Answering the question: "What is a tribe?" - scientists disagree. On the one hand, tribes are a relic of the past, and modern ethnic associations are not considered to be tribes in the historical sense. However, in the modern world, a certain number of political unions that meet the basic criteria of the tribe still remain.
Interpretation of the term
There is no common understanding of what a tribe is. Researchers provide several definitions.
- A tribe is a community that is defined by common features characteristic of all members, such as language, religious worldview, origin, traditions, and customs.
- Tribe - political alliances with faith in a common connection, the union of several groups of peoples of different origins. As a rule, they have their own history, a certain legend of the appearance of the tribe.
- A tribe is a type of ethnic community, a special social organization of a society before division into classes. In its original form, tribes arise simultaneously with childbirth.
Characteristics of the formed tribe
To understand what a tribe is, the criteria by which an ethnic association is considered as such help in many ways:
- the presence of a separate territory, delimited from the territory of other tribes by a natural border;
- a specific economy;
- mutual assistance of fellow tribesmen, community of fulfillment of actions, for example collective hunting, gathering;
- single tribal language;
- tribal self-name;
- self-identity as a collective unit;
- the presence of common rituals, traditions observed by the tribe.
History of occurrence
What is a tribe and when was it formed?
Archaeologically, the emergence of tribes was recorded only in the Mesolithic, at the end of their formations as social and ethnic communities.
Unlike the following types of ethnic communities (such as nationality and nation), the tribe is based on the common origin of the clans included in it, on the ties of blood relationship between all its members. It is the relationship of consanguinity, which unites two or more genera, that makes them a tribe.
Developed tribes at the end of the era of the primitive communal system already had tribal self-government, which consisted of a tribal council and two leaders - civil and military. Over time, a stratification of property develops in the tribe, rich and poor clans appear, tribal nobility, the role of military leaders grows. In later forms, tribal organizations persist in a class society, where they are intertwined with slaveholding, and sometimes capitalist relations (for example, nomadic tribes of the Arabian Peninsula, Bedouins of North Africa, etc.).
Ancient tribes
The concept of "ancient tribes" is very complex and multifaceted. On the one hand, these are peoples who lived in the past, and on the other, peoples who have preserved the way of life that was formed many centuries ago.
The way of life of ancient tribes was formed gradually. In the early Neolithic period crafts appear, which became a prerequisite for the emergence of the city. The people who united the community were called priests. At the head of the tribe was a military leader. For a long time, the ancient tribe maintained its traditional way of life, protecting it even in a clash with developed civilizations.
Modern tribes
In modern society, there are still tribes that have preserved the ancient way. Most of them are in Africa, South America, the Indonesian islands, as well as on the islands of the Philippine archipelago and in the Amazon River. Communicating with such tribes requires special behavior in a particular culture. It should be borne in mind that in the environment of these nationalities you can pay with your life for any mistake in behavior. It must be remembered that in these cultures the following values are above all: decency in personal life, modesty, courage, fearlessness, the ability to adequately endure physical suffering, chastity and bashfulness.
The most famous tribes
The most famous ancient tribes are:
- Slavs;
- Drevlyans;
- antes;
- Scythians
- Varangians;
- Goths
- hottentots;
- Celts
- teutons;
- Khazars
- Pechenegs;
- Polovtsy;
- the Huns;
- nomads;
- nomads;
- romance
- Phoenicians;
- the moors.
And here are some modern tribes that exist in our time:
- The people of Surma.
- Pervic tribe.
- Ramapo.
- Hand.
- Brazilian
- Tribes of New Hawaii.
- Sentinels.
- African tribes.
As we see, the tribe (its definition is ambiguous) as an ancient form of existence has almost not survived. And those unions that tourists discover are more likely ethnic communities than historical tribes.