The Way Clans Work in Naruto (and the impact on advanced bloodlines)
I've gotten sort of tired of all the weird interpretations some people have of the Hyuuga clan. Maybe I've just lurked forums too often, and seen too many odd ideas, or I've come across too much fanfiction whose authors make up weird things to fill in the holes that they don't understand.
Well, now all of you have no excuses, because I'm going to tell you exactly how the clans in Japan work. And I'm going to answer the question, once and for all, why doesn't Hanabi have a cursed seal on her forehead?
Japan has a tradition called ie (which used to be legally recognized and enforced before the end of WWII), which is still practiced in some areas of Japan. You might call the ie a "family system," but there is no direct English translation for it. It can mean "family" or "house" (as a building or a family unit, like in Branch House). This ie system is what the Naruto Clan systems are based on, or at least the Hyuuga clan system. In fact, all advanced bloodlines probably operate with this system and you'll see how important to the control of the bloodline it is that they do.
But on with the explanation.
A House works with a direct line of descendants. There are ancestors, recently dead, a Head of the house, and children. Of the children, a successor is chosen: it is usually the first born male, and if there are no boys, then the first born female. Only the successor carries on the line of that particular house, while his/her siblings either begin a branch house (only done by males), marry into another house, or do not marry at all (girls remain a part of the house when they do not marry).
In a marriage, the girl becomes a member of the boys' house. The exception to this would be if a girl was a successor, then a boy could be brought into her house so that she could carry on the line. For the Hyuugas, this means that if Hinata is the chosen successor, she can marry anyone and that boy would become part of the Hyuuga main house. However, for Hanabi, who is not a successor, if she marries, she will become part of her husband's house.
Now, we get to a big point: In order for the Byakugan to stay explicitly within the Hyuuga clan, Hanabi must either marry another Hyuuga or not marry at all. If she marries outside of the clan, the Byakugan is out of the Hyuuga clan's control.
Now, why doesn't Hanabi have a cursed seal? Answer: Until she marries, she is still a member of the Head family, and only members of the branch family receive the cursed seal. She is not part of the direct line of the head family, but because she was born into the main house, she is still a part of the main house until she is married off.
So, Hizashi (Neji's father) and Hiashi (Hinata's father) were twins. Why did Hizashi, the second born son, receive the cursed seal immediately? Because it was immediately known who the successor would be, and Hizashi would never be it. It's different for girls, which is why Hanabi does not have the cursed seal but Hizashi received his immediately.
I said earlier that siblings of the successor either marry into another house, don't marry at all, or create a branch family. Only males can create a branch family. A main house with a branch house together is a clan. Several branch houses create the branch family. There is only one main house; there is only one head family, and the Head of that house is in charge of the whole clan.
Impact on all Clans carrying an Advanced Bloodline:
Unless she is the first born daughter and has no brothers, a female born to an advanced bloodline clan will never be allowed to marry outside that clan. Yes, that means incest, or she doesn't marry at all. Because once she marries someone, she is no longer within the jurisdiction of the clan, and the bloodline is no longer within the clan's control. And we've seen how closely guarded advanced bloodlines are to their clans, so that will never happen.
In fact, we know it never happens because advanced bloodlines are all limited to specific clans. The Sharingan belongs solely to the Uchiha clan, not the Uchiha and five other clans. The Byakugan belongs solely to Hyuuga. That wouldn't be the case if girls married outside those clans.
Interesting, no?
* Sources:
Understanding Japanese Society by Joy Hendry
various other things I've read in the past but can't remember off the top of my head. But I just got that new book and I really like it and it had a whole section on families which motivated me to write this
Oh, and I'm not Japanese, nor am I an expert. I'm just trying to share random useless knowledge. If anyone sees that I got something wrong, let me know.
Well, now all of you have no excuses, because I'm going to tell you exactly how the clans in Japan work. And I'm going to answer the question, once and for all, why doesn't Hanabi have a cursed seal on her forehead?
Japan has a tradition called ie (which used to be legally recognized and enforced before the end of WWII), which is still practiced in some areas of Japan. You might call the ie a "family system," but there is no direct English translation for it. It can mean "family" or "house" (as a building or a family unit, like in Branch House). This ie system is what the Naruto Clan systems are based on, or at least the Hyuuga clan system. In fact, all advanced bloodlines probably operate with this system and you'll see how important to the control of the bloodline it is that they do.
But on with the explanation.
A House works with a direct line of descendants. There are ancestors, recently dead, a Head of the house, and children. Of the children, a successor is chosen: it is usually the first born male, and if there are no boys, then the first born female. Only the successor carries on the line of that particular house, while his/her siblings either begin a branch house (only done by males), marry into another house, or do not marry at all (girls remain a part of the house when they do not marry).
In a marriage, the girl becomes a member of the boys' house. The exception to this would be if a girl was a successor, then a boy could be brought into her house so that she could carry on the line. For the Hyuugas, this means that if Hinata is the chosen successor, she can marry anyone and that boy would become part of the Hyuuga main house. However, for Hanabi, who is not a successor, if she marries, she will become part of her husband's house.
Now, we get to a big point: In order for the Byakugan to stay explicitly within the Hyuuga clan, Hanabi must either marry another Hyuuga or not marry at all. If she marries outside of the clan, the Byakugan is out of the Hyuuga clan's control.
Now, why doesn't Hanabi have a cursed seal? Answer: Until she marries, she is still a member of the Head family, and only members of the branch family receive the cursed seal. She is not part of the direct line of the head family, but because she was born into the main house, she is still a part of the main house until she is married off.
So, Hizashi (Neji's father) and Hiashi (Hinata's father) were twins. Why did Hizashi, the second born son, receive the cursed seal immediately? Because it was immediately known who the successor would be, and Hizashi would never be it. It's different for girls, which is why Hanabi does not have the cursed seal but Hizashi received his immediately.
I said earlier that siblings of the successor either marry into another house, don't marry at all, or create a branch family. Only males can create a branch family. A main house with a branch house together is a clan. Several branch houses create the branch family. There is only one main house; there is only one head family, and the Head of that house is in charge of the whole clan.
Impact on all Clans carrying an Advanced Bloodline:
Unless she is the first born daughter and has no brothers, a female born to an advanced bloodline clan will never be allowed to marry outside that clan. Yes, that means incest, or she doesn't marry at all. Because once she marries someone, she is no longer within the jurisdiction of the clan, and the bloodline is no longer within the clan's control. And we've seen how closely guarded advanced bloodlines are to their clans, so that will never happen.
In fact, we know it never happens because advanced bloodlines are all limited to specific clans. The Sharingan belongs solely to the Uchiha clan, not the Uchiha and five other clans. The Byakugan belongs solely to Hyuuga. That wouldn't be the case if girls married outside those clans.
Interesting, no?
* Sources:
Understanding Japanese Society by Joy Hendry
various other things I've read in the past but can't remember off the top of my head. But I just got that new book and I really like it and it had a whole section on families which motivated me to write this
Oh, and I'm not Japanese, nor am I an expert. I'm just trying to share random useless knowledge. If anyone sees that I got something wrong, let me know.