MATRILINY AND PATRILINY BETWEEN COHABITATIONEQUILIBRIUM AND MODERNITY IN THE CAMEROON GRASSFIELDS

Abstract

The paper explores the principles in the kinship structure of the cluster of speakers of the Ring Group of Grassfi eld Bantu, who are at once matrilineal and patrilineal, living in the south-western edge of the western Cameroon highlands. Although operating in an inverted mirror image, the seemingly opposed kinship structures have a common logic where the basic kinship unit is residential (household). There is an attempt to strike a balance between descent groups without constituting double descent and women occupy positions that stress symmetry rather than subordination, although there is patriarchy. The impact of modernity on matriliny in a context of generalised patriliny is also examined with the conclusion that the drift towards "patrilineal" practices does not imply a change of system but implies adaptations that leave the system unmodified.