Passing It On: Kinship, Temporality and Moral Personhood in Norwegian ‘Hytte’ Succession

Lien, Marianne Elisabeth; Abram, Simone

Abstract

In this article we explore the inheritance of hytte, or secondary homes, in Norway. Inspired by the notion of ‘kinning’, we extend the notion of kinning to include various materialities and temporalities. In particular, we trace the passing on of the hytte ethnographically as a stretched moment, and argue that temporality adds another layer to the understanding of the hytte as a participant in kinning. Our material indicates a number of connections between the hytte as a property to be passed on and the family/kin as a reproducing unit, connections that unfold over time, decades, a lifetime or more. Through this approach, it is possible to trace processes of kinning, but also what we call ‘de-kinning’, involving detachment, refusals and rejection. The article shows that a focus on materials and built structures adds to the understanding of kinship in contemporary societies.

Citation

Lien, M. E., & Abram, S. (2023). Passing It On: Kinship, Temporality and Moral Personhood in Norwegian ‘Hytte’ Succession. Social Anthropology, 31(3), 33-50. https://doi.org/10.3167/saas.2023.310304

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 1, 2023
• Online Publication Date: Sep 1, 2023
• Publication Date: 2023
• Deposit Date: Aug 24, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Aug 25, 2023
• Journal: Social Anthropology/Anthropologie Sociale
• Print ISSN: 0964-0282
• Electronic ISSN: 1469-8676
• Publisher: Berghahn Journals
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 31
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 33-50
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.3167/saas.2023.310304
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1725009
• Publisher URL: https://www.berghahnjournals.com/view/journals/saas/31/3/saas310304.xml