Title: Coming of Age in Samoa
Author: Margaret Mead
Editor: Harper Perennial, 1928 (1971)
Chapter 4: The Samoan Household
Summary
This chapter discussed the structure and problems of the Samoan household. Households are presided over by headmen, and are given various titles and ranks. However, for the most part, age gives more authority than such factors like marital status. Households consist of many different people, some that may only be distantly related.
Discussion
I find it interesting that children were allowed to switch households, often trying out different ones. This leads to immediate families being split among different households, but gives children more freedom than many cultures offer. I found it particularly amusing that the discipline of children was always given with consideration that the child could always move to a different household if they became unhappy.
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