rites of this kind; its symbolism is drawn from herding, fishing, agriculture, arboriculture and other occupations.
So far I have considered certain aspects of the culture of any given people, but we know that there are very few, if any, peoples who have not been affected by intercourse with other peoples, and thereby a mixture of culture has resulted.
When this takes place, whether it be between two peoples of similar grades of culture or of different grades of culture some adjustment must take place. The adjustment that takes place, say, for example, between a matrilineal and a patrilineal people will have much the appearance of an evolution from one condition to the other. I do not say such an evolution has never taken place, indeed Dr. Hartland has adduced evidence that it does,[1] but in all cases where a transition of such a nature occurs, it must be definitely ascertained whether these intermediate stages may not be due to an amalgamation. An adjustment introduces a new factor into each element of the population and the final result may eventually be different from either condition. Certain factors in one culture will prove themselves to be prepotent and they will characterise the resultant cultures; this seems always to be the case when a patrilineal community fuses with one with a matrilineal organisation, so that while the new condition is patrilineal there are persistent vestiges of matrilineal descent, and thus we come more directly within the field of folklore.
To take one out of many examples of syncretism in ethnology, it is well known what difficulties occur when one people with a lunar reckoning of time are merged with another with a solar method, of which our own almanac with the vagaries of Easter affords a good example.
A further complication may take place by various ceremonies and rites being performed on the occasion of
- ↑ “Matrilineal Kinship, and the Question of its Priority,” Mem. of the American Anthropological Association, iv. 1917, pp. 1-87.
