Existing comment:
Kinship:
Mississippian social organization was determined by kinship, marriage, or alliance, forming a chain that tied the community together. Kinship joined families into clans and groups of clans that made up the larger community.
Kinship affected almost every aspect of daily life -- from the rearing of children to the way huge work projects were accomplished. It provided a unique family structure that embraced many relatives.
Kinship formed the building blocks of society as well. Great numbers of people were joined by kind relationships into clans. These clans contained their own hierarchies. Whether or not they were actually related, people of a clan believed themselves to be kin. |