Aboriginal Kinship System

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Traditional Aboriginal’s used forms of social control and kinship integrated obligations and punishments, to create a balanced way of living in traditional society. The lack of real leaders and law officers meant that aboriginal society was based around the sense of reciprocal values and precedents set by the dreaming. Experienced elders, who understood the rights and obligations of the traditional laws and customs, took on the guidance of the young within their specific kinship boundaries. The elders were respected amongst society, however were not exempt from the punishments that the social control system dictated. Social control was a vital section of traditional Aboriginal society that allowed a harmonious way of living for the…show more content…
The social structures of the Aboriginal’s meant that people were referred to as the “brother of another person” and not by their personal name. Cousins were known as “brother” and uncles and aunts were referred to as ”mother” and “father”. The obligations of kinship meant that children could turn to many people in the tribe for help or guidance, not just their own mother or father. The strong sense of family within moieties and tribes also outlined the social benefits of living closely with relatives. The Kinship systems structure people’s relationships with others, and their obligation and behaviour towards each…show more content…
The Darkinjung people of the Central Coast of NSW, had strong trade relationships with the Kuringai people of Northern Sydney, and the two tribes would often meet for gatherings and feasts. This relationship was built upon the reciprocal trading beliefs that one must try and help others in the survival of tribes. The Awabakal people of the Hunter region had rich coal sources and used this as a bargaining tool for items like canoes and spears, which were often crafted inland. Each tribe had specific items in which they produced well or had sufficient stock to trade for items that they sought. Items had trade worth, similar to today’s monetary system, and the items would be traded with items of corresponding worth (W.H, Edwards.

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