Tribal

Tribal is an adjective relating to a tribe, a social group defined by shared kinship, descent, language, and culture. In anthropology and related fields, a tribe is a form of social organization that sits between small, mobile bands and larger, centralized chiefdoms, often with lineage-based membership and informal or semi-formal political structures. Tribes commonly engage in subsistence practices such as farming, herding, or foraging and may organize social life around clans, lineages, age grades, or councils.

Tribal refers to the identity, practices, and institutions of such groups. It can encompass customary laws, ritual life, kinship networks, land or resource rights, and cultural expressions like oral traditions, crafts, and music. The term is used in a wide range of geographic and cultural contexts, including discussions of groups in Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Oceania, as well as in diasporic communities.

In modern usage, tribalism describes strong loyalty to one’s own tribe or group, sometimes extending to political or social behavior that prioritizes the interests of that group over broader society. This usage can carry political and ethical implications, especially in multi-ethnic states where tribal identities intersect with governance, representation, and conflict.

The term can be controversial, as it may obscure internal diversity and be applied differently across contexts. Some scholars advocate precise usage, distinguishing between social organization, cultural identity, and political rights. In law and policy, “tribal” often appears in phrases like tribal government, tribal land, or tribal courts, indicating recognized governance structures within larger state systems.