28
Succession
The sea-dwellers are not accustomed to make wills. The majority of them are illiterate and even if a house-holder could write, the tradition is not to make a will. Yet disputes as to the succession rarely occur, and so cases have never, as yet, so far as is known, come to court. Moreover, as a fisherman grows old, he usually makes certain dispositions of the property in his control by registering his boat in the name of his eldest son, unless the latter is degenerate. Such a son, providing he is of good character, has a knowledge of family accounts, is experienced in the fishing operation, and shows the quality of leadership, usually succeeds to the status of householder. Thereafter, the new householder becomes the executor of the deceased's estate and is responsible for the family's expenditure, especially in connection with marriages, births, and sicknesses. To meet such expenses, he may borrow funds on behalf of the family.
Should there be no natural son of the deceased to succeed him, then the successor may be a stepson, an adopted son, or a nephew. Alternatively, if the son who succeeds is a minor, or it is intended that a son shall be adopted to succeed to the status of householder, then the widow or a brother of the deceased will manage the estate until the minor son attains adult status, usually at sixteen years of age, or until a son is adopted by the widow. In the rare contingency of there being neither a son nor a widow of the deceased, then one of his daughters who has married attracts the estate to her husband, who succeeds as a son. If there is no married daughter, then the uncle of the deceased succeeds.
If, after the decease of the householder, a dispute arises as to the succession, or if a successor is considered to have dealt unjustly with members of the family, then the family meets to consider dissolution. Such a meeting is not, out of respect, usually held immediately after the death of the former householder. Should dissolution be decided upon, then, with the elders and uncles arbitrating, the assets of the family are equally divided among the sons of the deceased, with an extra half share to the eldest son or eldest grandson. Bachelor sons also receive an extra amount out of the estate as a marriage allowance, say of four thousand dollars (i.e., £250) [The exchange rate in 1962 - Editor]. Adopted sons take under the dissolution just the same as sons.