Final answer:
Non-kin groups in foraging societies include social alliances formed beyond familial ties, often based on friendships or marriages, allowing cooperation between bands. Gender roles in these societies are more flexible than often thought, with both men and women participating in gathering and hunting. Foraging societies are mobile, egalitarian, and place a high value on sharing and cooperation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Non-kin groups in foraging societies refer to the social connections and alliances that are not based on blood relationships but on social ties such as friendships, marriages, and mutual interests. In these societies, decisions about movements, and subsistence activities like where to camp or hunt are often made through discussions and consensus among band members. The egalitarian nature of gatherer-hunters emphasizes on equality and sharing, and extends to the way they interact with neighboring groups, asking permission to use resources in times of scarcity. These interactions often rely on previously established relationships that transcend kinship, fostering cooperation and exchange between different bands.
Gender roles within foraging groups are flexible, contrary to the traditional view of strict divisions of labor. Men engage in gathering while women may partake in hunting. This flexibility is evident in archaeological findings such as the discovery of a 9,000-year-old female hunter in the Andes, challenging the essentialist view that hunting was solely a male activity.
Foraging societies are known for their mobility, moving across territories in search of resources, and their interactions with non-kin groups are crucial for their survival. Their culture is also characterized by a strong tendency toward egalitarianism, with material possessions shared based on need and a culture that discourages greed and values generosity and cooperation.