n.
Type of human social organization consisting of a small number of nuclear families (see family ) or related subgroups who are loosely organized for purposes of subsistence or security.
Bands may be integrated into a larger community or tribe . They generally exist in sparsely populated areas and possess relatively simple technologies; their habitats range from the desert ( Australian Aboriginal s) to the African rainforest ( Bambuti ) to the North American tundra (Kaska). Bands may occasionally coalesce for broader community ceremonies, hunting, or warfare. See also hunting and gathering society ; sociocultural evolution .