tribes

Tribes are social groups defined by shared ancestry, culture, language, and territory. Membership is typically based on kinship and marriage, and many tribes are organized into clans or lineages with some form of leadership, such as councils or a chief whose authority varies from informal guidance to hereditary rule. In anthropology, a tribe is seen as a form of social organization that sits between small, mobile bands and larger, centralized chiefdoms or states, emphasizing kinship and customary practices over formal institutions.

Economic and political life within tribes varies widely. Subsistence may include horticulture, pastoralism, hunting and gathering, or mixed strategies. Political authority can range from egalitarian to more centralized leadership, and decision-making may involve communal debate, councils, or chiefs. Social structure often centers on rituals, marriage rules, rites of passage, and customary law that govern property, inheritance, and conflict resolution.

Territory and culture are important aspects of tribal identity. Tribes typically claim defined geographic areas and maintain distinctive languages, dress, music, art, and other cultural practices that reinforce group cohesion across generations.

Historical and contemporary contexts have shaped how the term is used. The label has been applied by outsiders to a wide variety of indigenous or customary groups around the world. In modern usage, it can reflect self-identification as well as external categorization. Many tribes exercise some degree of autonomous governance within larger nations, while others live within formal regional or federal frameworks, treaties, or reservations.

Terminology and critique: The word “tribe” can be contested or loaded, implying homogeneity or pastness. Scholars often prefer precise descriptions based on specific ethnic names, languages, or documented social units. See also: ethnography, ethnicity, indigenous peoples, tribalism.