"The North African mule talks always of his mother's brother, the horse, but never of his father, the donkey, in favor of others supposedly more reputable"

This quote by Clifford Geertz is a metaphor for how people frequently attempt to distance themselves from their less reputable member of the family. The North African mule is a hybrid of a horse and a donkey, and in this metaphor, the mule is representative of an individual who is trying to distance themselves from their less trustworthy member of the family. The mule talks of his mom's bro, the horse, in order to appear more reliable, however never discusses his father, the donkey, in order to avoid any association with his less trustworthy family. This quote is a tip that we must not be ashamed of our family members, despite their reputation, which we should accept them for who they are.