rdfs:comment
| - The term Gao-Showa Clan is often used to refer to two similar category of descent group: clan (Gao-Indralan: 氏, Standard Indralan: shì, Kunikata: uzi, si), or phratry (Gao-Indralan: 姓, Standard Indralan: xìng, Kunikata: kabane, sei).
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abstract
| - The term Gao-Showa Clan is often used to refer to two similar category of descent group: clan (Gao-Indralan: 氏, Standard Indralan: shì, Kunikata: uzi, si), or phratry (Gao-Indralan: 姓, Standard Indralan: xìng, Kunikata: kabane, sei). A clan is the basic social unit of traditional Gao-Showa society. Similar to the concept of family in many different culture, members of a clan usually claim descent of a figure from four to six generations ago, although exceptions are not uncommon. A clan is also part of a larger social unit known as phratry, and the beginning of a clan usually starts from a branch of a previous clan, such as an individual who moved to a different location, take a job that is both notable and different from its other members, as well as merits gained from various source. Because of that, the name of clans is more often than not connected to these events, the most common one being the environment of the new location. Clan name is also subjected to change when the aforementioned conditions are changed. A phratry is a collection of clans, all of them claiming a common and remote, if not legendary, ancestors. Unlike clans, whose name is changable depending on the identified common ancestor, location, even jobs, phratry name is usually set in stone and not subject to change, for it carries the very connection between the living members of a phratry and the legendary ancestor, and any change is considered a disgrace towards the entire descent group. Because of the immutable nature of a phratry, and it being too large and distant for everyone concerns, it is not very often used, except in large religious ceremonies concerning the legendary ancestor, then all clans in a phratry will participate in a grand event for cerebration, as well as intermarriage and dispute settlement.
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