Kinship Avoidances
You'll learn:
- what is an avoidance relationship and what does it signify
- how these types of associations are created within the traditional kinship system
- the Yolngu naming terms and conventions regarding avoidance relationships
- how to identify, understand and respect people who are behaving in accordance with avoidance relationships
- how to behave respectfully in accordance with these avoidance relationships
- how to deepen your knowledge of Yolngu culture in order to work and communicate with Yolngu, as well as other cross-cultural groups.
Chapter 3 Description
Kinship Avoidances will explore ‘avoidance relationships’, which are often very poorly understood.
Avoidance relationships exhibit telltale signs and behavioural patterns that, to an outsider, may seem silly or unnecessarily rude.
In this chapter, Richard explains why these relationships exist, how to spot them and why you should respect them.
Chapter 3 will give you the insights and tools to communicate effectively with people regarding these very different social rules. By the end of the chapter, you will understand why avoidance relationships exist within the Yolngu kinship structure.
Understanding this information will help you build better relationships with Yolngu, other traditional First Nations groups, and cultural minorities who may also have very different family structures and naming systems.
The Kinship Course includes two other chapters:
Chapter 1 introduces the Yolngu kinship system and its terms, rules and naming protocols.
Chapter 2 details Kinship Connection relationships.