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| − | '''Australian Aboriginal [[kinship]]''' refers to the system of [[law]] governing social interaction, particularly [[marriage]], in traditional Aboriginal culture. It is an integral part of the culture of every [[List of Indigenous Australian group names|Aboriginal group]] across Australia.
| + | [[Image:Indig1.jpg|thumb|250px|A 19th century engraving showing Aboriginal people and humpy.]] |
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| − | The main element is the division of [[clan]]s within the same language group into ''skin groups'', or [[moiety|moieties]]. In its simplest form, clans are divided into two skin groups. There may be four divisions (see [[Martu (Indigenous Australian)|Martu]]), while more complex systems can be divided into eight (see [[Pintupi]] and below).
| + | A '''humpy''' is a small temporary shelter made from bark and tree branches, traditionally used by [[Australian Aborigines]]. A standing tree is usually used as the main support. The word humpy comes from the [[Jagara]] language (a [[Murri]] people from [[Coorparoo]], [[Brisbane]]). Other [[Australian Aboriginal languages|language groups]] would have different names for the structure. |
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| − | The system dictates who may [[marry]] whom – it is always [[taboo]] to marry into your own skin group – creating strong [[incest]] avoidance laws and strong bonds across [[clan]]s through [[exogamous]] relations. While it can be determined at birth who will marry whom, [[love marriage]]s were not uncommon, so long as they were within the skin system. | + | The word humpy was adopted by early white settlers, and now forms part of the [[Australian English vocabulary|Australian lexicon]]. Small impermanent dwellings, made of branches and bark, were built prior to the construction of more permanent buildings, and were referred to as humpies. |
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| − | This system is invaluable, especially during [[drought]] or lack of resources, having [[cousin]]s and skin sisters and brothers in other clans. It also creates obligations to care for those people in their time of need. Even in [[Marn Grook|traditional ball games]], teams were divided along these lines.
| + | It is sometimes called a [[lean-to]], since it relies on the tree for support. |
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| − | Each skin group has certain [[totem]]s associated with it. Some Aboriginal groups, such as the [[Yolngu]], include plants, animals and all aspects of the environment, as part of their respective skin groups.
| + | In [[South Australia]], such a shelter is known as a '''Wurley''' (also spelled wurlie), possibly from the [[Kaurna]] language.<ref>Peters, Pam, The Cambridge Australian English Style Guide, Cambridge University Press, 1996, p818</ref> |
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| − | A person of the same skin group, of the same generation, is called "brother" or "sister". There are names for maternal aunts and uncles and different names for paternal aunts and uncles. Additionally, there are strong [[Australian Aboriginal avoidance relationships|avoidance relationships]] that need to be observed based on this system.
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| − | ==Some common kinship terms==
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| − | {{main|Australian Aboriginal English}}
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| − | *''Aunty'' and ''uncle'' are used as terms of address for older people, to whom the speaker may not be related.
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| − | *''Brother'' and ''sister'' include close relatives of the same generation, not just siblings.
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| − | *''Cousin'' includes any relative of one's own generation.
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| − | *The combinations ''cousin-brother'' and ''cousin-sister'' are used to refer to biological cousins.
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| − | *In south-east Queensland, ''daughter'' is used to refer any woman of one's great-grandparents' generation. This is due to the cyclical nature of traditional kinship systems.
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| − | *''Father'' and ''mother'' include any relative of one's parents' generation, such as uncles, aunts, and in-laws.
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| − | *''Grandfather'' and ''grandmother'' can refer to anyone of one's grandparents' generation. ''Grandfather'' can also refer to any respected elderly man, to whom the speaker may not be related.
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| − | *''Poison'' refers to a relation one is obligated to avoid. See ''[[Mother-in-law language]]''.
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| − | *The term ''second'', or ''little bit'' in northern Australia, is used with a distant relative who is described using a close kinship term. For example, one's ''second fathers'' or ''little bit fathers'' are men of one's father's generation not closely related to the speaker. It is contrasted with ''close'', ''near'' or ''true''.
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| − | *A ''skin'' or ''skin group'' are sections which are determined by the skin of a person's parents, and determine who a person is eligible to marry.
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| − | *''Son'' can refer to any male of the next generation, such as nephews.
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| − | The skin group classification is [[cyclical]] in nature, changing with each [[generation]]. Non-Aboriginal people are often confounded to hear Aborigines refer to their great-[[grandmother]] as their [[daughter]], or their great-[[grandaughter]] as their mother. They are actually referring to the fact that those relatives are in the same skin group, as well as acknowledging the cyclical nature of the system.
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| − | For traditional Aborigines, this system is a major foundation of their existence and way of viewing the world. As such, if a non-Aboriginal person is around their culture for any extended period, they must be [[adoption|adopted]] so they may be assigned a skin name and interact in the "proper way" with the group, knowing whom to avoid, whom to call sister, etc.
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| − | Many Aboriginal groups, particularly in the southeast of Australia, have lost this knowledge due to their [[Stolen generation|forced removal]] to [[mission (station)|mission]]s and [[orphanage|children's homes]], where many language groups mixed with each other, and Aboriginal language and cultural practice was forbidden.
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| − | Below are a few examples of different kinship systems from across Australia:
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| − | ==Systems with two skin groups==
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| − | ===Pitjantjatjara===
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| − | The [[Pitjantjatjara]] of northern [[South Australia]] have two [[moiety]] groups:
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| − | :'''''ngana nt arka''''' (lit. we-bone) 'our side'
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| − | :'''''tjanamilytjan''''' (lit. they flesh) 'their side'
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| − | However, they do not use skin names.
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| − | ===Yolŋu===
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| − | For the [[Yolŋu]] of north-east [[Arnhem Land]], life is divided into two skin groups: ''Dhuwa'' and ''Yirritja''. Each of these is represented by people of a number of different groups, each with their own lands, languages and philosophies:
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| − | :::{| class="wikitable"
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| − | |- bgcolor=#efefef
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| − | ! Skin name
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| − | ! Clan groups
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| − | |'''''Yirritja'''''
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| − | | Gumatj, Gupapuyngu, Wangurri, Ritharrngu, Mangalili,<br/>Munyuku, Madarrpa, Warramiri, Dhalwangu, Liyalanmirri.
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| − | |'''''Dhuwa'''''
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| − | |Rirratjingu, Galpu, Djambarrpuyngu, Golumala, Marrakulu,<br/>Marrangu, Djapu, Datiwuy, Ngaymil, Djarrwark.
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| − | |}
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| − | A ''Yirritja'' person must always marry a ''Dhuwa'' person and vice versa. If a man or woman is ''Dhuwa'', their mother will be ''Yirritja''.
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| − | Kinship relations are also mapped onto the lands owned by the Yolngu through their [[hereditary]] [[Estate (law)|estates]] – so everything is either ''Yirritja'' or ''Dhuwa'' – every fish, stone, river, etc, belongs to one or the other [[moiety]].
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| − | ==Systems with eight skin groups==
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| − | ===Lardiil===
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| − | The [[Lardiil]] of [[Mornington Island]] in the [[Gulf of Carpentaria]] have eight skin groups, shown here with some of their totems: | |
| − | {{sectstub}}
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| − | ::{| class="wikitable"
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| − | |- bgcolor=#efefef
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| − | !Male skin group
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| − | !Totems
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| − | !Can only marry<br/>female skin group
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| − | !Children will be
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| − | |Ngarrijbalangi
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| − | |''Rainbird, shooting star,<br/>egret''
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| − | |Burrarangi
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| − | |Bangariny
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| − | |-
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| − | |Bangariny
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| − | |''Brown hark, turtle''
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| − | |Yakimarr
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| − | |Ngarrijbalangi
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| − | |Buranyi
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| − | |''Crane, salt water, <br/>sleeping turtle''
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| − | |Kangal
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| − | |-
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| − | |Balyarriny
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| − | |''Black tiger shark,<br/>sea turtle''
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| − | |Kamarrangi
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| − | |-
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| − | |Burrarangi
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| − | |''Lightning, rough sea,<br/>black dingo''
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| − | |Ngarrijbalangi
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| − | |-
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| − | |Yakimarr
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| − | |Seagull, barramundi,<br/>grey shark
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| − | |Bangariny
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| − | |-
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| − | |Kangal
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| − | |''[[Barramundi]],<br/>grey shark''
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| − | |Buranyi
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| − | |-
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| − | |Kamarrangi
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| − | |''Rock, pelican, [[brolga]],<br/>red dingo''
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| − | |Balyarriny
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| − | |}
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| − | Each Lardiil person belongs to one of these groups. Their paternal [[grandfather]]'s skin group determines their own; so a Balyarriny man or woman will have a Balyarriny grandfather. A Ngarrijbalangi person can only marry a Burrarangi, a Bangariny a Yakimarr, a Buranyi a Kangal and a Balyarriny a Kamarrangi, and vice versa for each.
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| − | Once a person's skin group is known, their relationship to any other Lardiil can be determined. A Ngarrijbalangi is a 'father' to a Bangariny, a 'father-in-law' to a Yakimarr and a 'son' to another Bangariny, either in a social sense or purely through linearship.
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| − | ===Pintupi===
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| − | The [[Pintupi]] of the [[Western Desert (Australia)|Western Desert]] also have eight skin groups, made more complex by distinct prefixes for male and female skin names; "Tj" for males, "N" for females. The [[Warlpiri]] system is almost the same:
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| − | :::{| class="wikitable"
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| − | |- bgcolor=#efefef
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| − | !Gender
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| − | !Skin name
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| − | !First marriage</br> preference
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| − | !Children will be
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| − | |-
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| − | |'''Male'''
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| − | |Tjapaltjarri
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| − | |Nakamarra
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| − | |Tjungurrayi, Nungurrayi
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| − | |-
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| − | |'''Female'''
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| − | |Napaltjarri
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| − | |Tjakamarra
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| − | |Tjupurrula, Napurrula
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| − | |-
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| − | |'''Male'''
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| − | |Tjapangati
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| − | |Nampitjinpa
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| − | |Tjapanangka, Napanangka
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| − | |-
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| − | |'''Female'''
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| − | |Napangati
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| − | |Tjampitjinpa
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| − | |Tjangala, Nangala
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| − | |-
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| − | |'''Male'''
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| − | |Tjakamarra
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| − | |Napaltjarri
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| − | |Tjupurrula, Napurrula
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| − | |-
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| − | |'''Female'''
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| − | |Nakamarra
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| − | |Tjapaltjarri
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| − | |Tjungurrayi, Nungurrayi
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| − | |-
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| − | |'''Male'''
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| − | |Tjampitjinpa
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| − | |Napangati
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| − | |Tjangala, Nangala
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| − | |-
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| − | |'''Female'''
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| − | |Nampitjinpa
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| − | |Tjapangati
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| − | |Tjapanangka, Napanangka
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| − | |-
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| − | |'''Male'''
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| − | |Tjapanangka
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| − | |Napurrula
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| − | |Tjapangati, Napangati
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| − | |-
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| − | |'''Female'''
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| − | |Napanangka
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| − | |Tjupurrula
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| − | |Tjakamarra, Nakamarra
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| − | |-
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| − | |'''Male'''
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| − | |Tjungurrayi
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| − | |Nangala
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| − | |Tjapaltjarri, Napaltjarri
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| − | |-
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| − | |'''Female'''
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| − | |Nungurrayi
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| − | |Tjangala
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| − | |Tampitjinpa, Nampitjinpa
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| − | |-
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| − | |'''Male'''
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| − | |Tjupurrula
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| − | |Napanangka
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| − | |Tjakamarra, Nakamarra
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| − | |-
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| − | |'''Female'''
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| − | |Napurrula
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| − | |Tjapanangka
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| − | |Tjapangati, Napangati
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| − | |-
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| − | |'''Male'''
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| − | |Tjangala
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| − | |Nungurrayi
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| − | |Tjampitjinpa, Nampitjinpa
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| − | |-
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| − | |'''Female'''
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| − | |Nangala
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| − | |Tjungarayyi
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| − | |Tjapaltjarri, Napaltjarri
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| − | |}
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| − | Each person therefore has a [[patriline|patrimoiety]] and a [[matriline|matrimoiety]], a father's and a mother's skin group.
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| | ==See also== | | ==See also== |
| − | *[[Australian Aboriginal avoidance relationships]]
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| − | *[[Australian Aboriginal English]]
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| − | *[[List of Indigenous Australian group names]]
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| − | *[[Noongar classification]]
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| | *[[Indigenous Australians]] | | *[[Indigenous Australians]] |
| − | *[[Warlpiri#kinship|Warlpiri kinship]] | + | *[[List of English words of Australian Aboriginal origin]] |
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| − | ==References== | + | ==External links== |
| − | *Binnion, Joan (1979) ''The Lardil People of Mornington Island (Student Handbook)'', Aboriginal Community College, Port Adelaide.
| + | <references/> |
| − | *Hansen, Kenneth C. and Lesley E. Hansen, 1979, ''Pintupi/Luritja kinship'', Alice Springs, NT, Institute for Aboriginal Development.
| + | *[http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/pictoria/a/0/9/doc/a09287.shtml State Library of Victoria photo of Aboriginal people and humpy] |
| − | *[http://ausanthrop.net/research/kinship/ Ausanthrop kinship tutorial] | + | *[http://www.abc.net.au/queensland/federation/stories/s427956.htm article on early white settlers making humpies] |
| − | *[http://www.ausanthrop.net/research/kinship/kinship2.php Ausanthrop]
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| − | *[http://www.clc.org.au/ourculture/kinship.asp Central Land Council] | |
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| − | [[Category:Australian Aboriginal culture|Kinship]] | + | {{IndigenousAustralia-stub}} |
| − | [[Category:Anthropology|Australian Aboriginal kinship]] | + | [[Category:Australian English]] |
| − | [[Category:Sociology|Australian Aboriginal Kinship]] | + | [[Category:Australian Aboriginal bushcraft]] |
| − | [[Category:Indigenous Australians|Kinship]] | + | [[Category:Australian Aboriginal culture]] |
| − | [[Category:Marriage|Australian Aboriginal Kinship]] | + | [[Category:Australian Aboriginal terms]] |
| − | [[Category:Australian Aboriginal terms|Kinship]] | + | [[Category:shelter]] |
| | + | [[Category:Buildings and structures]] |
| | + | [[Category:Human habitats]] |
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