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 tribes in the historical sense. However, in the modern world, there are still a number of political alliances that meet the basic criteria of the tribe.
Interpretation of the term
There is no common understanding of what a tribe is. Researchers give several definitions.
- A tribe is a community that is defined by common features characteristic of all members, such as language, religious worldview, origin, traditions, customs.
- Tribe - political alliances with a belief in a common bond, 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 society before division into classes. In their original form, tribes arise simultaneously with childbirth.
Characteristic features of an established tribe
Understanding what a tribe is is largely helped by the criteria by which an ethnic association is considered as such:
- presence of a separate territory,delimited from the territory of other tribes by a natural boundary;
- definite economy;
- mutual assistance of fellow tribesmen, commonality of performing actions, for example, collective hunting, gathering;
- single tribal language;
- tribal self-name;
- self-consciousness 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 formation 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 consanguinity between all its members. It is the connection of consanguinity, which unites two or more clans, 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 families appear, tribal nobility, the role of military leaders grows. In later forms, tribal organizations are also preserved in a class society, where they are intertwined with slave-owning and sometimes capitalist relations (for example, the nomadic tribes of the Arabian Peninsula, the Bedouins of North Africa, etc.).
Ancient tribes
Concept"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 a way of life that was formed many centuries ago.
The way of life of the ancient tribes was formed gradually. In the early Neolithic period, handicrafts appeared, 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 collision with developed civilizations.
Modern tribes
In modern society, tribes still live who have preserved the ancient way of life. Most of them are located in Africa, South America, the Indonesian Islands, as well as on the islands of the Philippine archipelago and in the jungle of the Amazon. Communication with such tribes requires special behavior in a particular culture. You should take into account the fact that among 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 else: decency in personal life, modesty, courage, fearlessness, the ability to adequately endure physical suffering, chastity and modesty.
The most famous tribes
The most famous ancient tribes are:
- Slavs;
- drevlyane;
- antas;
- Scythians;
- Vikings;
- Goths;
- Hottentots;
- Celts;
- Teutons;
- Khazars;
- Pechenegs;
- Polovtsy;
- Huns;
- nomads;
- nomads;
- romances;
- Phoenicians;
- Moors.
And here are some modern tribes that exist in our time:
- The people of Surma.
- Pervian tribe.
- Ramapo.
- Hand
- Brazilian.
- Tribes of New Hawaii.
- Sentineles.
- African tribes.
As we can see, the tribe (its definition is ambiguous) as an ancient form of existence almost did not survive. And those unions that tourists discover are more likely ethnic communities than tribes from a historical point of view.
