Arts & Culture
Anthropological Perspectives on Kinship and Family Structures
Quick fact
Anthropologists have found that in some matrilineal societies, like the Trobriand Islanders, a father is not considered a kin at all—his role is that of a 'stranger' or 'affine'—even though he is the biological sire.
Why this is interesting
You think you know what a family is—but your definition is just one of thousands. In some cultures, your mother's brother is more important than your father. Why?