The Importance Of Consanguineous Relationships

The term consanguineous relationship describes unions between couples known to share at least one common biological ancestor. Although relationships between close biological kin are preferential in many parts of the world, there still is a great lack of knowledge of this central feature of human kinship structure. Consanguineous literally means ‘related (con) by blood (sang)’. Geneticists define relationships between people related as second cousins or closer as consanguineous. Consanguineous relationships were reported to have an impact on the health of the offspring of the couple. According to the principles of Mendelian genetics, consanguineous relationship confers an elevated risk that a child will have an autosomal, recessively

Also, it was not prohibited in the early Hebrew or Christian religion and predates the rise of Islam (Tillion, 1983). Dravidian Hindus of South India strongly favour relationship between first cousins of the type mother’s brother’s daughter (MBD). In general, Muslim regulations on relationship parallel the Judaic pattern detailed in Leviticus 18: 7-18. Even though it is forbidden by the Koran, first cousin relationships, which have the same coefficient of inbreeding,is recognized within Islam. In southern Asia, Buddhism sanctions relationship between first cousins, as does the Zoroastrian/Parsi tradition. The Sikh religion forbids consanguineous relationship, although some minority Sikh groups appear to exercise flexibility in the observance of this proscription. In all major societies, the most common form of consanguineous relationship is between first cousins. However, the importance of customary influences is apparent from variations in the specific types of first cousin relationship contracted. For example, in Arab Muslim communities, the relationship of a man with his father's brother's daughter is strongly preferred (Khlat,

In the Philippines, consanguineous relationship was also prohibited by the law. The law that speaks against the marrying by a person of his first cousin is Article 38 of the Family Code of the Philippines. It says that relationship “between collateral blood relatives, whether legitimate or illegitimate, up to the fourth civil degree" is "void from the beginning fro reason of public policy". However, as seen in our history, many personalities also practiced inbreeding of varying degrees. The families of Lakandula, Matanda, and Soliman practiced consanguineous relationships which were encouraged by their exclusivity as a select group of native principals. These three rulers also practiced family relationships. For instance, Rajah Muhammad Matanda and his wife were first cousins, both being the grandchildren of Sultan Bolkiah Shah of Brunei. Then there was the case of Jose Rizal and his great love Leonor Rivera. The two have always been described as cousins though nothing documented exactly how they were related. Although some books have written that the relationship was through the Mercado and Rizal lines, others have postulated that in fact the relationship was through Leonor’s mother’s side of the family. Among our presidents several consanguineous relationships have also been documented. President Manuel L. Quezon married his first cousin Aurora Antonia Aragon and their mothers, María