Kinship
By: Andrew Harvey
Today’s Aboriginal kinship differs greatly from past Aboriginal kinship.
Though many modern Aborigines try to stay true to old customs, many children embrace the modern world.
Today most Aboriginal men only have one wife compared to Aboriginal men in the past having up to 10 wives.
Today some old rules are not followed such as not speaking to your mother-in-law. You had to have someone speak on your behalf.
Most tribes or language groups are broken up into smaller groups like bands and families (larger than modern families). The larger
groups are called kins or clans.
Often times, you call your father’s brothers father as well. And likewise, your mother’s sisters are called mother.
Each person in childhood learns where they are and what their responsibility is for all their relationships.
Today’s Aboriginal kinship differs greatly from past Aboriginal kinship.
Though many modern Aborigines try to stay true to old customs, many children embrace the modern world.
Today most Aboriginal men only have one wife compared to Aboriginal men in the past having up to 10 wives.
Today some old rules are not followed such as not speaking to your mother-in-law. You had to have someone speak on your behalf.
Most tribes or language groups are broken up into smaller groups like bands and families (larger than modern families). The larger
groups are called kins or clans.
Often times, you call your father’s brothers father as well. And likewise, your mother’s sisters are called mother.
Each person in childhood learns where they are and what their responsibility is for all their relationships.