Final answer:
In matrilineal societies like the Hopi tribe, lineage and inheritance are traced through the female line, with the mother's brother playing a pivotal role as a male figure and authority for his sister's children. Living arrangements often involve matrilocal or avunculocal residence, emphasizing connections with the mother's family and reinforcing the matrilineal social structure.
Step-by-step explanation:
In matrilineal societies, such as the Hopi tribe, family lineage and inheritance are traced through the female line. This means that a person's clan affiliation, as well as their relationship to property and status, is established by their mother's lineage. A notable figure in these societies is the mother's brother, who assumes a significant role in the lives of his sister's children, especially her sons. Instead of looking to their biological father for guidance and inheritance, boys in matrilineal societies often regard their mother's brother as their primary male role model and authority figure. Politically and socially, mothers' brothers may pass on possessions and positions of power to their nephews, ensuring that property and status remain within the maternal line.
Living arrangements in matrilineal societies can involve matrilocal residence, where the husband moves in with the wife's family, or avunculocal residence, where a newly married couple may live with or near the husband's maternal uncle. These residence patterns serve to reinforce the matrilineal structure, strengthening bonds within the mother's side of the family and deepening the role of women as central figures in both household and society.