent'. The author illustrates the utility of the principle of male/ female complementarity by relating basic Fante patrilineal concepts and usages, namely, sun sum (spirit), egyabosom (father deity), and asafo (war people), to their matrilineal opposites, bogya (blood), and abusua (matrilineage): all these placed in the wider context of basic Fante rites of passage, with special accent on death, since in Akan belief and practice as a whole death preponderates over other life-crisis ceremonies. Notes, ref., tab., French sum.