Iraqi's society dates back to Abraham's traditional and tribal ways. They, like most Middle Easterners and other tribal societies, do not act as individuals but as members of a larger group. While democracy is a youthful system it wasn't until 1965 that the United States arrived to a complete form of democracy, allowing Africa-Americans to vote being non-democratic is part of Iraq's six thousand year old culture, where much of the early mythology in the Bible traces its roots.

Born in Baghdad as a minority Christian, I came to America when I was ten. Balancing the act between tribalism and democracy was my major challenge, especially since tribalism is looked down upon.

Think about it. If you were asked to make a list of alternative lifestyles, I doubt tribal would be one of your top, or bottom, choices. I don't blame you. When I looked up this subject in the library, the books I found taught one how to make bows, arrows and snow goggles. It talked about the dimensions of igloos and wigwams and how to dress if planning to stay a day or two in either. The rest of the books on tribes had on their covers men with feathers sticking out of their hair.

Not very appealing, I agree. And definitely not how I and many like me who are of Native American, Hispanic, Indian, African and European origins, live, although our homes can be called tribal since in the dictionary tribal is defined, amongst other things, as a collection of families descending from one ancestor. Or, a group of people sharing an occupation, interest, or habit.

The majority of people who immigrate to America, or are born first generation, live a similar lifestyle to that of their peers when dealing with the outside world, whether in schools or the work place. They face the same issues with regards to government and commerce. They also pursue similar forms of entertainment, such as the movie theaters, restaurants and concerts.

Perhaps the biggest difference between modern societies and tribal societies is the importance placed on kin. In most modern societies, kin outside the immediate circle of close relatives such as mother, father, husband, wife, son and daughter rarely play much of a role in each other's lives and are usually only seen at family gatherings.

With tribes, it is often the intricate networks of relationships among kin that form the very fabric of their societies. Food gathering, political decision making, child rearing, inheritance of wealth, and other considerations

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