Page:Native Tribes of South-East Australia.djvu/189

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IV
RELATIONSHIP TERMS
163

There is a Dieri saying that "those who are Noa are Nadada to each other."

This can perhaps be best brought into view by the following little diagram, extracted from the details given in the Table, and prefixed to the individuals are the numbers from the Table.

Diagram III
3 F. Neyi
Ngatata
2 M.
14 F. Kami 12 F.
35 M. Noa 32 F.

The man 35 is the younger brother (Kanini-ngatata) of his maternal grandmother 3, and therefore is the younger brother of her elder brother (neyi), 2, and thus becomes the Nadada-ngatata or the maternal grandfather of the woman 32, and is also her Noa. Thus "those who are Noa to each other are also Nadada to each other."

In a similar manner it can be shown that 5, 6, 7, 8 are included in the Nadada-noa relation with their respective husbands, and the same is the case with all the other married couples, or those who are merely Noa to each other.

Before reverting to the fraternal terms of relationship, that of Kanini must be explained. The Kanini term is reciprocal between a woman and her daughter's children. She is sometimes called Kanini-kaku, the Kanini elder sister, apparently because her grandchildren are regarded as being in the same level as herself, being her young brothers and sisters. Thus they are on the same level with her as her brother's children are to him. The brother of the Kanini is called also the Kanini-neyi, that is the Kanini elder brother, her daughter's children being his younger brothers and sisters.

In the Table Nos. 5 and 6 are the Kanini of 27-28 and of 31-32 respectively, and 5 and 6, being sisters, are so collectively as to the Kanini group of grandchildren.

Similarly 7 and 8, being the brothers of 5 and 6, are the Kanini-neyi of 27-28 and 31-32.