The nature and causes of kinship formation systems among the Awi community

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the meaning of kinship and causes of kinship formation among the Awi society from emic perspectives. The study employed an ethnographic research method and triangulated data, which were collected through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis method. The findings revealed that kinship among the Awi society has both biological and social components. The study showed that kinship in this society is a way of helping, solving economic problems, strengthening social relations, restoring psychological damage, and maintaining traditional order. Therefore, in this society, it has been shown that social kinship has a significant contribution to the survival of the community, no less than blood kinship. The study also identified that among the Awi society, reasons for the formation of kinship include creating a conducive trade and trade environment, combating feelings of isolation, loneliness, and poverty. Therefore, we argue that the issues that lead to the creation of kinship involve fulfillments of people's needs, interests, and desires in both a physical and spiritual sense.