goanna300
August 29th, 2003, 6:12 PM
Australian aborigines use a "Moiety" system which avoids in-breeding when living in small nomadic groups. It is universally understood by local people and they consider the system mathematically obvious. Non-aborigines find it confusing.
(Take a look at the attachment).
It's not complicated in a cultural context, e.g. at a barbecue,
"So your name's Christopher. How do you do? Please introduce me to your wife Stephanie and your kids Emile and Emily."
This is because every Christopher you've ever met has a wife called Stephanie. All Christophers have sisters and brothers called Christopher or Christine. All their Children are called Emile and Emily. All their fathers are Emiles.
If you are a Chris, then every other Chris wants to borrow your car and may have his eyes on your wife Stephanie. You know how to avoid your in-laws. There are only 8 skin names so the system finally sinks in.
I work with Aboriginal people. This week I constructed a geneological database for their families. The skin groupings fit in perfectly, the database works. But my calculation fields were most inelegant indeed.
I have been looking for a simple equation that shows that if my name is x, then my future wife is X*n ; my children are all x/n, etc.
Anybody like to solve this anthtropological puzzle?
Steve
(Take a look at the attachment).
It's not complicated in a cultural context, e.g. at a barbecue,
"So your name's Christopher. How do you do? Please introduce me to your wife Stephanie and your kids Emile and Emily."
This is because every Christopher you've ever met has a wife called Stephanie. All Christophers have sisters and brothers called Christopher or Christine. All their Children are called Emile and Emily. All their fathers are Emiles.
If you are a Chris, then every other Chris wants to borrow your car and may have his eyes on your wife Stephanie. You know how to avoid your in-laws. There are only 8 skin names so the system finally sinks in.
I work with Aboriginal people. This week I constructed a geneological database for their families. The skin groupings fit in perfectly, the database works. But my calculation fields were most inelegant indeed.
I have been looking for a simple equation that shows that if my name is x, then my future wife is X*n ; my children are all x/n, etc.
Anybody like to solve this anthtropological puzzle?
Steve