Kinship change in the Belgian Congo

SYNOPSIS In the Lake Leopold II district of the Belgian Congo, patrilineal tribes occupy the forest region, matrilineal tribes the savannah, and groups with a mixed culture the zone of transition around the lake itself. The nkumu are a characteristic institution of the patrilineal tribes, and their non‐hereditary status may be the result of culture change among aborigines reduced to a collective slavery status by patrilineal conquerors. In the transitional zone, change takes place from tribe to tribe in a gradual way, which may be a geographical reflection of how change takes place in the course of time. At Leopoldville, the same tribes developed an intertribal system, the most characteristic feature of which, as in other African towns, is the extreme importance of the dowry. Native French terminology reflects significant differences from European kinship, and further change than now obtains is not. expected in the near future.