What is a tribe? Ancient and modern tribes

Answering the question: "What is a tribe?"- scholars disagree: on the one hand, tribes are a relic of the past, and modern ethnic associations are not considered tribes in the historical sense, but in the modern world there are still a number of political alliances that correspond to the basic criteria of the tribe.

The interpretation of the term

There is no common understanding of what a tribe is. Researchers give several definitions.

1. A tribe is a community that is defined by the same features common to all members, such as language, religious worldview, origin, traditions, customs.
2. The tribe - political alliances with faith in a common bond, the unification of several groups of peoples of different origins. As a rule, they have their own history, some legend of the tribe's appearance.
3. The tribe is a type of ethnic community, a special social organization of society before the division into classes. In the original form, tribes occur simultaneously with childbirth.

Characteristic features of the formed tribe

To understand what a tribe is, in many respects help the criteria by which an ethnic association is considered as such:

• The presence of a separate territory, delimited from the territory of other tribes by a natural boundary;
• a certain economy;
• mutual assistance of fellow tribesmen, commonality of performing actions, for example collective hunting, gathering;
• the common language of the tribe;
• tribal self-name;
• self-consciousness as a collective unit;
• the presence of common rituals, traditions, respected by the tribe.

History of occurrence

What is a tribe and when was it formed?

Archaeological origin of tribes was recorded only in the Mesolithic, during the period when their formations ended as social and ethnic communities.

Unlike the following types of ethnic communities(such as the nationality and the nation), the tribe is based on the single origin of the genera included in it, on the bonds of blood relationship between all its members. It is the bond of blood relationship, which unites two or more kinds, that makes them a tribe.

Developed tribes at the end of the eraprimitive communal system already had tribal self-government, which consisted of a tribal council and two leaders - civil and military. Over time, the tribe is developing a stratification of property, rich and poor genera, tribal nobility, the role of military leaders is growing. In later forms, tribal organizations persist in class society, where they are intertwined by slave-owning, and sometimes even capitalist, relations (for example, the nomadic tribes of the Arabian Peninsula, the Bedouins of North Africa, etc.).

Ancient tribes

The concept of "ancient tribes" is very complex and multifaceted. On the one hand, these are the peoples who lived in the past, and on the other - the peoples who 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 appeared, which became a prerequisite for the appearance 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 retained its traditional way, protecting it even in a clash with developed civilizations.

Modern tribes

In modern society, tribes still live,which preserved the ancient way. Most of them are in Africa, South America, the Indonesian Islands, as well as the islands of the Philippine Archipelago and the Amazon Selva. Communication with such tribes requires special behavior in a particular culture. It is necessary to take into account the fact that among these nationalities you can pay for life for any mistake in behavior. It is necessary to remember that in these cultures above all the following values: decency in personal life, modesty, courage, fearlessness, the ability to adequately endure physical suffering, chastity and shame.

The most famous tribes

The most famous ancient tribes are:

• Slavs;
• Drevlyane;
• antes;
• Scythians;
• Varangians;
• Goths;
• Hottentot;
• Celts;
• the Teutons;
• Khazars;
• Pechenegs;
• Polovtsy;
• Huns;
• nomads;
• nomads;
• romance;
• the Phoenicians;
• the Moors.

And here are some modern tribes that exist in our time:

• The people of Surma.
• The Persian tribe.
• Ramapo.
• Hand.
• Brazilian.
• Tribes of New Hawaii.
• Sentineltsy.
• African tribes.

As we can see, the tribe (its definitionambiguous) as the ancient form of existence is almost not preserved. And those unions, which tourists discover, are, rather, ethnic communities, rather than tribes from a historical point of view.