Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Matriliny'

Narrowly conceived, this is an historical ethnographic study of the indigenous people who participated in the Kwato Mission. More broadly, it is an examination of how people responded to the arrival of the culture of whiteness and the fundamental changes to practice and consciousness that took place through the processes of missionisation and colonisation. Changes were simultaneously subjective and objective, mental and material. In what ways did the Massim peoples engage with the new introductions? How did our own history shape those engagements with whiteness? And in what ways did they respond to attempts to coerce and dominate? At an even broader level, what can the Kwato Massim people’s experience tell us about contemporary dialectics of culture and power, ideology and consciousness, such as through the process of ‘developmentisation’. Attention to power leads me to also engage with the question of knowledge production and to ask how is it possible to know the Massim without fluency in Massim ways of knowing and languages. My conceptual lens is decolonial feminist theory and critical race theory. From Luce Irigaray and Iris Marion Young I borrow the concept of wonder as a theoretical construct to shift the gaze on how Massim peoples have often been represented by whiteness. Since a balanced comprehension of the world we live in must necessarily include different perspectives, social justice must allow for epistemic difference. There is, thus, both an epistemic and ethical impulse to name whiteness and to disrupt its hegemony. Guided by this decolonial imperative I delve into the deep past of the Massim peoples demonstrating the biological indistinguishability of Homo sapiens and examining the wonder-full Austronesian migrations across millennia which more deeply inform contemporary Massim languages and culture than do missionisation and colonisation, or indeed, whiteness. The empirical part of my decolonial methodology draws primarily on oral history supplemented by archival work. I examine the disruptions presented by external forces of colonisation and missionisation and demonstrate how the Massim peoples responded to these. I delineate the Kwato-specific history into the genealogical periods of the tanuwaga, the isibaguna and the isimulita past and the isimulita present. I conclude that Kwato, the mission, could not have existed without the support of the Massim peoples and that this shaped Kwato personhood indelibly. I propose, too, that the matrilineal descent system of the southern Massim produces a distinct form of gender relations and particular structures of governance that are grounded in relational autonomy. The space of Kwato was created from this matrilineal sociality fused with missionisation. My thesis is neither an exhaustive history nor a comprehensive anthropology of the Massim in the Kwato Mission. It is certainly not the definitive work, if ever there could be such a thing. There remains great scope for other Massim people to write Kwato history from perspectives different from mine, which has been shaped by belonging to two genealogies that were influential in the politics of the Mission.

This thesis explores the continued relevance of matriliny among the present-day Asante of Pranum District in Ghana. At the core of this investigation is Domeabra-Owerriman Traditional Area which is in a state of crisis caused by the decline in cocoa production and the superimposition, by government edict, of the World Bank's 'Structural Adjustment Programme'. An examination of household economic strategy in Domeabra-Owerriman reveals that, as in the traditional past, in the face of ecological and economic catastrophes Asante continue to invoke matrilineal notions. These days such notions are especially pertinent in respect of the organisation of overseas migration. The thesis reviews the organisation of the traditional chiefship institution, and examines its continued relevance to Asante. Engaging with the anthropological literature on matriliny, it argues that, in the present-day world, chiefship crucially supplies legitimacy and value to matriliny, and thus underpins it as an important institution for the articulation of Asante affairs. As a citizen of Domeabra-Owerriman myself, an overseas migrant in both Norway and Britain, and a recent contestant for a local chieftaincy, my own vivid impression and experiences supply much by way of the ethnography reported in this thesis.

Mano tapybos objektu tapo trys moteriškosios linijos kartos penkios herojės: aš, mama, dvi tetos, močiutė. Savęs kaip moters suvokimas, moteriškumo ieškojimas, savo tapatumo pagrindo kūrimas sąmonėje nulėmė būtent moterų giminės linijos pasirinkimą. Čia siekiama suteikti moteriškumui naują pavidalą, paremtą moterų patirtimi ir padėsiantį joms įprasminti save ir savo troškimus. Išnyrančius veidų fragmentus dengia tapetai, kurie simbolizuoja laiko tėkmę. Jų atsikartojimas darbuose primena apie uždarą laiko ciklą. Tapetų motyvai slepia tam tikrą moters gyvenimo etapą. Nors gyvena dabartyje, tačiau pro tapetus išnyrantys veidai byloja daug asmeniškų dalykų: kraujo giminės, stiprų šeimos ryšį. Kūrybinių darbų kolekcijos tapybinės savybės, motyvų traktavimas aiškiai mane atskiria nuo ekspresyvios tapysenos. Vaizduose dominuoja tapybinė precizija, šviesos – šešėlio žaismas, plokštumos – apimties derinys. Paveiksluose nėra „tapybinės ekstazės“ iškrovos: visos kūrinio dalys, jų kompozicinė dermė iš anksto apgalvota. Portretai komponuojami taip, kad būtų arti pritraukiamas žiūrovas. Tapydama juos su fizinėmis, apšvietimo, faktūrų savybėmis, priartinu prie realistinio vaizdavimo.
My object of painting became five heroes of three female generations: me, my mother, my two aunts, my grandmother. Perception of oneself as a woman, search of femininity, laying the foundation of one’s identity in one’s consciousness have determined the choice of female continuity. In paintings accents are put in such a way, so it would be obvious, that one woman transforms another’s heritage. Here it is wanted to give femininity a new form, based on women’s experiences and helping them give a sense to themselves and their dreams. Surfacing face fragments are covered with wallpapers that symbolise the flow of time. Their repetition in paintings reminds of closed cycle of time. Wallpaper motives hide a certain line of woman’s life. Even though it lives in present, faces surfacing through the wallpapers tell a lot of intimate things: strong family, blood relation. Creative properties of painting collection, approach of motives clearly separates me from expressive painting. Images dominate with painting precision, lights – play of a shadow, planes – size combination. There is no discharge of “painting ecstasy” in the paintings: all parts of creation, their positional harmonisation is considered in advance. Portraits are composed in such a way, that the spectator is closely attracted. Painting them with physical, lighting, facture properties I zoom in on the realistic depiction.

Cysteine rich with EGF-like domains 2 (Creld2) is a novel endoplasmic reticulum (ER) resident molecular chaperone that has been recently implicated in the ER stress signalling response (ERSS) and the unfolded protein response (UPR). Global transcriptomic data derived from in vivo mouse models of rare chondrodysplasias; Multiple Epiphyseal Dysplasia (MED Matn3 p.V194D) and Metaphyseal chondrodysplasia type Schmid (MCDS Col10a1 p.N617K), identified a significant upregulation in Creld2 expression in mutant chondrocytes. These chondrodysplasias share a common disease signature consisting of aberrant folding of a matrix component often as a result of inappropriate alignment of intramolecular disulphide bonds. This in turn culminates in toxic protein aggregation, intracellular retention mutant polypeptides and a classical ER stress response. The aim of this study was to further analyse the function of Creld2 in cartilage development and chondrodysplasias in which endochondral bone growth is perturbed. Protein disulphide isomerases (PDIAs) were amongst the most up-regulated genes in the MED and MCDS mouse models, consistent with the prolonged exposure of normally 'buried' cysteine residues. This led to the hypothesis that Creld2 was functioning as a novel PDI-like oxidoreductase to assist in the correct folding and maturation of aggregated misfolded polypeptide chains through REDOX regulated thiol disulphide exchange. A series of Creld2-CXXA substrate trapping mutants were generated in order to determine whether Creld2 possessed inherent isomerase activity. Here potential substrates interacting with Creld2 were 'trapped' as mixed disulphide intermediates, then isolated by immunoprecipitation and identified by mass spectrometry analysis. It was demonstrated that Creld2 possessed a catalytic active CXXC motif in its N-terminus that enabled the molecular chaperone to participate in REDOX regulated thiol disulphide exchange with at least 20 potential substrates including; laminin (alpha3,β3,γ2), thrombospondin 1, integrin alpha3 and type VI collagen. There was also numerous co-chaperones and foldases thought to be part of a specialised protein-protein interactome (PPI) for folding nascent polypeptides translocating the ER lumen. Moreover, co-immunoprecipitation experiments supported a protein-protein interaction between Creld2 and mutant matrilin-3, thereby inferring a potential chondro-protective role in resolving non-native disulphide bonded aggregates in MED. An established biochemical approach was employed to test the hypothesis that all MATN3-MED disease causing mutations have a generic cellular response to the β-sheet V194D mutation, consisting of intracellular retention, protein aggregation and ER stress induction. Several missense mutations were selected for analyses which encompassed a spectrum of disease severity and included examples of both β-sheet and alpha helical mutations. It was possible to define a reliable and reproducible assay for categorising MATN3 missense mutations into pathological or benign based on these basic parameters. This study was extended further to determine whether there were common pathological mechanisms behind MED and Bethlem myopathy (BM) caused by missense mutations in von Willebrand Factor A domain (vWF-A) containing proteins (matrilin-3 and type VI collagen respectively). We chose to compare and contrast the effects of an archetypal MATN3-MED causing mutation (R121W) with the equivalent COL6A2-BM causing mutation (R876H). These mutations compromised protein folding and maturation, resulting in the familiar disease profile of intracellular retention, protein aggregation and an ER stress response in an artificial overexpression system. However, the mutant C2 domain was efficiently targeted for degradation whilst mutant matrilin-3 vWF-A domain appeared to be resistant to these molecular processes.Molecular genetics was employed to study the role of Creld2 in vivo. Creld2-/- null mice (both global and conditional) were generated to directly examine the role of Creld2 in endochondral bone growth. Global knock-out mice were viable with no overt phenotype at birth. However, female Creld2-/- null mice showed a significant reduction in body weight and tibia bone length at 3 weeks of age. A cartilage specific knock-out was generated to determine whether these skeletal abnormalities were attributed to a systemic or a direct effect on cartilage development. [Creld2Flox/Flox Col2Cre (+)] demonstrated a severe chondrodysplasia with significantly reduced body weight and long bone growth compared to control littermates. Morphological and histochemical analysis of mutant growth plates revealed gross disorganisation of the chondrocyte columns with extensive regions of hypocellularity. These pathological features were confirmed to be the result of reduced chondrocyte proliferation and increased/spatially dysregulated apoptosis throughout all zones of differentiation. Taken together, these data provide evidence that Creld2 possesses isomerase activity and exhibits distinct substrate specificity. Furthermore, Creld2 has a fundamental role in post-natal cartilage development and chondrocyte differentiation in the growth plate.

This thesis is a study of the role Bougainville women played in the peace process during and after the period of the civil war in Bougainville. The civil war developed between the Papua New Guinea Security Forces (PNG SF) and its ally, the Bougainville Resistance Force (BRF), against the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA) from late 1989 to 1998. The issues which led to the civil war were wide-ranging, including economic and political problems between the people of Bougainville and the Government of Papua New Guinea, most notably involving the Panguna landowners in struggles over copper mining on their land in Central Bougainville. Conflict resolution processes involved peacemakers, negotiators and mediators from within Bougainville and Papua New Guinea, and from the international community including Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Island countries, (Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji), the European Community and the United Nations Peace Observers Mission. Assistance came from government and non-government organizations from all these sources. But what was especially striking was Bougainvillean women's own involvement in the peace process at the village community, regional, national and international levels. This thesis explores how and why this happened. First, women initiated peace activities at the village community level during the period of intense fighting between the warring factions in the early 1990s. Then, following the development of the formal peace process, as agreements were signed and implemented by Bougainvillean and Papua New Guinean Government leaders and officials, women gradually made their way into the regional, official level of the peace process. While some men used arguments about "culture" and "tradition" to attempt to marginalize women's participation in the peace process, women, on the other hand, used it to promote their peace efforts. Rejecting the argument that tradition relegated women to domesticity, as wives and mothers, women celebrated their powerful roles as "mothers of the land" and in particular their status in matrilineal traditions. In such traditions, some women (like men) had chiefly status and women in general were seen as mothers of the matrilineage, its land, valuables, ceremonies, knowledge and history. Land is intimately linked to women and their capacity to regenerate people. Men are identified as fathers of such cultural wealth and can publicly represent their matrilineage but their roles depend on women's agreement and prior authority. Women saw their role in peacemaking as one of both reviving their matrilineal status and making matriliny newly relevant in the modern context of Bougainville society. The connection and interaction between their matrilineal and modern roles, within Christianity, education and the professions were consciously and consummately blended together, so that women became powerful agents for making peace in Bougainville.

Aufgrund ihrer vielfältigen Anpassungen in Ökologie und Verhalten stellen die Carnivora eine geeignete Gruppe dar, um die Muster innerhalb der sozialen Evolution der Säugetiere zu studieren. Insbesondere Arten mit unterschiedlicher sozialer Organisation der beiden Geschlechter bieten die Möglichkeit, geschlechtsspezifische Kosten und Vorteile zu untersuchen, um die Determinanten und Mechanismen von Sozialität aufzuzeigen. Die Mangusten (Herpestidae) sind eine Gruppe kleiner Raubtiere, in der Studien zu einer kleinen Anzahl von hochsozialen Arten mit kooperativer Jungenaufzucht entscheidend zum Verständnis des Gruppenlebens und der Verteilung des Fortpflanzungserfolgs unter Gruppenmitgliedern bei Säugern beigetragen haben. Im Gegensatz dazu ist über die Sozialsysteme ihrer nächsten Verwandten, der Eupleridae (Madagassische Raubtiere) viel weniger bekannt. Diese Gruppe bietet jedoch ein großes Potenzial zur Untersuchung der Geschwindigkeit und Mechanismen der sozialen Evolution der Raubtiere in vergleichender Perspektive, weil sie sich für mehr als 20 Millionen Jahre isoliert auf Madagaskar entwickelt hat. In dieser Dissertation lege ich die soziale Organisation, Lebenslaufstrategie und genetischen Eigenschaften des madagassischen Schmalstreifenmungos (Mungotictis decemlineata) im Kirindy-Wald/CNFEREF, einem tropischen saisonalen Trockenwald im Westen Madagaskars, dar. Als Grundlage für zwischenartliche Vergleiche bewerte ich des weiteren in einer umfassenden Betrachtung den Wissensstand über die Sozialsysteme und Lebenslaufstrategien der Herpestiden und Eupleriden und setze diese in Beziehung zu den Vorhersagen sozio-ökologischer Theorie. Während meiner Feldstudien in den Jahren 2011 bis 2014 fing ich 63 Schmalstreifenmungos in Lebendfallen, vermaß und markierte diese und nahm Gewebeproben für genetische Untersuchungen. Von insgesamt 40 Individuen (20 Männchen, 20 Weibchen), die ich mit Radiosendern versehen hatte, sowie von den mit ihnen assoziierten Artgenossen sammelte ich durch systematische Radiotelemetrie und Zensus räumliche, demografische und Verhaltensdaten. Zur Charakterisierung der sozialen Organisation von M. decemlineata analysierte ich die Zusammensetzung sozialer Einheiten im Hinblick auf Geschlecht und Alter der Individuen und ihre Streifgebietsgröße und –verteilung. Außerdem analysierte ich das Geschlechterverhältnis, Mortalität und Reproduktionsmerkmale der Population. Des weiteren analysierte ich mitochondriale DNA und Mikrosatelliten der 63 beprobten sowie 33 weiterer Individuen aus einer vorherigen Studie zwischen 2000 und 2010. Die Mikrosatelliten-Analyse basierte auf 13 Loci der Fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox), die in vorläufigen Tests erfolgreich amplifizierten. Um die lokale genetische Struktur und Abwanderungsmuster aufzudecken, analysierte ich die Haplotypendiversität von Männchen und Weibchen. Basierend auf der Mikrosatellitenanalyse untersuchte ich Verwandtschaft innerhalb der Geschlechter und sozialer Einheiten sowie Elternschaften und Geschwisterverhältnisse. Männchen und Weibchen lebten in kleinen gleichgeschlechtlichen sozialen Einheiten. Insgesamt beobachtete ich neun weibliche Einheiten und 13 Assoziationen von Männchen in 497 h, sammelte 10,411 Verhaltensscans und 1,879 Triangulationspunkte. Weibliche Einheiten basierten auf Matrilinien. Ihre Mitglieder waren enger verwandt als unter Zufallsbedingungen erwartet und umfassten durchschnittlich zwei adulte Weibchen, ein Juveniles und ein Junges. Weibliche Einheiten behaupteten eigene Territorien. Ihre Streifgebietsgröße (90% Kernel, arithmetisches Mittel: 30.4 ha) stand nicht in Zusammenhang mit der Zahl ihrer Mitglieder, war aber größer während der kargen Trockenzeit als zur Regenzeit. Männchen bildeten Assoziationen von bis zu vier Individuen, die sich während der Paarungszeit auflösten und in ihrer Zusammensetzung zwischen Jahren variierten. In der großen Mehrheit waren assoziierte Männchen nicht näher miteinander verwandt als durch Zufall erwartet. Die Streifgebiete der einzelnen Männchen (90% Kernel, arithmetisches Mittel: 63.9 ha) überlappten stark mit solchen von mit ihnen assoziierten und nicht-assoziierten Männchen und mit denen von bis zu 4 weiblichen Einheiten. Es wanderten mehr Männchen als Weibchen ab, bestätigt durch höhere Haplotypendiversität bei Männchen als bei Weibchen. Die Lebenslaufstrategien waren überwiegend langsam, wobei Männchen in jüngerem Alter abwanderten als Weibchen. Die Mortalitätsraten unterschieden sich nicht signifikant zwischen den Geschlechtern. Beobachtungen lassen jedoch darauf schließen, dass besonders allein umherstreifende Männchen anfällig gegen Prädation waren. Der Fortpflanzungserfolg der Weibchen, gemessen an der Zahl der lebend erschienenen Jungen zeigte keine signifikante Ungleichverteilung, aber Post-partum-Mortalität beschränkte die erfolgreiche Fortpflanzung auf dominante Tiere. Die Verteilung der Vaterschaften, das Geschlechterverhältnis der Adulten zugunsten der Männchen und das Paarungsverhalten deuteten auf gemäßigte Promiskuität hin, wobei einige Männchen Junge in verschiedenen weiblichen Einheiten innerhalb derselben Paarungssaison zeugten. Schlussfolgernd lässt sich sagen, dass die Muster der Verteilung von Männchen und Weibchen in M. decemlineata wichtigen Vorhersagen sozio-ökologischer Theorie folgten. Vorteile bei der Vermeidung von Fressfeinden bestimmten die Vergesellschaftung von Individuen in beiden Geschlechtern. Verwandtschaft war hingegen keine bestimmende Determinante der Sozialität unter Männchen. Die sexuelle Segregation in M. decemlineata schien stark mit Fortpflanzungsstrategien zusammenzuhängen, die sich im Umherstreifen der Männchen, daraus resultierender Aktivitätsunterschiede und in sexueller Belästigung der Weibchen durch die Männchen und darauf folgender Aggression der Weibchen ausdrückten. Bei Weibchen resultierte gelegentliche Abwanderung wahrscheinlich aus der Kosten-Nutzen-Abwägung zwischen philopatrischem Gruppenleben und der Möglichkeit der eigenen Fortpflanzung in unbesetzten Territorien. In vergleichender Perspektive zeigt die Sozialität von M. decemlineata ein höheres Niveau als es für mehrere Arten der Klade der ‚solitären Herpestiden‘ beschrieben wurde. Allgemeine Muster des Paarungssystems deuten jedoch auf einen vergleichsweise ursprünglichen Zustand innerhalb der Säugetierevolution hin. Die Merkmale der Sozialstruktur und des Paarungssystems bieten Ansatzpunkte für weitere Forschung und Vergleiche mit den Herpestiden, z. B. im Hinblick auf die Intensität und Mechanismen weiblicher Konkurrenz und Determinanten des Fortpflanzungserfolgs sowie einer möglichen Rolle der Partnerwahl.