On the Malayan System of Consanguinity and Affinity

Abstract

(1) The Malayan system in Morgan's Ancient Society. (2) Criticism of the Malayan system by Rivers. (3) Criticism of the Malayan system by Sternberg. (4) "Non-Malayan" kinship terms in system of consanguinity and affinity of the Hawaiians. (5) "Punalua" and "Punaluan family." (6) The Malayan system as a terminology. Taking as his point of departure the criticisms of Morgan's Malayan system made by Rivers and Sternberg, the author points out the following inconsistencies in Morgan's theory concerning the Malayan System : (1) There are some "non-Malayan" kinship terms in the system of consanguinity and affinity of the Hawaiians. It is inadequate to call the system "Malayan." (2) Morgan contradicts his own theory in recognizing simultaneously the existence of the "Punaluan family" and the kinship term "punalua" among the Hawaiians. The existence of the "Punaluan family" itself has not been confirmed for the Hawaiians.