Performing Kinship

Abstract

Dealing with childhood reminiscences, chapter 4 indicated that by focusing on the transmission of knowledge, narrative memory selects from the past what is culturally appropriate. This chapter seeks to illuminate this cultural elaboration by examining more closely the inextricable link between what one knows and what one is and becomes (Bourdieu 1990: 73; Lambek 1993: 6). ’Alid kinship ideology stresses that on its own, generative substance fails to create moral persons. This substance is imbued with moral values and can be acted upon. A person gradually unfolds his or her intrinsic potentials through activities such as the study of the scriptures and speaking with eloquence, as is exemplified by the biographical snippets of Ibrahim and Khadija. Patrilineal descent articulated with knowledge is a marker of status and of boundaries between learned and ignorant sadah, who are barely recognized as kin. On the other hand, the learned ones share a common outlook with knowledgeable non-’Alids to whom they render respect. Looking at the teacher—disciple relationship, the chapter asks whether knowledge transactions can relate people to each other in such a way as to produce kinship.