What is the shape of institutions? Materializing the cycles of life in an East African age class society

Giving a precise definition of what an institution is raises epistemological dilemmas concerning its supposed universal applicability and the coexistence of different institutional regimes (e.g. state and customary). Scholars who have dabbled with this question often identify rules, behaviours, values, or social roles as the essence of institutions. In fact, these constitutive features do not necessarily occupy a leading position in all societies. In this article, I argue that, among East African pastoral populations such as the Samburu of northern Kenya, institutions of age class systems are the product of the changing identities of the person's maturation process. These institutionalized life cycles regulate the distribution of powers, rights, and duties within the community. Moreover, if institutions can be different 'things', similarly, the objects through which they materialize can vary profoundly from one social system to another. In the case of the Samburu, customary age institutions can be perceived, performed, and manipulated in the form of songs, dances, and ornaments that represent their tangible, aural, visible, and actionable substance. Just as age manifests itself through the body, institutions founded on age take shape through sonic and kinetic bodily expressions. Quelle est la forme des institutions ? Materialiser les cycles de la vie dans une societe a classes d'age en Afrique de l'EstResumeDonner une definition precise de ce qu'est une institution souleve des interrogations epistemologiques concernant son applicabilite universelle supposee et la coexistence de differents regimes institutionnels (par exemple, etatiques et coutumiers). Les specialistes qui se sont penches sur cette question identifient souvent les regles, les comportements, les valeurs ou les roles sociaux comme l'essence des institutions. En realite, ces caracteristiques constitutives n'occupent pas necessairement une position dominante dans toutes les societes. Dans cet article, je montre comment, parmi les populations pastorales d'Afrique de l'Est telles que les Samburu du Kenya, les institutions des systemes a classes d'age sont le produit des identites changeantes du processus de maturation de la personne. Ces cycles de la vie institutionnalises regissent la repartition des pouvoirs, des droits et des devoirs au sein de la communaute. En outre, si les institutions peuvent etre des choses differentes, les objets par lesquels elles se materialisent peuvent egalement varier profondement d'un systeme social a l'autre. Dans le cas des Samburu, les institutions coutumieres d'age peuvent etre percues, performees et manipulees sous la forme de chants, de danses et d'ornements qui representent leur substance tangible, acoustique, visible et actionnable. Tout comme l'age se manifeste a travers le corps, des institutions fondees sur l'age prennent forme a travers des expressions corporelles, sonores et kinesiques.

Automated summary

This article discusses the definition and characteristics of institutions and their variations in different societies, focusing on the specific manifestation and role of institutions among the Samburu people in East Africa. The study finds that age class systems are the product of changing identities during the maturation process among the Samburu, and these institutionalized life cycles regulate power, rights, and duties within the community.