The Meanings of Inheritance: Perspectives on Namibian Inheritance Practices.The meanings of inheritance Perspectives on Namibian inheritance practices This short collection of essays seeks to address some of the issues surrounding the question of inheritance in Namibia. It is an exercise in what might be termed "public interest" anthropology anthropology, classification and analysis of humans and their society, descriptively, culturally, historically, and physically. Its unique contribution to studying the bonds of human social relations has been the distinctive concept of culture. . Using data derived from a recent evaluation of the state of anthropology in Namibia (Gordon 2000) as well as personal networks, the Gender Research and Advocacy Project of the Legal Assistance Centre contacted a large number of colleagues who had recently done extended fieldwork field·work n. 1. A temporary military fortification erected in the field. 2. Work done or firsthand observations made in the field as opposed to that done or observed in a controlled environment. 3. in Namibia and invited them to contribute short papers on inheritance practices in their field site. The response was extremely heartening heart·en tr.v. heart·ened, heart·en·ing, heart·ens To give strength, courage, or hope to; encourage. See Synonyms at encourage. Adj. 1. . Many made time to contribute to this project and also provided abbreviated articles suitable for placement in the local press, some of which provoked pro·voke tr.v. pro·voked, pro·vok·ing, pro·vokes 1. To incite to anger or resentment. 2. To stir to action or feeling. 3. To give rise to; evoke: provoke laughter. a welcome public response. These papers provide invaluable background to the larger recently--released Legal Assistance Centre report entitled en·ti·tle tr.v. en·ti·tled, en·ti·tling, en·ti·tles 1. To give a name or title to. 2. To furnish with a right or claim to something: Customary Laws on Inheritance in Namibia. The different chapters attest To solemnly declare verbally or in writing that a particular document or testimony about an event is a true and accurate representation of the facts; to bear witness to. To formally certify by a signature that the signer has been present at the execution of a particular writing so as to the danger of imposing a uniform set of practices on Namibian people. They show how variable and locally-specific practices continually upset the conventional wisdom; how inheritance is often pre-mortal, and entails more than simply material goods. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Gender Research & Advocacy Project Legal Assistance Centre Windhoek, 2005 |
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