tribes, clans and bands

Posted by Petra on January 29, 2002 at 23:23:37:

In Reply to: native americans posted by melinda quirk on January 28, 2002 at 00:31:44:

: hello,
: I am currently doing research on native americans. I would appreciate any assistance with defining the difference between a tribe, a clan, and a band. My professor says there is one.
: thanks.

Since no one has responded yet, I'll try. A tribe is the Nation as a whole. A tribe usually has its own government.
It may have many different clans. Those things are different from one tribe to the other. An interesting example is the Navajo Nation (= a tribe) where you hear clan names mentioned whenever people meet and introduce themselves. They will always state the four different clans of their four grandparents, and each person is a member of their mother's clan. Then they will say "Born for..." and name their father's clan. People of the same clans cannot marry. Here are two websites that explain those clans in more detail:

Go to No. 10 on this page: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/larry_dilucchio/faq02a.htm
http://www.lapahie.com/Dine_Clans.cfm

The term "band" was used for example to distinguish the different groups of Apaches in the 1800s. I don't hear it being used today. If I understand correctly, then "band" would have been a subgroup of the tribe, but made up of different clans.
But again, this may be totally different in another tribe.

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• Re: tribes, clans and bands Rich 04:20:36 1/30/2002 (0)

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Comments:
: : hello,
: : I am currently doing research on native americans.  I would appreciate any assistance with defining the difference between a tribe, a clan, and a band.  My professor says there is one.
: : thanks.

: 
: Since no one has responded yet, I'll try.  A tribe is the Nation as a whole.  A tribe usually has its own government.
: It may have many different clans.  Those things are different from one tribe to the other.  An interesting example is the Navajo Nation (= a tribe) where you hear clan names mentioned whenever people meet and introduce themselves.  They will always state the four different clans of their four grandparents, and each person is a member of their mother's clan.  Then they will say "Born for..." and name their father's clan.  People of the same clans cannot marry.  Here are two websites that explain those clans in more detail:

: Go to No. 10 on this page:  http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/larry_dilucchio/faq02a.htm
: http://www.lapahie.com/Dine_Clans.cfm

: The term "band" was used for example to distinguish the different groups of Apaches in the 1800s.  I don't hear it being used today.  If I understand correctly, then "band" would have been a subgroup of the tribe, but made up of different clans.
: But again, this may be totally different in another tribe.


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