ABSTRACT
It is now generally recognized that enormous differences exist in the condition of the elderly from culture to culture. This is true both of the popular beliefs about the elderly, and also of the bearing that increasing age has on the social status and power of the elderly. Because of this diversity, which clearly exists within any particular subculture, as well as between one sub-cultural or cultural group and another, it is more difficult to generalize about the behavior and social status of the elderly than about more junior age cohorts. Consequently, I essentially limit myself in this chapter to examining in some detail the significance of “parenthood” to “elderhood” in two traditional African societies. Before proceeding, however, I outline why this is relevent to furthering our current general knowledge about age and power.
