Preface: Roy Wagner V &khvvrinlqvkls An Opening Gambit

2011 | HAI: Journal ol L|hnoraphic Thcorv 1 (1i: 159-164
This work is liccnscd undcr |hc Crca|ivc Commons | Tonv Crook, Jus|in Shallncr.
A||ribu|ion-NonCommcrcial-NoDcrivs `.0 Inpor|cd. ISSN 2049-1115 (Onlinci

Prclacc
Rov Vancr`s Chcss ol kinship":
An opcnin ambi|

Tonv Crook, Inivcrsi|v ol S|. Andrcws
Jus|in Shallncr, Inivcrsi|v ol Marv Vashin|on

Isuallv, |hc pccr-rcvicw mcchanism ol a scholarlv ournal is dcsincd |o cnsurc
|ha| an ar|iclc can s|and lor i|scll. In |hc unusual circums|anccs |ha| |hc cdi|ors |akc
|hc s|cp ol aumcn|in an au|hor`s piccc ol wri|in wi|h a shor| lorcword, |his is
ol|cn in|cndcd as ci|hcr an in|roduc|ion, an cxplana|ion or a us|ilica|ion ol |hc
piccc - |ha| is, |o cxcr| somc con|rollin cllcc| on |hc mcanin ol |hc ar|iclc. This
bricl |cx| in|cnds no|hin ol |hc kind, and lor bcs| rcsul|s should no| bc rcad |ha|
wav. Vc ollcr up a lcw idcas, whosc usclulncss is rcs|ric|cd, onlv |o providc an
opcnin |o |ha| which lollows, and which is surc |o clcar |hcsc awav.
Thc publica|ion ol Thc chcss ol kinship and |hc kinship ol chcss," a chap|cr
lrom a ncw manuscrip| cn|i|lcd, Thc placc ol invcn|ion, lalls on |hc hccls ol a visi|
|his summcr (2011i |o Brazil, whcrc in addi|ion |o par|icipa|in in a scrics ol
scminars and lcc|urcs, Rov Vancr also cnacd in a svmmc|ric an|hropoloical
cxchanc wi|h indicnous shamans and lcadcrs-such as Davi Kopcnawa
Yanomami and Mauricio Yckuana in Rio dc Janciro, and Iinio Tcnorio Tuvuka
in Manaus and in ncarbv communi|ics. Thc shamans |hcrc on |hc Rio Ncro
ini|ia|cd Vancr in|o |hcir own lorm ol knowlcdc-prac|iccs, includin |hc
psvchoac|ivc kahpi, which has i|s own capaci|ics |o spin ini|ia|cs` hcads, in wavs no|
unlikc |hc cllcc|s ol Vancr`s wri|in.
Al|houh Vancr`s Thc Chcss ol Kinship" adop|s wha| mav appcar |o bc an
unconvcn|ional lorma| and s|ra|cv lor makin i|s poin| - lor cxamplc, rcadcrs
lookin lor an in|roduc|ion or conclusion will bc disappoin|cd - |hcrc arc no
missin picccs and |hcrc is no larcr puzzlc pic|urc. Rcadcrs will soon rcalizc |ha|
|hcv providc a componcn| piccc and havc |o plav |hcir par|. Nci|hcr kinship nor
chcss amoun| |o, or providc, an cnd poin|" lor |hc arumcn|, bu| ra|hcr |hc in|cr-
rcla|ions sc| up |hc mcans" bv which |hc capaci|ics ol onc can bc dcpic|cd or
liurcd |hrouh |hc o|hcr. Disconccr|inlv pcrhaps, manv ol |hc insih|s arc
crca|cd wi|h |hc rcadcr, and il unablc |o poin| |o a poin| |hcv will a| lcas|
undcrs|and |hcir own par| in |hc poin|in. Tha| kinship is no| a scll-con|aincd
domain |ha| can bc modclcd, bu| ra|hcr a sc| ol rcla|ions which providc al|crna|in
vicws ol wha| |hc rcla|ions, and |hc pcrsons cauh| up in, or causcd bv |hcm, can
bc madc |o do, is |hc simplis|ic poin| which providcs |hc lramc lor |hc in|cr-ac|ions
hcrc.
160 | Tonv CROOK, Jus|in SHAIINLR
Thc arumcn|, much likc |hc au|hor`s lavori|c chcss movc |hc Knih|-Iork (|hc
Knih| bcin |hc onlv piccc on |hc board |ha| mus| cnd a movc wi|h a shil| lrom
whi|c |o black, or black |o whi|ci, dcvclops in onc lramc or rcis|cr bclorc usin
|ha| posi|ion as a pla|lorm |o ump |o ano|hcr lramc or rcis|cr. Bo|h kinship and
chcss appcar, and disappcar, and - in |hc illus|ra|ions, da|a, rclcrcnccs and asidcs
in bc|wccn - i| is alwavs clcar |ha| bo|h arc nonc|hclcss prcscn|, and |ha| cach c|s
illumina|cd, or lorkcd, bv |hc o|hcr in |urn. Thc ar|ilicc ol usin cach |o mcdia|c
and |o |hink abou| |hc o|hcr is acknowlcdcd and |akcn scriouslv as a mc|hod.
Pcrhaps in morc lamiliar lanuac, wc mih| sav |ha| lorm and con|cn| havc bccn
produc|ivclv luscd.
Thcrc arc |wo mc|hodoloical aspcc|s hcrc: |hc lirs| conccrns a rclusal ol anv
cncralizcd rcla|ion bc|wccn modcl and rcali|v, |hc sccond conccrns |hc lashionin
ol analvsis al|cr par|icular Mclancsian knowlcdc-prac|iccs.
Ra|hcr |han adop|in a |hcorc|ical mc|hod |o lramc or acccss a domain ol
social lilc callcd kinship" |hcn, |hc in|cr-plav in Vancr`s ar|iclc sucs|s an
innova|ivc mc|hod |o c| a| wha| human kinship is all abou|. This poin|, and |hc
lanuac hcrc, o back |o David Schncidcr who mih| bc said |o havc invcn|cd |hc
Ncw Mclancsian L|hnoraphv" ncarlv lil|v vcars ao-lor in Jocl Robbins` |crms
|hcrc is no doub| |ha| wha| makcs |hc Ncw Mclancsian L|hnoraphv dis|inc|ivc as
a wav ol doin c|hnoraphv is i|s insis|cncc |ha| |hcorv bc madc ou| ol ma|crials
|ha| onc linds in |hc samc placc onc linds onc`s da|a" (2006: 172i. In Marilvn
S|ra|hcrn`s |crms, |hc challcnc lor an|hropolov is |o a||cmp| |o imainc wha| an
indicnous 'analvsis` mih| look likc il wc |ook scriouslv |hc idca |ha| |hcsc
islandcrs mih| bc cndorsin |hcir own |hcorv ol social ac|ion" (1992: 150i. In
o|hcr words, mid-|wcn|ic|h ccn|urv an|hropolov`s scrupulous scpara|ion ol |hcorv
and da|a has bccn mc|hodicallv rclormula|cd such |ha| morc wcih| is ivcn |o |hc
|hcorv ol social ac|ion, ol sav, Papua Ncw Guinca`s Moun| Hacncrs |han, sav,
Philosophv`s Mar|in Hcidccr.
This insis|cncc on lindin, makin and rclvin on |hcorv dcrivcd lrom |hc samc
placc as |hc c|hnoraphic da|a, has also lcd |o an impor|an| poin| hcrc: |hc
rclashionin ol an|hropoloical analvsis al|cr Mclancsian lorms so as |o
dcmons|ra|c or convcv |hcir cllcc| ra|hcr |han mcrclv |rvin |o dcscribc i|. Thc
mc|hod hcrc sccks |o o bcvond |hc dcplovmcn| ol vcrnacular |crms in lormal or
inlormal acadcmic modcls, and so dcvclop analvscs on |hc |crms and in |hc lorms
ol Mclancsian crca|ivi|v. Tha| is, no| |o dcplov c|hnoraphic con|cn| |o illus|ra|c
lorms ol acadcmic crca|ivi|v as an cnd in i|scll (Vancr 1981i, bu| |o dcvclop |hc
rcvcla|orv capaci|ics ol Mclancsian lorms as a mcans |o dcscribc how local
crca|ivi|ics (Mclancsian and acadcmici dillcrcn|lv cxploi| wha|, lor |alk`s sakc,
could bc said |o bc |hc (conilusion bc|wccn lorm and con|cn|.
Schncidcr`s simplis|ic poin| was |o lramc an|hropoloical kinship" |hcoriza|ion
as |hc procc|ion ol a hvpo|hcsis or modcl on|o |hc ma|crials undcr s|udv - and
|hc coun|crpar| concci| ol bcin |akcn in bv, or muddlcd bv, and |hcn lorc||in
|ha| |hc cllcc| ol a |hcorv providin a mcasurc ol rcali|v was scll-induccd.
Schncidcr was puzzlcd whv |his |urnin back on i|scll did no| appcar as circulari|v
in |hc arumcn|. Ior Schncidcr, |hc Bri|ish s|ruc|urc-lunc|ionalis|s and unilincar
dcsccn| |hcoris|s ol |hc 1940-50s had crca|cd a pcrsuasivc and powcrlul wav ol
|alkin abou| kinship-|hcorv which rclicd upon |hc dcvicc ol makin |hc |hcorc|ical
liurc or modcl and |hc c|hnoraphic rcali|v or round appcar |o bc |hc samc
|hin-|hrouh |hc coun|crpar| insis|cncc |ha| |hcorv and da|a wcrc clinicallv
AN OPLNING GAMBIT | 161
isola|cd. Thc |rick rcquircd |hc dcvclopmcn| ol a spccializcd lanuac in ordcr lor
|hc knowlcdc |o bc cllcc|ivc bv, so-|o-spcak, |urnin back on i|scll whils| cclipsin
or conccalin |hc ar|ilicc. I| bccamc obvious |o Schncidcr |ha| pcoplc on Yap had
crca|cd |hcir own |ricks and lanuac lor |alkin abou|, and doin, wha| wc mih|
call kinship" (cl. Bashkow 1991i.
Schncidcr drcw a||cn|ion |o |hc oriin ol idcas, |o |hc mcans bv which |hcorv
and da|a conliurc cach o|hcr, and |hus |o |hcorv sourccd lrom |hc licld and
mc|hod sourccd lrom rcla|ions. Vancr`s dcvclopmcn| ol |his poin| camc in |hc
lollowin |crms:
Vha| wc nccd is no| a modcl ol how svmbols in|crac| wi|h rcali|v," bu|
a modcl ol how svmbols in|crac| wi|h o|hcr svmbols. And clcarlv, sincc a
commi|mcn| |o rcali|v" is so pcrsis|cn| and insidious amon
an|hropolois|s as wcll as |hcir subcc|s, such a modcl mus| accoun| lor
|hc lac| |ha| somc svmbolic cxprcssions arc pcrccivcd as 'rcali|v` whcrcas
o|hcrs arc no| (1978:21i.
Schncidcr`s poin|cd lincr |hcn, dircc|cd a||cn|ion |o wha| |hcorv docs ra|hcr |han
wha| |hcorv is or |hinks i| is abou|. This simplc idca could bc said |o havc providcd
|hc opcnin movc |o |hc Ncw Mclancsian L|hnoraphv"-and vc| also bc
rcsponsiblc lor |hc cllcc| ol how scrious |hcorc|ical work can appcar as a amc
whosc proponcn|s appcar |o bc conccrncd wi|h |hc idcal ra|hcr |han |hc ac|uali|v
(Joscphidcs 1991i. In |hc hands ol Marilvn S|ra|hcrn (1988i, Hacncrs havc |auh|
an|hropolois|s no| |o rcad cndcr" lrom wha| somc|hin is (c.. a woman or a
mani bu| wha| somc|hin docs (c.. has an cllcc| |akcn |o bc lcmalc or malc,
accordin |o local idiomsi. Similarlv, in Tonv Crook`s work, Ankaivakmin
ar|icula|c a |hcorv ol knowlcdc whcrcbv mcanin" dcrivcs lrom |hc cllcc|s ol
wha| i| docs-and shows whv an|hropolois|s wi|h |hcir own idcas abou| knowlcdc
should havc had such a hard |imc |rvin |o pin down mcanin (2007i. Rcad wi|h
lamiliar |hinkin in mind, such wri|ins as |hcsc and Chcss ol Kinship," can
producc a disoricn|a|in cxpcricncc, bu| onc sucs|ivc ol an al|crna|ivc |o |hc
muddlc ol modcls.
Rov Vancr o| and dcvclopcd Schncidcr`s simplici|v, and has bccn rcworkin
|hc poin| cvcr sincc hc rcccivcd a copv ol Somc muddlcs in |hc modcls" (1965,
and rcprin|cd in |his volumci whils| hc was in |hc licld wi|h |hc Daribi. Thc Cursc
ol Souw (1967i |urncd dcsccn| and alliancc |hcorv insidc-ou|, and con|ains a
nasccn| svmmc|rical an|hropolov in cqua|in and |hus makin |hc
an|hropolois|`s modcls analoous |o Daribi`s svmbols (scc also Corsin Jimcncz
|his volumci. This was dcvclopcd |hrouh Habu (1972i and Thc invcn|ion ol
cul|urc (1981i, |owards a lullv-llcdcd |hcorv ol svmbolic obvia|ion" in Lc|hal
spccch (1978i. As lor Schncidcr, kinship has bccn a consis|cn| vcnuc lor Vancr`s
rc-workins, and |hc undcrlvin cri|iquc ol modcls" in |hc prcscn| piccc is cvidcn|
in Arc |hcrc roups in |hc Ncw Guinca Hihlands." (1974i, and Analoic
kinship" (1977i which pursucd |hc obvia|ional |hcorv ol lilc-cvclc cxchancs
bclorc i| was laid ou| in Svmbols |ha| s|and lor |hcmsclvcs (1986i.
Throuhou| |his bodv ol work, Vancr`s movcs in an|hropolov wcrc pcrhaps
lcss obviouslv a proloncd cxpcrimcn| wi|h our own lorms ol knowlcdc modclcd
al|cr Mclancsian oncs, bu| |hcrc can bc no mis|akin |his in |hc work |ha| has
lollowcd. A| |his poin| |oo, |hc mu|ual inllucncc ol o|hcr Mclancsianis| scholars,
cspcciallv Jadran Mimica (In|ima|ions ol inlini|v, 1988i, Marilvn S|ra|hcrn (Thc
cndcr ol |hc il|, 1988 and Par|ial conncc|ions, 2001i, and Jamcs Vcincr (Thc
hcar| ol |hc pcarlshcll, 1988i should no| bc undcr cs|ima|cd. As Vancr wri|cs in
An An|hropolov ol |hc Subcc|: Thc licldworkcrs who rc|ricvcd |hc da|a on
holoraphic pcrspcc|ivcs in Mclancsia wcrc surpriscd bv i|, and ol|cn, as in mv
casc, i| |ook |hcm vcars |o liurc ou| wha| |hcv wcrc lookin a|" (2001: xxii. In |hc
1990s, |hcn, |hc Ncw Mclancsian L|hnoraphv" |ook an impor|an| |urn |hrouh
|hc inllucnccs ol c|hnoraphic ma|crials appcarin |o bc holoraphic, ol lrac|al
ma|hcma|ics as an analv|ical mc|aphor, and ol cxpcrimcn|s in rc-lashionin |hcorv
al|cr Mclancsian prama|ics.
Vancr himscll claims (2011: 121i |ha| wha| hc la||cr |crmcd obvia|ion" was
oriinallv |auh| |o him bv |hc Daribi, spccilicallv his main mv|h inlorman|,
Yapcnuiai, and in cllcc| amoun|s |o a kind ol Daribi lanuac idcolov" or
|hcorv ol |alk (po" inlorma|ion," lanuac," spccch"i rccas| in |crms ol
svmbols (Vancr 1978i, onc |ha| makcs cxplici| |ha| |alk has |hc capaci|v |o posi|
i|s own liurc and round, includin |hcir rcvcrsal. This allowcd Vancr |o rc-
pcrccivc an|hropolov i|scll as a kind ol po or |alk-a par|icular |cchniquc ol
'dcscrip|ion' as Marilvn S|ra|hcrn pu|s i| (1999: xi-xiii-and |o also rc-posi|ion i|
ou|sidc |hc problcma|ic social cons|ruc|ionis| paradim ol onc na|urc, manv
cul|urcs."
Thc Chcss ol Kinship" dcplovs a kind ol Mclancsian powcr |alk" whosc
prama|ic cllcc| is obvia|ion or liurc-round rcvcrsal. Thc Daribi call i| porii, (po
bccrama pusabo poi |hc |alk |ha| |urns back on i|scll as i| is spokcn" (Vancr
2011: 122i. Rcardin |hcir own lorms ol rcvcla|ion, |hc Barok ol Ncw Ircland
|old Vancr |ha| Vhcn vou rcalizc |hc sccrc| ol |hc pidik, vou s|and no| a| |hc
cnd bu| a| |hc bcinnin ol knowlcdc." Thc Ioi call i| |rcc lcal |alk" (irisac-
mcdoborai, words |ha| conccal |hcir own basc or rounds, as |rcc lcavcs hidc
lrom sih| wha| ocs on bchind |hcm" (Vcincr 2001: 164i. Thc Tclclomin also
cmplov |hc mc|hod ol |urnin words and spinnin ini|ia|cs hcads" in ordcr |ha|
|hcir dizzincss mav cvcn|uallv inducc clcar vision (Jorcnscn 1990i.
Vancr`s rcccn| work has rcvisi|cd Schncidcr`s qucs|ionin ol modcls in
an|hropolov, and arucs |ha|, ra|hcr |han achicvin somc pcrlcc| cquivalcncc
bc|wccn par|s and wholc, Mclancsian analoics sucs| |ha| holoraphv works
prccisclv bv rcsis|in anv|hin bu| an impcrlcc| or scalc-modcl ol i|scll. And il |his
wcrc no| rcmindcr cnouh lor an|hropolois|s |o rcmcmbcr |hcir con|incn| rolc
in mcasurin |hcir own modcls via |hc lilc-worlds ol o|hcr pcoplcs, Vancr has
sincc op|cd |o cxplorc |hc insih|s and cxploi| |hc cllcc|ivcncss ol Mclancsian
knowlcdc-prac|iccs, and has dcvclopcd a dialoic or chiasma|ic" basis |o his
cxposi|ion (2001, 2010i. Ini|iallv, |his can lccl |o a rcadcr likc a Cas|ancdan
apprcn|iccship or cul|ic ins|ruc|ion scssion, and |ha| is ra|hcr Vancr`s in|cn|. Bu|
|hc inccn|ivc lor |hc willin rcadcr is |ha| |hcsc Mclancsian-or Mcsoamcrican-
lorms ol cxccsis mih| us| pin down or knock |hc convcn|ions ol acadcmic
|houh| sullicicn|lv oll-balancc |o ollcr a lu|urc limpsc ol human crca|ivi|v and ol
an an|hropoloical scicncc amc cnouh |o ma|ch i|.
Vancr`s cxpcrimcn|s in s|ra|cicallv dcplovin Mclancsian inlormcd
|cchniqucs ol an|hropoloical wri|in cons|i|u|c a kind ol c|hnoraphic |hcorv
whcrcbv Mclancsian lorms and prcoccupa|ions arc inllcc|cd wi|hin our own. Such
con|rollcd cquivoca|ions (Vivciros dc Cas|ro 2004i havc inspircd o|hcr varia|ions
ol |hc Knih|-Iork movc clscwhcrc such as pcrspcc|ivism-i|scll a liurc-round
rcvcrsal ol Luro-Amcrican mul|icul|uralism-oriinallv dcvclopcd ou| ol an
AN OPLNING GAMBIT | 16`
cncoun|cr wi|h Amcrindian lorms ol |houh| (Vivciros dc Cas|ro 1998i, and also
Svmmc|ric An|hropolov (Abac|c Manilcs|oi.
In Brazil, Vancr also mc| wi|h indicnous s|udcn|s a| |hc Inivcrsidadc
Icdcral dc Amazonas in Manaus, who arc conduc|in |hcir own rcvcrsc
an|hropolov" rcscarchcs inspircd bv Thc invcn|ion ol cul|urc, which was rcccn|lv
|ransla|cd and publishcd in Por|uucsc (2010i, usin analoics drawn lrom
Amcrindian, ra|hcr |han Luro-Amcrican |houh|. And so |hc cxpcrimcn| wi|h
an|hropolov con|inucs. In |hc Chcss ol Kinship," Vancr dcmons|ra|cs and
convcvs onc possiblc movc in |his amc, a rcvcla|ion or displav ol knowlcdc |ha|
rcquircs a dillcrcn| kind ol work and carc on bchall ol |hc rcadcr whosc
involvcmcn| hcrc is dillcrcn|lv posi|ioncd and rcquircs plavin bv dillcrcn| rulcs.

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Inivcrsi|v ol Chicao Prcss.
Vancr, Rov. 1974. Arc |hcrc social roups in |hc Ncw Guinca Hihlands. In
Iron|icrs ol an|hropolov. An in|roduc|ion |o an|hropoloical |hinkin, cdi|cd
bv M. Lcal. Ncw York: Nos|rand Companv.
Vancr, Rov G. (1975i 1981. Thc invcn|ion ol cul|urc. Chicao: Inivcrsi|v ol
Chicao Prcss.
Vancr, Rov. 1977. Analoic kinship: a Daribi cxamplc." Amcrican L|hnolois|
4: 62`-642.
Vancr, Rov. 1978. Lc|hal Spccch: Daribi Mv|h as Svmbolic Obvia|ion. Svmbol,
Mv|h and Ri|ual Scrics. I|haca: Corncll Inivcrsi|v Prcss.
Vancr, Rov. 1986. Svmbols |ha| s|and lor |hcmsclvcs. Chicao: Inivcrsi|v ol
Chicao Prcss.
Vancr, Rov. 2001. An an|hropolov ol |hc subcc|: Holoraphic worldvicw in
Ncw Guinca and i|s mcanin and sinilicancc lor |hc world ol an|hropolov.
Bcrkclcv: Inivcrsi|v ol Calilornia Prcss.
Vancr, Rov. 2010. Covo|c an|hropolov. Lincoln: Inivcrsi|v ol Ncbraska Prcss.
Vancr, Rov. 2011. Thc placc ol invcn|ion. Inpublishcd manuscrip|.


This work is liccnscd undcr |hc Crca|ivc Commons | Rov Vancr.
A||ribu|ion-NonCommcrcial-NoDcrivs `.0 Inpor|cd. ISSN 2049-1115 (Onlinci

Thc chcss ol kinship and |hc
kinship ol chcss'

Rov VAGNLR, Inivcrsi|v ol Virinia

Abs|rac|: Thc rcal comparison bc|wccn |hc an|hropoloical s|udv ol kinship and |hc amc
ol chcss is no| immcdia|clv apparcn| lrom |hcir lormal propcr|ics, and onlv bccomcs
rclcvan| whcn |hcv arc vicwcd as s|ra|cics, or pa||crns ol cvcn|s occurrin in |imc. Thc
sinlc propor|ion" |ha| bo|h sharc in common is a kind ol cross-comparison bc|wccn
dualis|ic variablcs callcd a chiasmus, illus|ra|cd in kinship bv |hc classic cross-cousin
rcla|ionship, and in chcss bv |hc asvmmc|ric doublc-propor|ion bc|wccn |hc kin and
quccn, |hc onlv cndcrcd picccs on |hc board, and |hc movcs and |okcns ol |hc o|hcr
picccs in |hc amc. Thc dillcrcncc mav bc summcd up in |hc word ma|in." Chcss mav
bc dcscribcd as |hc kinship" ol kinship. Iailurc |o undcrs|and |hc chiasma|ic, or doublc-
propor|ional csscncc ol bo|h has rcsul|cd in manv dvslunc|ional modcls ol cross-cousin
marriac, and manv vcrv quick amcs ol chcss.
Kcvwords: Kinship, chcss, humour, knowlcdc prac|iccs, cross-cousin marriac, s|ranc
a||rac|or, Mclancsia

Thc s|andard an|hropoloical rcprcscn|a|ion ol kinship," lirs| prcscn|cd bv Lcwis
Hcnrv Moran in 1871, was a s|a|ic pa||crn, usclul lor s|ric|lv compara|ivc
purposcs, and i| sc| |hc disciplinc on a scll-incr|ial or s|ruc|ural lunc|ional"
|racc|orv, in which pa||crn, consis|cncv and cspcciallv rcla|ivi|v bccamc kcv poin|s
ol rclcrcncc. As such i| s|ood in sharp con|ras| |o |hc wav in which human livcs arc
ac|uallv livcd and |houh| upon, |hc pa||crnin ol cvcn|s and |hc dcsin ol
s|ra|cics. Bo|h |hc licld ol plav and |hc cas| ol plavcrs arc par| ol |hc ovcrall
dcsin, an arbi|rarv lramcwork lor |hc workin ou| ol lor|uncs.
In kinship vou ma|c a| |hc bcinnin ol |hc amc, in chcss vou ma|c a| |hc cnd.
Thc word ma|c" has a vcrv dillcrcn| c|vmolov in cach casc, and a vcrv dillcrcn|

' Thc Chcss ol Kinship" is chap|cr |akcn lrom a book lcn|h manuscrip| cn|i|lcd Thc
placc ol invcn|ion. Thc chap|cr opcncd a |wo dav scminar in Ilorianopolis, Brazil a|
|hc Inivcrsidadc Icdcral dc Sana|a Ca|arina, cn|i|lcd Covo|c An|hropolov"
(An|ropoloia dc raposa, pcnsando com Rov Vancri oranizcd bv Josc An|onio
Kcllv, Auus| 10-11 2011.
166 | Rov VAGNLR
mcanin, bu| i| is |hc samc sound uscd in much |hc samc wav, and i| is vcrv
s|ra|cic.
In chcss vou s|ar| ou| wi|h all vour pcrsonncl |hcrc a| oncc, rankcd and ordcrcd
in a vcrv spccilic wav, and wi|h somc cxccp|ions vou procccd |o diminish |hcir
numbcrs as |hc amc prorcsscs. In kinship vou s|ar| ou| conccp|uallv wi|h vcrv
lcw pcrsonncl, and procccd |o mul|iplv |hcir numbcrs as |imc
-
prorcsscs. Thcn
vou procccd |o rank and ordcr |hcm accordin |o vcrv spccilic ca|corics-
cncrallv cncaloics and lincacs ra|hcr |han knih|, bishop, rook, and pawn.
(You can alwavs c| morc pawns a| a pawnshop.i
In chcss |hcrc is a sinlc s|ra|cv, known onlv |o |hc amc i|scll, and cach plavcr
|rics |o liurc ou| wha| i| is. Vhcn onc ol |hcm c|s i|-i| c|s |hc o|hcr onc. In
kinship |hcrc arc a rca| manv po|cn|ial s|ra|cics, bu| cvcrvonc, includin |hc
an|hropolois|, |hinks |hcv know |hc onc |ha| coun|s. Or a| lcas| prc|cnds |o,
bccausc vou don`| wan| |hc o|hcr plavcrs |o scc vour cards, and mos| ol |hcm arc
blullin in anv casc. And |hc onc who dics wi|h |hc mos| s|ra|cics, wins.
Chcss is a vcrv hih prolilc in|cllcc|ual amc, bu| in |hc cnd i| is no| rcallv
in|cllcc|ual a| all-morc ol a Jcdi mind-|rick, or likc |hc rolc ol a ral|cr-|hc kind
ol con-man who prcvs on o|hcr con-mcn in Rcdlord and Ncwman`s movic Thc
s|in. Thc ril|cr holds |hc middlc round bc|wccn kinship and chcss, and |ha|
middlc round is callcd s|ra|cv. Vhosc s|ra|cv. Tha|`s i|, vou us| o| i| in onc!
Kinship and chcss arc parallcl worlds, dclinin hihlv spccilic social, cul|ural, and
phvsical con|cx|s, which arc onlv slih|lv ovcrlappin. Nonc|hclcss, |hcrc is a| lcas|
onc wav in which |hcv arc onc and |hc samc |hin.
And, |houh s|ra|cv" prc||v much covcrs i|-|his bcin |hc main rcason
anvonc bo|hcrs wi|h kinship, apar| lrom s|crilc classilica|orv amcs, and |hc main
rcason anvonc bo|hcrs wi|h chcss, apar| lrom ol coursc winnin-lc| us o on. Ol
coursc, nobodv cvcr bo|hcrs abou| winnin and losin in kinship, no sirrcc! Jus| a
lcw hihlv disrcpu|ablc individuals, somc ol |hcm callcd mcn" and o|hcrs
womcn." Oh, and I almos| lorc|, childrcn."
Thcrc arc manv |hins abou| kinship |ha| arc no| |ruc ol chcss, and manv
|hins abou| chcss |ha| arc no| |ruc ol kinship. Bu| |hcrc is onc |hin abou| bo|h
|ha| mos| compcls us, a |hin |ha| makcs comparisons paradoxical, and paradoxcs
|hcrclorc compara|ivc. This is |hc chiasma|ic, or doublc-propor|ional comparison,
|hc |hin |ha| Tonv Crook (1997i, who discovcrcd i| a| Bolivip, Papua Ncw
Guinca, whilc dccrvp|in |hc sccrc|ivc Mo|hcr Housc" complcx, calls chanin
|hc subcc| in mid-scn|cncc"-a sor| ol svn|ac|ical cross-cousin marriac" il |hc
comparison bc allowcd. Thc Daribi pcoplc, also ol Papua Ncw Guinca, call i|
porii, and dcscribc i| as po bccrama pusabo po in |hcir lanuac, |hc |alk |ha|
|urns back on i|scll as i| is spokcn." Vhcn askcd: Vha| makcs a man a bi-man,
is i| havin a lo| ol wivcs, or pis." Daribi will rcspond: A man who can |alk porii
cllcc|ivclv c|s all |hc wivcs and pis hc wan|s."
Bclorc I o on |o dcmons|ra|c |hc pivo|al rolc |ha| chiasmus plavs in bo|h chcss
and kinship, i| mih| bc hclplul |o undcrs|and us| cxac|lv wha| kind ol s|ra|cv i|
involvcs. Ior cxamplc, |hc ancicn| Grcck philosophcr Hcracli|us madc his
rcpu|a|ion bv u||crin crvp|ic s|a|cmcn|s likc: Vc livc |hc ods` dca|hs and |hcv
livc ours." Docs |his mcan |ha| Hcracli|us kncw somc sccrc|s abou| human bcins
and ods, or |hcir s|ranc rcla|ions, |ha| o|hcrs did no| know. Hardlv, Hcracli|us
was as cn|irclv innoccn| ol |his kind ol knowlcdc as vou or I; hc us| kncw how |o
usc |hc cra|ivc wcll, and usc i| in a chiasma|ic s|ra|cv. An cra|ivc cxprcssion is
THL CHLSS OI KINSHIP | 167
onc in which a convcn|ionallv ac|ivc ac|ion or vcrb is displaccd in|o a passivc rolc,
wi|h an cxponcn|ial ain in powcr and cmphasis. No|c |ha| livin somconc clsc`s
dca|h" is an cxcmplarv cra|ivc ol |his sor|, ra|hcr likc dvin on |hc ob" in a
workcr`s paradisc, and, whcn uscd chiasma|icallv in a doublc propor|ional
comparison, i| conurcs a powcrlul ironic cllcc|, as in |hc la|c Sovic| okc: Vc
prc|cnd |o work, and |hc S|a|c prc|cnds |o pav us."
In o|hcr words |hc bcs| wav |o kccp--or cvcn invcn|-a sccrc| is |o makc i| a
lunc|ion ol |hc lorm (likc |hc poriii ra|hcr |han |hc con|cn|. In |his wav |hc lormal
s|ra|cv sharcd bc|wccn chcss and kinship is morc likc a coup in |opolov and
ma|hcma|ics |han i| rcscmblcs |hc rcla|ional" or cmo|ional ambi|s lavorcd bv so-
callcd humanis|s." Lc| mc illus|ra|c: s|a|cd bo|h svmmc|ricallv and asvmmc|ricallv
a| oncc (in |hc wav |ha| Hcracli|us conliurcd his prophc|ic u||cranccsi, |hc sccrc|
|ha| |hcrc is no sccrc| bccomcs a sor| ol hall-|ru|h abou| i|scll, and |hcrclorc a
doublc- |ru|h abou| anv|hin clsc--morc or lcss wha| |hc lrac|al ma|hcma|icians call
a s|ranc a||rac|or."
2
(Thc Lldcrs ol |hc Mo|hcr Housc a| Tclclolip, P.N.G.,
ac|uallv usc |his dcvicc as a maor |cachin s|ra|cv lor |hcir ini|ia|cs (cl. Jorcnscn
1981i, and in 2000 Mikc Vcsch and I cauh| onc ol |hcm in |hc ac| ol |rvin |o
usc i|--callcd in |ha| casc Thc Two Dolls"-on usi.
`

So |hcrc is a problcm wi|h |his doublc-capardv illusionism al|cr all; wha| did
|hc Lldcr do |o Mikc and I |ha| hc had no| alrcadv donc |o himscll. Did |hc
s|ranc a||rac|or callcd Thc Two Dolls no| con|rol him as wcll. And how did his
scll-concci| in |his wav dillcr lrom |ha| ol |hc ril|cr, |hc slcih|-ol-hand maician,
|hc chcss randmas|cr, or lor |ha| ma||cr |hc kinship-cxpcr|. I| was us| a wav ol
|alkin, |o bc surc, bu| |hcn Ircud callcd his psvchoanalvsis |hc |alkin curc." And
|hc amc ol chcss is likcwisc said |o bc vcrv cduca|ivc.
Vhcrc do wc lind |hc doublc-propor|ional chiasmus in |hc chcss amc. Thc
lavou| ol chcss is a s|udv in con|ras|ivc svmmc|rics; |hcrc arc |wo sidcs (or plavcrsi,
whi|c and black squarcs (8 x 8i arrancd in a |o|allv svmmc|rical lorma|, and cach
plavcr bcins wi|h a svmmc|rical lavou| ol picccs (bishops, knih|s, rooks, and
pawns, |radi|ionallv callcd mcn," bu| no| cxplici|lv cndcrcdi. Thcsc arc |hc lour
arms," prics|hood, cavalrv, lor|ilica|ion, and inlan|rv, in |hc mili|arv rcimcn ol
ancicn| India, whcrc |hc amc oriina|cd.

2 Thc conccp|ual dcvicc dcscribcd in Jamcs Glcick`s Chaos: |hc makin ol a ncw scicncc
(1987i as a s|ranc a||rac|or is an allccdlv causi|ivc lunc|ion |ha| is nci|hcr prcdic|ablc
nor unprcdic|ablc, and nci|hcr random or ordcrcd, bu| hihlv scnsi|ivc |o |hc cvcn| ol
i|s happcnin a| a par|icular |imc and placc. A ood cxamplc ol wha| happcns whcn
ordinarv scicn|ilic lan|asics |urn in|o lrac|al (ma|hcma|icali rcali|ics.
` Thc on|oloical prcmisc (c.. |houh| cxpcrimcn|i ol Thc Two Dolls" mav bc
rcardcd as |hc linal spinoll-produc| ol |hc Mo|hcr Housc complcx a| Tclclolip, Papua
Ncw Guinca. I| is bascd on a paradox involvc |hc oriinal ol somc|hin (|hc Crca|rcss
Alck, who crca|cd bo|h na|urc and cul|urc a| |hc bcinnin ol |hinsi, and |hc pcrlcc|
copv ol |ha| oriinal |ha| mav no| bc dis|inuishcd lrom i| in anv wav Alck`s ncmcsis
Bobcn, who la|cr pcrlormcd all |hc miraclcs ol Alck and madc all ol hcr ourncvs bu|
'onlv |o claim crcdi| lor wha| Alck had donc." Thc poin| ol |hc cxcrcisc is |o lorcc onc
|o concludc |ha| il |hcrc is no dillcrcncc bc|wccn |hc |wo, no dillcrcncc mav bc known
|o cxis|.
168 | Rov VAGNLR
And |hcn |hcrc is |hc o|hcr propor|ion, and |ha| is |hc onc dic|a|cd bv |hc onlv
cxplic|lv cndcrcd picccs on |hc board, which, accordin |o |hc rulcs, mus| lacc
cach o|hcr across |hc board-an asvmmc|rv-wi|h |hc whi|c squarc on |hc rih| ol
|hc plavcr choscn bv |ha| color. Thcsc arc |hc Quccn and Kin, |hc mos|
impor|an| clcmcn|s in plav, |hc oncs |ha| havc |hcir |radi|ional cour|lv rolcs
rcvcrscd (par| ol |hc samc asvmmc|rvi. Normallv, in rcal lilc, i| is |hc Quccn |ha|
holds |hc social posi|ionin ol |hc rcalm, whcrcas |hc Kin kicks ass" and is |hc
commandcr-in-chicl. Bu| in chcss |hcsc rolcs arc rcvcrscd; |hc quccn is |hc mos|
cllcc|ivc warrior ol all, and |hc Kin, bv posi|ion, holds |hc valuc ol |hc amc.
A s|ranc a||rac|or, callcd Thc Two Dolls," lor in lac| i| cncrizcs (c..
cra|izcsi |hc amc and makcs i| much morc |han a mcrc amc, |urns i| in|o a
mc|aphor ol roval s|a|ccral|. In s|ra|cv, |ha| is, |hc |wo rovals arc plavcd aains|
cach o|hcr in coun|crpoin| |o |hc mancuvcrs ol |hc |wo armics." Basicallv, i| is all
abou| ma|in. Chcck i| ou|.
Likc |wo Barbic-dolls, cach |rvin |o ou|-Barbic |hc o|hcr. Onc is |cmp|cd |o
sav wc havc |hc samc con|radis|inc|ion in kinship, bc|wccn |hc so-callcd
cncaloical lramcwork |ha| ranks and ordcrs |hc schcmc as a wholc, and |hc
in|crplav ol allinal kin, |hosc rcla|cd (bv alliancc"i |hrouh cxplici| cndcr-
in|crac|ion. Bu| |ha| is dcccp|ivc in |ha| cncalov is as much a lunc|ion ol
cndcrcd in|crac|ion as allini|v, havin |hc samc sourcc, and allini|v is as much a
lunc|ion ol cncalov as i| is ol marriac. Hcncc dcsccn| |hcorv" and alliancc
|hcorv" arc, as |hc Norsc sav, |wo horns on |hc hcad ol |hc samc oa|," and i| is
no| a doublv propor|ioncd onc. Thc kcv |o |hc chiasmus was ivcn bv Claudc
Lcvi-S|rauss in Thc clcmcn|arv s|ruc|urcs ol kinship.
Vc mih| wcll do a li||lc propor|ion-shil|in ol our own and call i| Thc
clcmcn|arv kinship ol s|ruc|urcs," so wcll did i| |urn |hc |ablcs and advancc a
posi|ivc or proac|ivc approach |o |hc subcc|. To complc|c |hc a|om ol kinship,
accordin |o Lcvi-S|rauss, |hc nca|ivc marriac rulc conliurcd bv Moranian
cncaloical rcckonin mus| bc coun|crbalanccd bv somc cxplici|lv s|a|cd posi|ivc
coun|crpar|, a known kin s|ra|cv lor coun|crin |hc dis|ribu|ional sca||crin ol |hc
cncra|ions. Jus| as |hcrc is an inccs| |aboo, so mus| |hcrc bc an ou|ccs| |aboo;
marrvin in, consolida|in onc`s lincal ains, is us| as impor|an| as marrvin ou|,
rcardlcss ol o|hcr considcra|ions.
So lar so ood, lor wc havc a doublc-propor|ional coun|crpar| |o |hc rank-and-
ordcr vcrsus cndcrcd rolc-rcvcrsal schcma lound in chcss, in |ha| |hc lacc-|o-lacc
cndcrcd rcla|ion ol man and wilc is coun|crpar|cd, in Lcvi-S|rauss`s a|om ol
kinship" schcma, bv |hc s|ranc a||rac|or"-|hc back-|o-back" kinship
cncndcrcd bv |hc man`s sis|cr and |hc wilc`s bro|hcr and |hcir rcspcc|ivc
procnv-|hc so-callcd cross cousins" in |hc s|andard kinship rcpcr|oirc.
Thc cxplici| proviso ol Lcvi-S|rauss`s cross-cousin" arumcn|, |ha| |hc mo|hcr
mih| us| as wcll havc bccn somcbodv`s la|hcr, and |hc la|hcr mih| us| as wcll
havc bccn somcbodv`s mo|hcr," was madc, a| dillcrcn| |imcs and in dillcrcn|
con|cx|s, bv Radclillc-Brown (1940i and bv mv Barok concnors in Ncw Ircland,
cach unawarc ol |hc o|hcr`s cxis|cncc. I| sucs|s an imainal coun|crplav ol purclv
mc|aphorical rcproduc|ion oin on bchind |hc sccncs ol Moranian kin
pro|ocols-likc |hc mc|aphoric in|riucs ol |hc Kin and Quccn in chcss vis a vis
|hc s|raih|lorward mancuvcrin ol |hcir armics."
Thus |hc ac|ual marriac ol cross-cousins, howcvcr classilica|orv, is an casv
answcr" |o, and a quick lix lor, |hc dilcmma poscd in Lcvi-S|rauss`s arumcn|,
somc|hin ol an ovcrcommi|mcn| |o |hc prcmisc. A kin rcla|ion mo|iva|cd bv a
s|ranc a||rac|or has no morc a ccr|ain or prcdic|ablc s|ruc|ural ou|comc |han a
ambi| in chcss. Bo|h arc s|ochas|ic, dc|crmincd as much bv |hcir own prcscncc as
bv |hc o|hcr lac|ors in plav. Thc Daribi, who call |hcir cross cousins hai`, sav |ha|
|hcv arc cxac|lv |hc samc as siblins," bu| wi|h an impor|an| dillcrcncc. Sincc |hcv
bclon |o dillcrcn| wcal|h-sharin roups, malc hai` mus| cxchanc con|inual
pavmcn|s ol wcal|h |o rcdccm |hc lcvira|ic claims |hcv sharc in |hc inhcri|ancc ol
cach o|hcrs`s wivcs.
I lound onlv onc ins|ancc ol rcal cross-cousin marriac a| Karimui; |his was a|
Haani, a placc whcrc I rcsidcd. A man ol Sora` prcsscd his claims |o an unwcd
Haani woman. Hc would han around ou|sidc |hc lonhousc lor davs crvin:
Shc is mv cross-cousin, whv can`| I marrv hcr."
Iinallv wc o| so |ircd ol |his wc us| lc| him havc hcr."
Arcn`| vou supposcd |o bca| |hcm bo|h up and ivc |hcm a s|ill lcc|urc abou|
how |hcv arc bad pcoplc."
Vcll, surc, idcallv; bu| bv |ha| |imc our rcla|ions wi|h Sora` had o||cn so
diccv wc us| dccidcd |o ivc i| up."
Amon |hc ma|rilincal" Iscn Barak ol Ncw Ircland |hc si|ua|ion is morc
complica|cd; |hcv call |his kind ol marriac marriac wi|h |hc |au (rcal la|hcr`s
rcal sis|cri or oup (cross cousini." Rcsidcn|s ol |hc |wo nor|hcrn villacs, a
subdialcc| roup, pu| i| |his wav: Thc anccs|ors would ncvcr havc |olcra|cd
anv|hin bu| s|ric| adhcrcncc |o |hc rulc ol marriac wi|h |hc |au or oup; wi|h |hc
crosion ol moral valucs in modcrn |imcs, howcvcr, |hcrc is much laxncss,
par|icularlv amon |hc |hrcc sou|hcrn villacs."
Amon |hc |hrcc sou|hcrn villacs, ano|hcr subdialcc| roup and |hc onc whcrc
I rcsidcd, |hcv coun|crcd: Thc anccs|ors would ncvcr havc |olcra|cd anv|hin so
inccs|uous as marriac wi|h |hc |au or oup; now |ha| moral s|andards havc
rclaxcd, howcvcr, |hc pcoplc ol Bclik and Lulubo arc lrcc |o lollow |hcir basc
dcsircs. This is par|icularlv |ruc ol |hc hamlc| ol Lulubo callcd Giliin," whcrc
cvcrvbodv marrics |hcir |au or oup."
Sincc I had somc ood lricnds a| Giliin`s Island," as I callcd i|, I dccidcd |o
chcck |hins ou|. Ior|una|clv onc ol |hcm was no| onlv llucn| in |hc Lnlish
lanuac, bu| also li|cra|c; wi|h his hclp I collcc|cd |hc complc|c cncaloical
rccord ol Giliin |o a dcp|h ol livc cncra|ions, and cxamincd cach ol |hc
marriacs carclullv. Lvcn makin allowancc lor |hc so-callcd classilica|orv" or
ca|corial kin rcckonin, I could lind no ins|ancc ol marriac - wi|h |hc |au or
oup in |hc wholc sc|. Vhcn I linishcd I said |o mv conlrcrc: Now I can scc |ha|
cvcrv sinlc marriac a| Giliin has bccn wi|h |hc |au or oup." Ycs," hc rcplicd,
bcamin; as I |old vou, wc hcrc a| Giliin arc a s|ric|lv moral pcoplc."
Spcakin ol s|ranc a||rac|ors, |hc onlv ins|ancc ol dircc| cross-cousin marriac
|ha| I lound in |hc wholc Iscn arca was in mv own villac ol rcsidcncc, Bakan, in
|hc arca |ha| ca|coricallv dcnicd |hc prac|icc, and i| involvcd onc ol mv bcs|
lricnds, |hc man who livcd in |hc housc ncx| |o minc. Vhcn I askcd him |o
accoun| lor i|, hc said I| was a ma||cr ol purc chancc, I had no|hin |o do wi|h i|."
Thcn, s|raih|cnin himscll up |o his lull hcih|, which was co|sidcrablc, hc
cxplaincd: I am known as onc ol |hc mos| moral mcn in |his wholc arca."

Chcss is a amc in which |hcrc is a sinlc dvad, |ha| ol |hc |wo plavcrs, who |akc
|urns in makin movcs, assumin |hc rolcs ol onc ol six op|a|ional and lunc|ion-
170 | Rov VAGNLR
spccilic picccs, likc occupa|ional assinmcn|s in a mili|arv cas|c-svs|cm. Kinship is
no| a amc, i| is lilc lor |hosc cauh| up in i|, and scrious work lor |hosc who s|udv
i|. Ano|hcr bi dillcrcncc is |ha| in kinship, al|houh idcallv arrancd in dvads,
cach par|icipan| is involvcd in a rca| manv dillcrcn| rcla|ionships a| all |imcs. And
al|houh |ha| involvcmcn| is simul|ancous, lrom |hc momcn| ol bir|h and bclorc,
|hc kin par|icipan| mus| lcarn |o dillcrcn|ia|c wha| amoun|s |o a sinlc, dillusc, and
all cncompassin modc ol rcla|in, and adap| |hcir ac|ion |o |hc spccilics ol cach
cul|urallv dc|crmincd rcla|ionship rolc. Thcrc is no dircc| analouc |o |ha| in chcss,
which is bv con|ras| dii|al in |hc plav-modc. Bo|h Radclillc-Brown and Ba|cson
havc poin|cd ou| |ha| |hc adap|a|ion ol rcla|in in kinship is limi|cd |o |hrcc
cncric modcs ol analoic imi|a|ion, cach onc ol |hcm a varia|ion on |hc sinlc
|hcmc ol rcla|in appropria|clv. Thcrc arc 1i rcspcc| (dclcrcn|iali rcla|ionships,
likc |hosc ol worship, in which |hc oblia|ions bc|wccn unior and scnior arc
conspicuouslv cxacra|cd; 2i avoidancc rcla|ionships, in which |hc poin|cd
avoidancc or abscncc ol in|crac|ion bc|wccn |hc par|ics cons|i|u|cs |hc subs|ancc
ol |hc rcla|ionship i|scll, and ì okin rcla|ionships, in which |hc pcrlormancc ol
inappropria|c bchavior, spccch, or bo|h ollcrs |hc al|cr |hc op|ion ol ci|hcr
acccp|ancc or rccc|ion, and |hcrclorc allirma|ion or dcnial ol |hc prolcrrcd
bondin. Thcsc |hrcc modali|ics dividc |hc plav ol kin rolcs amon |hcm, and |hc
ncccssi|v ol dillcrcn|ia|in amon |hcm is onc ol |hc lirs| |hins a child lcarns.
Jokin, |hc prc|cndcd unscriousncss ol rcla|in as opposcd |o |hc lcincd
ovcrscriousncss ol rcspcc| or dclcrcncc, brins us |o |hc vcxcd qucs|ion ol |hc
ovcrall or lon-|crm purposc or dcsin ol kinship. Answcrin i| is no casv obcc|ivc
(qucs|ionin i| is worsci, lor i| is nci|hcr s|ruc|ural nor lunc|ional, and i| is no
surprisc |o lind |ha| i| hincs on |hc vcrv samc doublc-propor|ional paradox--|hc
s|ranc a||rac|or--|ha| bcdcvils i|s cn|anlcmcn| in cvcrvdav allairs. Kinship is
conncc|ions cs|ablishcd amon |hc livin on bchall ol |hc dcad" and a| |hc samc
|imc conncc|ions amon |hc dcad madc on bchall ol |hc livin," (Vancr 2001:
104i and |hus nci|hcr lilc" nor dca|h" is oin |o supplv us wi|h anv bu| a
dismissivc answcr. In a riddlc whosc answcr is 'chcss`," wro|c Jorc Luis Borcs,
wha| is |hc onlv prohibi|cd word." (Borcs 1941} 1998: 126i
Ins|cad ol |hc solu|ion, in o|hcr words, wc mih| as wcll s|ar| ucssin a| wha|
|hc riddlc i|scll mih| bc. Nor is |hc riddlc an casv onc, |houh onc is rcmindcd ol
|hc closin lincs ol a sonnc| wri||cn bv Ldna Sain| Vinccn| Millav (19`4i abou| |hc
ancicn| Lvp|ians:
Thcir will was law, |hcir will was no| |o dic.
And so |hcv had |hcir wav; or ncarlv so.
S|ill, wc c| somc clucs lrom |hc work ol Richard Hun|in|on amon |hc Bara ol
Madaascar, and lrom |ha| ol Grcorv Ba|cson amon |hc Ia|mul ol |hc Scpik
Rivcr in Papua Ncw Guinca. Dca|h, lor |hc Bara, is a ma||cr ol |hc crvs|alliza|ion
ol lilc`s s|a|uscs and rcla|ionships--|hc vcrv lac| or ma||cr ol dca|h |hrca|cns |hc
livin wi|h a kind ol dccp lrcczc" pcril, a con|aious absorp|ion ol lilc`s
spon|anci|v in|o an aclcss ma|rix ol crvs|allinc pcrlcc|ion. (Thc pcrlcc|," as |hc
savin ocs, is |hc cncmv ol |hc ood."i Iaccd wi|h |hc prcscncc ol dca|h, |hc
Bara convcn|ionallv do cvcrv|hin possiblc |o rcasscr| |hc spark ol lilc; |hcv
s|ampcdc |hc ca||lc |hrouh |hc villac, crca|c havoc, drink |hcmsclvcs sillv on rum,
and |hc nubilc |ccnacrs a|hcr in roups in |hc lorcs|, chan| obsccnc sons |o onc
ano|hcr, and couplc promiscuouslv. Had Millav wri||cn a sonnc| abou| |hc Bara
prac|iccs, shc mih| havc callcd |hcm dca|h warmcd ovcr."
Nonc|hclcss, wha| |hc Bara havc |o |cll us abou| kin rcla|ionships has li||lc |o
do wi|h humor, scriousncss, or abcc| avoidancc; laccd wi|h |hc dcsola|ion ol
mor|ali|v and wha| wc havc lcarncd |o call survivor`s uil|," |hcv prc|cnd--prc|cnd
wi|h (rcali violcncc, hilari|v, alcoholic rush, and |hc sublimc ccs|asv ol (Oh, mv
mama should scc mc now"i illci|ima|c in|crcoursc (Burundv adul|crv," as a
lricnd ol minc uscd |o call i|--a ood namc lor a s|arshipi.
And |ha| is onc ol |hc kcvs--|hc mih| havc bccn" or philosophv ol as il"-|o
|hc riddlc wc arc supposcd |o bc conccrncd wi|h; |hcrc is no kin rcla|ionship on
car|h |ha| is no| |o somc dcrcc a ma||cr ol prc|cndin (|houh in chcss i| is all
dcad scriousi, a sub|lc ar| |ha| cvcrv child lcarns a| an carlv ac. Thcrc is no such
|hin as non-lic|ivc kinship; whcn |hc prc|cnsc brcaks down, so docs |hc kinship,
and wc havc somc|hin ol an iron law ol kinship: rcal kinship is no| |hc |hin |ha|
is oin on in anv prc|cx| |ha| mih| o|hcrwisc bc conluscd wi|h kin rcla|ionships.
Nor is dca|h i|scll |hc |hin onc |houh| i| was oin |o bc, and |his is |hc lcsson
|auh| in Grcorv Ba|cson`s Navcn. Thouh i| is a coun|crcllcc| ol |hc in|cral
duali|v ol Ia|mul lilc, somc|hin |ha| Ba|cson sinlcd ou| and callcd
schismocncsis, |hc Ia|mul honorilic mor|uarv ri|c is a casc in poin| ol obvia|ion.
This is a hihlv coun|crin|ui|ivc al|crna|ivc |o |hc usual scnsc ol complc|ion or
consumma|ion ol a human lilc, a posi|ivc nca|ion, in which |hc cnd rcsul| is
nci|hcr |hc subcc| (lilc"i nor i|s an|i|hcsis (dca|h"i. Thc obvia|c human bcin
(Tod und Vcrklrun," Dca|h and Transliura|ion" as Richard S|rauss callcd i|i
is nci|hcr livin nor dcad.
In Ba|cson`s accoun|, all |hc svmbolic accou|rcmcn|s ol |hc dcccascd`s lilc and
achicvcmcn|s arc asscmblcd |oc|hcr in |hc lorm ol a |okcn human liurc, an
clliv rcprcscn|in |hc dcccascd. This liurc was sc| up bv mcmbcrs ol |hc
ini|ia|orv moic|v ol which |hc dcccascd was a mcmbcr. I| was a boas| ol |hc
rca|ncss ol |hcir moic|v. And whcn |hc liurc was complc|cd all |hc mcn ol bo|h
moic|ics crowdcd round i|. Thc mcmbcrs ol |hc opposi|c moic|v camc lorward
onc bv onc |o claim cquivalcn| lca|s. Onc man said: I havc a wound hcrc on mv
hip, whcrc (|hc pcoplc oli Kararau spcarcd mc. I |akc |ha| spcar," and |ook |hc
spcar sc| aains| |hc liurc`s hip. Ano|hcr said: I killcd so-and-so. I |akc |ha|
spcar," and so on |ill all |hc cmblcms ol prowcss had bccn rcmovcd (Ba|cson 1958:
155i. Thc ri|ual Ia|mul mor|uarv prac|iccs no| onlv answcr |hc riddlc ol lilc-in
dca|h and dca|h-in-lilc; |hcv obvia|c i|. Obvia|ion is |hc dcs|inv ol svmbols, as
na|ural |o |hcm as dca|h is |o human bcins. Thc word obvia|c" mcans no| onlv
|o rcndcr obvious |ha| which was hcrc|olorc obscurc," bu| also, accordin |o i|s
dic|ionarv dclini|ion, |o an|icipa|c and disposc ol." To an|icipa|c dca|h in lilc is |o
disposc ol lilc in dca|h. As |o Ba|cson`s rolc in |his, as |hc an|hropolois|, onc
mih| wcll concludc |ha| |hc his|orian |clls |hc s|orv, |hc li|cra|urc in|crprc|s |hc
s|orv, bu| |hc an|hropolois| obvia|cs |hc s|orv," rcndcrs i| innocuous as |houh i|
had ncvcr bccn in |hc lirs| placc. Kinship is obvia|cd no| in |hc wav wc undcrs|and
i|, bu| in |hc wav |ha| i| undcrs|ands us. Thouh undcrdc|crminc" mih| bc a
bc||cr word |han undcrs|and," as in Millav`s sonnc|.
This pu|s a wholc ncw spin on our subcc|, lor wc havc no|hin in our wholc
cpis|cmoloical rcpcr|oirc |o sucs| |ha| somc|hin as incr| and abs|rac| as
kinship" mih| havc powcrs ol comprchcnsion a| all, nor |ha| anvonc mih|, as
Inmar Bcrman has i| in |hc movic Thc Scvcn|h Scal, plav chcss wi|h dca|h"
172 | Rov VAGNLR
(shakspiclcn mcd do dcni--|houh |ha| is us| cxac|lv wha| |hc Ia|mul do in |hcir
mor|uarv ri|c. Thc Ia|mul arc undcrs|ood" so wcll in |ha| ri|c |ha| |hcv havc
no|hin lcl| |o livc lor, or cvcn dic lor. Morc cncrallv, insolar as kinship is
conccrncd, no| onlv arc our vcrv |houh|-pa||crns cmbodicd in |hc |hins wc |hink
abou| (cvcn|s, circums|anccs, obcc|si, bu| |hcv also run |hc dancr ol bcin
undcrs|ood" ci|hcr |oo wcll or no| wcll cnouh bv our parcn|s--|hc closcs| onc can
comc |o kinship incarna|c--and |hus rowin up absurd. (A rcal an|hropolois|`s
ollsprin alwavs run somc dancr ol rowin up absurd--bu| |hcn, considcr |hc
sourcc.i
Morcovcr, i| is us| prccisclv |his invcrsion ol subcc| and obcc|, |hc cra|ivc, or
s|ranc a||rac|or, |ha| wc havc sccn |o brin bo|h chcss and kinship ou| ol |hc
woodwork" and in|o |hc world ol livcd rcali|v, cspcciallv whcn onc considcrs no|
simplv wha| cons|i|u|cs |hcm, bu| wha| cmpowcrs |hcm.
Mc|aphors |alk, |o vou; |hcv havc acncv, and minds ol |hcir own (|houh
admi||cdlv a |ad bi| schizophrcnici. Chcss makcs vour hands movc wi|h a pa|icncc
and skill |ha| no| cvcn a lovcr would |olcra|c. As lor |hc chcss picccs |hcmsclvcs:
i| is no| |hc hand ol God |ha| movcs us, bu| |hc od ol hand." Thc kinship |ha|
undcrs|ands" onc bc||cr |han onc can undcrs|and i| and |hc chcss |ha| compcls
|hc plavcr in|o unna|ural" moods ol in|cnsc conccn|ra|ion arc par|s ol an
cncompassin doublc-propor|ional lccdback loop" |ha| cx|cnds lar bcvond |hc
limi|s ol bush sociolov" and randmas|cr |ournamcn|s. I| is onc |ha| involvcs |hc
mcaninlul propcr|ics ol lanuac as wcll-|hc wavs in which lanuac rcla|cs |o
i|scll as wcll as |hc wavs in which |hc spcakcrs ol lanuac rcla|c |o onc ano|hcr-
and |ha| in|cr|winin is as much a par| ol our hcri|ac as |hc doublc-hclical
inlras|ruc|urc ol DNA.
Thcrc has alwavs bccn an unspokcn assump|ion amon s|udcn|s ol kinship |ha|
|hcir subcc| is somchow rcla|cd |o |hc nccd lor human solidari|v-lamilics, bonds,
roups, and |ha| sor| ol |hin. And al|houh |ha| is admi||cdlv a lunc|ionalis|" idca,
somchow rcla|cd |o |hc admi||cdlv s|ruc|uralis|" no|ion |ha| mc|aphor or |ropc is
|hc lon| and solc purvcvor ol mcanin in lanuac, |hc conncc|ions ncccssarv |o
brin |hcsc |wo |oc|hcr cx|cnd bcvond |hc limi|s ol disciplinarv boundal|cs and
rcquirc |hinkin ou|sidc ol |hc box."
So wc mih| as wcll s|ar| lrom scra|ch. Vc havc ncvcr lound a human
asscmblac |ha| did no| posscss bo|h a spokcn lanuac and a modc ol rcla|in
cxprcsscd |hrouh kin |crminolov. Thus wc can concludc |ha| bo|h ol |hcsc arc
somchow ncccssarv |o |hc cxis|cncc and composi|ion ol |hc spccics Homo sapicns,
|hc spccics, bc i| no|cd, |ha| was rcsponsiblc lor |hc conccp| ol spccics in |hc lirs|
placc. (Vc arc |hc rca| classilicrs ol |hc world, and wc classilv oursclvcs as such.i
Bu| mcanin is |hc wild card," so |o spcak--a box" |ha| mus| ncccssarilv |hink
ou|sidc ol i|scll-rc-classilv i|scll bcvond |hc abili|v |o classilv wha| i| is doin in |hc
proccss ol doin so. No onc can sav us| cxac|lv wha| a novcl or innova|ivc
mc|aphor-a rc-invcn|ion ol lanuac as i| wcrc- -mcans, un|il or unlcss i| has
bccomc |ircd" and has classilicd i|scll amon |hc lamiliar and convcn|ional
sinilicrs |ha| makc up |hc lcxical propcr|ics ol lanuac.
Tha| is a vcrv lon-windcd wav ol pu||in i|, and i| has bccn said manv |imcs
bclorc. Bu| |hc lon and shor| ol i| is |ha| |ropc or mc|aphor is alwavs brouh| in|o
bcin bv makin unlikclv and unconvcn|ional cross- conncc|ions in |hc lcxicon--
crca|in an idcn|i|v bc|wccn |wo unlikclv par|s ol lanuac, us| as a novcl s|ra|cv
THL CHLSS OI KINSHIP | 17`
in chcss cvolvcs bv makin unlikclv combina|ions ol picccs and movcs (a knih|-
lork, lor ins|ancc-onc ol mv lavori|cs, alon wi|h, ol coursc Burundv adul|crvi.
To pu| i| succinc|lv, mc|aphor is |hc ma|in and mcanin s|ra|cv ol lanuac, |hc
ncccssarv wav in which lanuac rcla|cs |o i|scll. Likcwisc, kin |crminolov, |hc
ncccssarv rclcrcncc-codin ol kin rcla|ionship (wi|hou| which i| would no| know
i|scll lor wha| i| prc|cnds |o bci is |hc wav in which spcakcrs ol lanuac rcla|c |o
onc ano|hcr. Bo|h arc par| and parccl ol |hc rcproduc|ion ol lanuac |hrouh i|s
spcakcrs, and |hc rcproduc|ion ol |hc spcakcrs |hcmsclvcs bv mcans ol lanuac.
Onc ol Grcorv Ba|cson`s bcs| and mos| lamous adacs was onc canno| no|
rcla|c." Tha| is undcniablv |ruc, bu| unlor|una|clv i| lcads |o |hc lallacv ol assumin
|hc rcali|v ol naivc or spon|ancous rcla|ionships," a kind ol colla|cral damac lcl|
ovcr lrom |hc psvchia|rv" cra ol |hc 1970`s, whcn onc could ac|uallv c| moncv
lrom |hc ovcrnmcn| lor prc|cndin |ha| sor| ol |hin. Lvcn lor chcss plavcrs, |hc
nccd lor lacc-|o-lacc rcla|ionships has bccn subvcr|cd bv |hc In|crnc|. Rcla|in,
which mcans pu||in |hc sidcs |oc|hcr," is bo|h basic and csscn|ial, and dclincs
|hc human condi|ion bo|h on and oll |hc chcss board. Thcrc is a bi dillcrcncc
hcrc. Shall wc psvchoanalvzc |hc knih| |o lind ou| wha| i| lccls likc" |o movc |wo
squarcs ovcr and onc |o |hc sidc. I don`| |hink so.
Chcss |hrows |ha| much-abuscd |crm, rcla|ionship" in|o hih rclicl. Sccn lrom
|hc |op, |hc knih|`s po|cn|ial movcs dcscribc an oc|aon, bu| unlor|una|clv a rcal
knih| can onlv acccss onc ol |hcsc posi|ions a| a |imc. Thc bishop`s movcs
dcscribc an anular la||icc, |hc rook`s a Car|csian coordina|c svs|cm, bu| onlv |hc
board i|scll dcscribcs all ol |hcsc a| oncc. I| is no| ncccssarilv |hc loursquarc
(ac|uallv 8 x 8i |wo dimcnsional Aubix cubc puzzlc i| appcars |o bc, lor i| is cquallv
conccivablc on a diaonal lorma|, and can also bc visualizcd as a scrics ol
in|crncs|cd knih|lv oc|aons. Lach plavcr, or sidc," laccs a mirror-pcrspcc|ivc ol
|hcir s|ra|cic lavou|, consul|s" |hc chcss-rcla|ional mirror, wi|h |hc sinular
cxccp|ion ol |hc |wo cndcrcd picccs, |hc Quccn and Kin.
Thcrc arc no casv answcrs |o |hc qucs|ion ol whv human bcins consul|
mirrors in anv casc; pcrhaps i| is na|urc`s vcrv own lorm ol coun|crin|cllicncc.
Ior |hc onc vou scc in |hc mirror has bo|h sidcs rcvcrscd, as wcll as lron| and back,
and no onc clsc will cvcr scc vou |ha| wav. Tha| has dis|inc| advan|acs in ma|in
ol coursc, in bo|h scnscs ol |hc |crm, and all |hins considcrcd i| is |hc chcss vicw
ol vourscll: movc and ma|c in |wo." (I chcck mvscll in |hc mirror bclorc I o ou|,
and so docs mv da|c; and |houh |hc da|c i|scll mav comc |o no|hin, |hc |wo ol
|hcm havc a rca| |imc |oc|hcr-almos| as il |hcv wcrc plavin a amc.i Bu| who
arc |his mvs|crious |hcm |ha| us| s|olc our cvcnin lrom us. Lc| us con|inuc.
Thc rcal dillcrcncc bc|wccn onc sidc" and |hc o|hcr, or bc|wccn |hc amc and
rcali|v, comcs wi|h |hc rcalinmcn| ol cndcr wi|h rcspcc| |o la|crali|v. Normallv in
|hc amc ol lilc an individual has onlv onc cndcr and |wo sidcs, a rih| and a lcl|.
In chcss, howcvcr, cach plavcr plavs onlv onc sidc, bu| has |wo cndcrs, a Kin
and a Quccn, onc on |hc lcl| and |hc o|hcr on |hc rih|. In |hc con|cx| ol |hc amc,
as opposcd |o rcal lilc, |hc plavcrs arc no| rcallv human bcins a| all, bu| arc
plavin |hc rolcs ol wha| I havc callcd |hc An|i|wins (Vancr 2001, Ch. 4i, a cross-
purposcd subvarian| ol |hc human lorm |ha| is somchow ncccssarv |o our
cxis|cncc. Thcv do all |hc |hins wc canno|, and wc do all |hc |hins |hcv canno|
(Thcv |hrow our dicc, wc |hrow |hcirs, cl. Vancr 2001, Ch. 4i, or, in |hc words ol
|hc Marv Tvlcr Moorc |hcmc son, |hcv can |akc a no|hin da|c and makc i|
sccm wor|hwhilc."
174 | Rov VAGNLR
Normallv |hcrc is no such |hin as prool in chcss; |hcrc arc rulcs, ambi|s, and
plcn|v ol cxccu|ion. (Imainc Robcspicrrc |rvin |o subs|i|u|c a piccc callcd Thc
Guillo|inc" lor |hc Kin and Quccn.i Bu| |hc prool ol |hc An|i|wins in chcss is |ha|
|hc Kin and Quccn havc cxchancd |hcir norma|ivc rolcs-|hc Quccn has |akcn
on |hc rolc normallv a||ribu|cd |o |hc Kin in rcal lilc: makin cool movcs and
workin s|ra|cv, and |hc kin cxcrciscs |hc rih| ol posi|ion and social s|a|us-lor
|hc kin bv posi|ion holds |hc valuc ol |hc amc i|scll.
Thc amc ol chcss, ol coursc, has no|hin |o do wi|h human ma|ins, powcr-
plavs, or domcs|ic arrancmcn|s, lor cvcn in i|s own lan|asv world i| bclons |o |hc
|op ol |hc poli|ical lood-chain. Iull ol |hc imacrv ol roval houscs and |hcir powcr-
plavs, i| is all abou| powcr, and wha| mus| bc donc |o salcuard powcr whilc
con|rollin |hc movcs ol o|hcrs. Kinship, ol coursc, is no|hin likc |ha|...or is i|.
Bv |hc |imc i| bccomcs an an|hropoloical obcc| ol s|udv i| is alrcadv an almos|
ma|hcma|ical abs|rac|ion, a cncra|or ol cvcn|s |ha| vour avcrac kinspcrson would
scarcclv rcconizc (Vho, mc. A cross-cousin. No| on vour lilc. Ah
l
m a kissin`
cousin; cs ask mv Mama, Aun|ic-Twin"i. Lvcn so, likc cvcn |hc mos| mundanc
domcs|ic crisis, i| |radcs on |hc proli| marin ol con|rol and crcdibili|v. Thinkin
abou| i|, our usual rcac|ion |o a cncra|or ol cvcn|s has almos| no|hin |o do wi|h
wha| i| is and how i| works. Thc |wcll|h ccn|urv Japancsc sac Docn wro|c:
Vha| is happcnin hcrc and now is obs|ruc|cd bv happcnin i|scll; i| has sprun
lrcc lrom |hc brains ol happcnin" (Docn 2008: 7i.
Onc mornin in 1989 I was busv wi|h wha| I |houh| was a huc discovcrv a|
|hc |imc: |ha| inccs| is no| |hc |aboocd obcc| or lorm ol misbchavior wc had
|houh| i| was, |hc opposi|c ol kinship, bu| ra|hcr i|s pcrlcc| apposi|ivc. I| is |hc
lormlcss con|cn| ol all kin rcla|ions as aains| |hc con|cn|lcss lorm ol |hc wav |hcv
havc bccn dcscribcd and s|udicd. Transpor|cd, I bcan |o skc|ch ou| |hc lirs|
roup por|rai| ol |hc An|i|wins, which I labclcd |hc |winccs|," |hc icon ol inccs|,"
and |hc mirror-cndcr svmmc|rics."
Bu| |imc rcallv llics whcn vou`rc havin lun, and I rcalizcd I had loro||cn |o
chcck mv mail |ha| mornin. Vhcn I did I lound a dral| copv ol Jadran Mimica`s
Thc inccs| passions" (Mimica 1991a; 1991bi, |hc bcs| and bv lar |hc mos|
ar|icula|c s|udv vc| conccivcd on |hc subcc| ol inccs| as a sui cncris
phcnomcnali|v. Bu| |ha| discovcrv, as Mimica was wcll awarc, is bcsidc |hc poin|
|ha| |hc ac|ual, rcular, and cvcn compulsivc prac|icc ol downrih| inccs|uous
rcla|ions in all modcrn socic|ics, wi|hin |hc closcs| lamilial rcla|ionships, cxcccds
all rcasonablc cxpcc|a|ions. To undcrs|and wha| |his mcans and whv i| con|inucs,
cspcciallv amon hihlv cduca|cd pcoplc in modcrn indus|rial socic|ics, onc would
nccd no| onlv an inccs| |aboo bu| an ou|ccs| |aboo as wcll. And il |ha| ou|ccs|
|aboo workcd us| as poorlv as |hc (barclv undcrs|oodi inccs| |aboo sccms |o, |hcn
all |hc ra|ionaliza|ions or irra|ionaliza|ions madc |o suppor| i| would likcwisc o lor
no|hin, lor |hinkin is no| wha| lamilv bchavior is all abou|. Con|rol is wha| i| is all
abou|.
Kinship, likc his|orv, na|ural proccss, and |hc s|ra|cv ol |hc machinc,
prcsupposcs a loic ol conscqucn|iali|v, or causc and cllcc|, in |hc happcnin ol
|hins. Rcla|ionship, howcvcr, bc|okcns somc|hin al|oc|hcr dillcrcn|, morc likc
|hc an|iloic ol ironv, whcrcin onc is ivcn |hc cllcc| lirs|, as in |hc opcnin
sccnario or sc|up" ol a okc, and |hcn surpriscd wi|h |hc unlikclv causali|v ol |hc
punchlinc. Lvcn |o pu| i| |his wav, |houh, is somc|hin ol a sinulari|v, or okc on
i|scll, lor okcs and rcla|ionships-basicallv monkcv wrcnchcs |hrown in|o |hc
machincrics ol |houh|-do no| lall in|o a consis|cncv ol |hinkin |hins backwards
(as |houh onc had discovcrcd |hc pcrlcc| svs|cm lor nonsvs|cma|ic |hinkini, bu|
carrv an inhcrcn| disqualilica|ion in |hc s|ra|cv ol |hcir |cllin or workin ou|.
Thcv cclcbra|c |hc uncannv.
I| is unlikclv lrom |his poin| ol vicw |ha| rcla|ionships, as wcll as |hc inccs| and
ou|ccs| |hcv dcpcnd on, cvcr had a bcinnin--onc mih| as wcll scarch lor |hc
oriin ol |hc okc (cl. Vancr 2001: Chap. Thc S|orv ol Lvc"i, Rcla|ionships lirs|
camc in|o locus la|cr on as kinship" whcn |hc causc-and-cllcc| ra|ionaliza|ions
wcrc dcvclopcd |o |urn |hcm in|o lincs ol dcsccn|, cncaloics, allinal rcla|ions,
and so lor|h, lor wha| ood arc rcla|ivcs wi|h no|hin |o rcla|c. I| is no| onlv
dillicul| bu| wcllnih impossiblc lor an an|hropolois| |o imainc wha| ma|in was
likc amon a so-callcd prccul|ural pcoplc wi|hou| immcdia|clv |hinkin ol
marriac," il onlv |o procc| a pa||crn |ha| mih| convcnicn|lv bc nca|cd bv an
an|i-|crm such as nonmarriac. Incvi|ablv, |his lcads |hc prchis|orian, o|hcrwisc a
sound and sanc individual, |o procc| onc ol |hosc classic na|ural man" s|ra|cics:
Bclorc human bcins as wc know |hcm had cvolvcd |hc pcoplc couplcd wi|h onc
ano|hcr |hrouh a primi|ivc svs|cm |ha| mih| bc callcd nonmarriac," had
inconccivablc ollsprin |hrouh a lorm ol wha| wc now know as disscmina|ion,
which lcl| cvcrvbodv lcclin cmp|v and roo|lcss. I| is onlv now, on hindsih|, |ha|
wc can |racc ou| |hcir movcmcn|s in |hc mud, usin llin| chips and s|onc |ools |ha|
hardlv scra|ch |hc surlacc."
Chcss, ol coursc, is purclv svmbolic" (|cll |his |o a randmas|cr, and |hcn
ducki, bu| |hc modcl ol kinship I havc bccn rcvicwin hcrc is somc|hin morc
|han |ha|. I| has no ncccssarv oriin or poin| ol |crmina|ion, il onlv lor |hc lac| |ha|
i|s mcanins and i|s rcla|ionships, as I havc shown, arc spun mu|uallv and
rc|roac|ivclv ou| ol |hc samc cncra|ivc ma|rix, which I havc |crmcd a s|ranc
a||rac|or or doublc-propor|ional chiasmus. This would havc |o includc as wcll |hc
inccs| |aboo and i|s ou|ccs| varian|, |hc arbi|rarv rulc bccausc |hcrc havc |o bc
rulcs" upon which Lcvi-S|rauss prcdica|cd |hc wholc inccs|-cum-rcciproci|v
arumcn| ol Thc Llcmcn|arv S|ruc|urcs ol Kinship. Bu| wc havc sccn |ha|
proscrip|ions and rcciproci|ics ol |his |vpc producc bo|h |hc prohibi|ion and |hc
|hin prohibi|cd (|hc prac|icc ol inccs| as wcll as i|s prohibi|ioni ou| ol |hc samc
ccn|ral mo|il, and wi|h |hc samc cncrous lacili|v wi|h which |hc Daribi bo|h allirm
and dcnv |hc siblinship" ol cross-cousins, and |hc Barak bo|h inadvcr|an|lv
prac|icc and proscribc dircc| cross-cousin marriac wi|h commcndablc moral
ardour and scll-con|radic|orv rcsul|s in cach casc. Ol coursc, whcn dcalin wi|h a
s|ranc a||rac|or |hc |radi|ional cxccp|ion |ha| provcs |hc rulc |urns vcrv quicklv
in|o |hc rulc |ha| provcs |hc cxccp|ion, so ol coursc |hcrc mus| bc pcoplc
(somcwhcrc"i |ha| lollow |hc rulc ol dircc| cross-cousin marriac us| cxac|lv as
Lcvi-S|rauss had prcdic|cd. In 1964 I spcn| a lcw davs wi|h us| such a pcoplc, |hc
Yaaria spcakcrs ol Laaiu Villac in |hc cas|crn hihlands ol Papua Ncw Guinca.
Vcrv |horouhlv, in consul|a|ion wi|h a roup ol cldcrs, I manacd |o clici| |hcir
kin |crminolov, corrcla|c i| cxhaus|ivclv wi|h |hc cncaloical rccord, and
dc|crminc |ha| |hcv marricd accordin |o a vcrv s|ric| rcimcn ol bila|cral cross-
cousin marriac (|hcv callcd |hc ca|corv ol marriacablc lincs dcvoài. Thouh I
did no| s|ick around lon cnouh |o scc how |hc svs|cm" workcd in prac|icc, I`ll
bc| i| did, lor I lound |hcm |o bc vcrv sharp ra|ionalizcrs.
Vhcrc clsc in scicncc can onc lind such piquan| irrclcvancics. Our hcro
Grcorv Ba|cson dcvclopcd |hc doublc-bind |hcorv ol schizophrcnia ou| ol |hc
176 | Rov VAGNLR
doublc-propor|ional schismocncsis modcl hc had discovcrcd in his work amon
|hc Ia|mul. Al|houh i| rcmaincd in vouc amon psvchia|ris|s lor onlv a vcrv shor|
|imc and soon los| round |o o|hcr, morc clinicallv corrcc|" |hcrapics, i| imi|a|cd
schizophrcnic svmp|oms likc no|hin clsc in |hc world (no onc has cvcr manacd
|o curc schizophrcnia, or cross cousin marriac ci|hcri. Ol|cn |hc bcs| wc can do is
imi|a|c. I| is rumorcd, lor ins|ancc, |ha| our solar svs|cm (|hc sun, wi|h i|s a||cndan|
sa|clli|ic bodicsi dcvclopcd bv ravi|ic accrc|ion ou| ol a primordial disc shapcd
ncbular cloud. In |ha| casc ravi|v would bc |hc primum mobilc, and mos| ol |hc
ravi|v in |hc solar svs|cm is invcs|cd in |hc sun i|scll. Bu| wai| a minu|c, |hcrc is
ano|hcr propor|ion |o |his schismocncsis, lor mos| ol |hc anular momcn|um
(ravi|v`s ncccssarv coun|crlorcci in |hc svs|cm is invcs|cd in |hc planc|s, sa|clli|cs,
as|croids, and cvcn |hc |cnuous Oor| cloud. Hcncc ano|hcr oriin" lor |hc wholc
is a dis|inc| possibili|v, which is |ha| |hc sun oncc had a companion s|ar loca|cd in
|hc orbi|al vicini|v ol Jupi|cr, onc whosc cxplosion rcdis|ribu|cd |hc svs|cm`s
anular momcn|um in|o |hc pa||crn wc lind |odav. Sincc nci|hcr hvpo|hcsis
prccludcs |hc o|hcr, |hc qucs|ion ol which is |hc corrcc|" onc is as |rivial as |ha| ol
how cxac|lv |hc cross-cousin rcla|ion ouh| |o bc lormula|cd, and as inconclusivc,
bo|h bcin prcdica|cd on a s|ranc a||rac|or. Thc problcm wi|h |hinkin |hins |his
wav, and ol |hc s|ranc a||rac|or, il I mav makc so bold, is onc ol scll-absorp|ion
and acu|c scll-involvcmcn|; i| is us| simplv |ha| a svs|cm lormula|cd in |his wav
lacks |hc abili|v |o s|cp ou|sidc ol i|scll and scc i|scll lor wha| i| is.

Biblioraphv
Ba|cson, Grcorv. (19`6i 1958. Navcn: A survcv ol |hc roblcms sucs|cd bv a
composi|c pic|urc ol |hc cul|urc ol a Ncw Guinca |ribc drawn lrom |hrcc
poin|s ol vicw. Sccond rcviscd cdi|ion. Bcrklcv: Inivcrsi|v ol S|anlord Prcss.
Bcrman, Inmar. 1957. Thc scvcn|h scal. S|ockholm: AB Svcnsk Iilmindus|ri.
Borcs, Jorc Luis. (1941i 1998. Thc ardcn ol lorkin pa|hs." In Collcc|cd
lic|ions, 119-128. Ncw York: Pcnuin Books.
Crook, Tonv. 1997. Growin knowlcdc: Lxplorin knowlcdc prac|iccs in Bolivip,
Papua Ncw Guinca. PhD Thcsis. Inivcrsi|v ol Cambridc.
Dcn, Zcni (|rans.i. 2008. Gudo Valu Nishiima and Chodo Cross." In Mas|cr
Docn`s Shobocnzo, Volumc IV. Bcrklcv: Numa|a Ccn|cr lor Buddhis|
Transla|ion and Rcscarch.
Glcick, Jamcs. 1987. Chaos: |hc makin ol a ncw scicncc. Ncw York: Vikin.
Jorcnscn, Dan. 1981. Taro and arrows: Ordcr, cn|ropv and rcliion amon |hc
Tclclolmin. PhD disscr|a|ion, Inivcrsi|v ol Bri|ish Columbia.
Lcvi-S|rauss, Claudc. (1949i 1969. Thc clcmcn|arv s|ruc|urcs ol kinship. London:
Lvrc and Spo||iswodc.
Mimica, Jadran. 1991a. Thc inccs| passions : An ou|linc ol |hc loic ol Iqwavc
social oraniza|ion. Par| 1." Occania 62 (1i: `4-58.
Mimica, Jadran. 1991b. Thc inccs| passions: An ou|linc ol |hc loic ol |hc Iqwavc
social oraniza|ion. Par| 2." Occania 62 (2i: 81-11`.
Moran, Lcwis Hcnrv. (1871i 1997. Svs|cms ol consanuin|v and allini|v ol |hc
human lamilv. Lincoln: Inivcrsi|v ol Ncbraska Prcss.
Radclillc-Brown, Allrcd. 1940. On okin rcla|ionships." Alrica: Journal ol |hc
In|crna|ional Alrican Ins|i|u|c. 1` (ì: 195-210
Sain| Vinccn| Millav, Ldna. 19`4 Lpi|aph lor |hc racc ol Man." in Vinc lrom
|hcsc rapcs. Ncw York: Harpcr S Bro|hcrs.
Vancr, Rov. 2001. An an|hropolov ol |hc subcc|. Bcrklcv: Inivcrsi|v ol
Calilornia Prcss.
Vard, David S. 197` Thc s|in. Ncw York: Inivcrsal Pic|urcs.

Lcs cchccs dc la parcn|c c| la parcn|c dcs cchccs

Rcsumc : La vraic comparaison cn|rc unc c|udc an|hropoloiquc sur la parcn|c c|
lc cu d`cchcc nàpparai| pas a prcmicrc vuc cn cn rcs|an| a lcurs propric|cs
lormcllcs. Lllc nc lai| scns quc lorsquòn lcs rcardc cn |an| quc s|ra|cics, ou
modclcs d`cvcncmcn|s inscri| dans unc |cmporali|c. La simplc propor|ion
quc lcs dcux on| cn commun cs| unc lormc dc comparaison croiscc cn|rc dcs
variablcs dicho|omiqucs quc lòn dcsinc sous lc |crmc dc chiasmc, illus|rcc pour
la parcn|c par la rcla|ion classiquc cn|rc cousins croiscs, c| pour lcs cchccs par la
doublc propor|ion asvmc|riquc cn|rc lc roi c| la rcinc - lcs dcux sculcs picccs du
pla|cau qui on| un cnrc - ainsi quc par lcs dcplaccmcn|s c| liurcs dcs au|rcs
picccs du cu. La dillcrcncc pourrai| c|rc rccapi|ulcc dans lc mo| couplcr . Lcs
cchccs pourraicn| c|rc ainsi dccri|s commc la parcn|c dc la parcn|c.
Lìncapaci|c a saisir cc chiasmc, ou l`csscncc dc doublc-propor|ionnali|c dcs dcux
pourrai| c|rc a lòriinc dc nombrc dc modclcs dvslonc|ionncls dc mariacs cn|rc
cousins croiscs, commc a dc nombrcuscs par|ics d`cchccs |rcs vi|c |crminccs.

Rov Vancr was born in Clcvcland, Ohio, and rcccivcd his A.B. dcrcc in
mcdicval his|orv a| Harvard, and his M.A. and Ph.D. dcrccs in an|hropolov a|
|hc Inivcrsi|v ol Chicao. His |hcorc|ical in|crcs|s includc kinship, indicnous
conccp|ual modcls, ma|hcma|ical an|hropolov, and shamanism; his arcal in|crcs|
includc Mclancsia and Aus|ralia, and morc la|clv, Nor|h and Sou|h Amcrica. hc
has |auh| a| Sou|hcrn Illinois Inivcrsi|v, Nor|hwcs|crn Inivcrsi|v, and |hc
Inivcrsi|v ol Virinia. Hc is |hc au|hor ol a comprchcnsivc |hcorv ol mv|h and
svmboliza|ion callcd obvia|ion" in Lc|hal Spccch (1978i, and a book callcd Thc
Invcn|ion ol Cul|urc (1981i, which is a rca| |imc-savcr in |ha| i| mav bc rcad bv
|i|lc onlv.

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2011 | HAI: Journal ol L|hnoraphic Thcorv 1 (1i: 159-164

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