Understanding the Kanda System in Matrilineal Societies

 
What was the kanda system?
 
 
 
Kinship relations were dominated by the
ideology of the kanda
Kanda were matrilineal descent groups which
controlled and legitimised the holding of land
C16 – there were some larger kanda which
could be used for political purposes but most
were in smaller autonomous groups
 
 
Kanda structures were flexible
So when power was concentrated, the kanda
could become very hierarchical, with chiefs at
each level exercising considerable power over
juniors
At other times, there could be a more egalitarian
structure where chiefs acted as representatives of
committees which had the real power
TASK: Use your Play Doh to make two different
representations of kanda structures
 
 
Key features of the kanda:-
Defined names, traditions and memberships
Exclusive set of common affairs centred on
exploiting their land
Had the necessary autonomy and procedures to
deal with these affairs
The passing on of land depended on your
relationship with the kanda
 
 
A free man could normally depend upon 4 ‘chiefs’
to be interested in his affairs:-
Lineage head of his mother’s segment (his own kanda)
Lineage head of his father’s kanda
Lineage head of his paternal grandfather’s kanda
Lineage head of his maternal grandfather’s kanda
 
TASK Use your Playdoh to illustrate this and explain to
your partner
 
 
A person could normally choose between
several places of residence:-
Lands of his own lineage (i.e. his mother’s kanda)
Those of his father’s
Those of either of his grandfather’s
 
Question: What impact would this have on
migration and therefore the growth of the
kingdom?
 
 
A slave was a person without a kanda or kanda
chief who could defend his interests
He settled on his owner’s land and was classified
as a child and so had only one chief interested in
his affairs i.e. his ‘father’ (owner) as opposed to
the usual four
But this did not mean he was very inferior as
social progress depended on the power of the
group to which he was affiliated and on their
willingness to support him
 
 
Slaves could become free if a lineage wanted to
expand and co-opted them as a new lineage
A slave (‘child’) could marry into his owner’s
(‘father’) kanda and then get the privileges and
responsibilities of its other children
 
TASK: Use your Play Doh to show the position of a
slave within the kanda system and how this could
change
 
 
Slaves were only acquired occasionally
through pawnship, exchange, sale or war and
were assimilated quite quickly into kanda
structures
C16 – the only people who could be
legitimately sold were newly acquired captives
 
 
Marriage fostered alliances between
neighbouring groups
C17 – there was a preference for matri- or
patrilineal cross- cousin marriages as they
would reinforce an existing relationship
between groups
 
TASK: Use your Play Doh to show how this
would work
 
 
Men
 
Clear forest/scrub
Produce tree crops
Work with wood and iron
Hunting
Long-distance trading
 
Women
 
Work the land
Cook evening meal
Harvest sea products (if on
the coast)
 
This division of labour did not apply to slaves
 
The kanda was normally headed by a female and a male chief
 
 
During the early C15 the central kanda of the Kikongo-
speaking region south of the Zaire evolved the
kingdom of Kongo as a way to exploit the different
surrounding regions
The members of these 12 kanda formed a ruling group
with a clear identity and closed membership
They had an exclusive body of common affairs,
notably:-
 The election of the manikongo and the government
Exploitation of neighbouring regions
Set procedures for doing the above
 
The Manikong’s Council
 
12 individuals divided into 3 groups
4 titles held by women who may nromally
have been the female kanda chiefs of the
manikongo’s own (i.e. mother’s), father’s,
maternal and paternal grandfather’s kanda
The principal woman called ‘Mother’ of the
manikongo was his female chief
They were collectively called the Mwissikongo
 
 
A group then evolved which was directly
dependent upon the manikongo and
independent of the kanda
This was the manikongo’s household
People from diverse origins could become part
of this household
Members could be settled on land in and
around Mbanza Kongo, overriding the local
kanda’s claim to the land
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The Kanda system was a key aspect of matrilineal descent groups that controlled land and kinship relations in C16 societies. Kandas had flexible structures, varying from hierarchical to egalitarian, with chiefs playing different roles. Key features included defined names, traditions, and autonomy in managing land affairs. Free individuals relied on four chiefs for support, while slaves lacked a kanda and had limited support. The system influenced residence choices and migration patterns.


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  1. What was the kanda system?

  2. Kinship relations were dominated by the ideology of the kanda Kanda were matrilineal descent groups which controlled and legitimised the holding of land C16 there were some larger kanda which could be used for political purposes but most were in smaller autonomous groups

  3. Kanda structures were flexible So when power was concentrated, the kanda could become very hierarchical, with chiefs at each level exercising considerable power over juniors At other times, there could be a more egalitarian structure where chiefs acted as representatives of committees which had the real power TASK: Use your Play Doh to make two different representations of kanda structures

  4. Key features of the kanda:- Defined names, traditions and memberships Exclusive set of common affairs centred on exploiting their land Had the necessary autonomy and procedures to deal with these affairs The passing on of land depended on your relationship with the kanda

  5. A free man could normally depend upon 4 chiefs to be interested in his affairs:- Lineage head of his mother s segment (his own kanda) Lineage head of his father s kanda Lineage head of his paternal grandfather s kanda Lineage head of his maternal grandfather s kanda TASK Use your Playdoh to illustrate this and explain to your partner

  6. A person could normally choose between several places of residence:- Lands of his own lineage (i.e. his mother s kanda) Those of his father s Those of either of his grandfather s Question: What impact would this have on migration and therefore the growth of the kingdom?

  7. A slave was a person without a kanda or kanda chief who could defend his interests He settled on his owner s land and was classified as a child and so had only one chief interested in his affairs i.e. his father (owner) as opposed to the usual four But this did not mean he was very inferior as social progress depended on the power of the group to which he was affiliated and on their willingness to support him

  8. Slaves could become free if a lineage wanted to expand and co-opted them as a new lineage A slave ( child ) could marry into his owner s ( father ) kanda and then get the privileges and responsibilities of its other children TASK: Use your Play Doh to show the position of a slave within the kanda system and how this could change

  9. Slaves were only acquired occasionally through pawnship, exchange, sale or war and were assimilated quite quickly into kanda structures C16 the only people who could be legitimately sold were newly acquired captives

  10. Marriage fostered alliances between neighbouring groups C17 there was a preference for matri- or patrilineal cross- cousin marriages as they would reinforce an existing relationship between groups TASK: Use your Play Doh to show how this would work

  11. Men Clear forest/scrub Produce tree crops Work with wood and iron Hunting Long-distance trading Women Work the land Cook evening meal Harvest sea products (if on the coast) This division of labour did not apply to slaves The kanda was normally headed by a female and a male chief

  12. During the early C15 the central kanda of the Kikongo- speaking region south of the Zaire evolved the kingdom of Kongo as a way to exploit the different surrounding regions The members of these 12 kanda formed a ruling group with a clear identity and closed membership They had an exclusive body of common affairs, notably:- The election of the manikongo and the government Exploitation of neighbouring regions Set procedures for doing the above

  13. The Manikongs Council 12 individuals divided into 3 groups 4 titles held by women who may nromally have been the female kanda chiefs of the manikongo sown (i.e. mother s), father s, maternal and paternal grandfather s kanda The principal woman called Mother of the manikongo was his female chief They were collectively called the Mwissikongo

  14. A group then evolved which was directly dependent upon the manikongo and independent of the kanda This was the manikongo s household People from diverse origins could become part of this household Members could be settled on land in and around Mbanza Kongo, overriding the local kanda s claim to the land

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