Indigenous Kinship

Indigenous Kinship Definition

Kinship describes the interpersonal and societal responsibilities that we all have with each
other. Our family relationships can be seen as a form of kinship.

It is most known to describe the social systems found within many Aboriginal Australian and
Torres Strait Islander Cultures. Kinship connects individuals to their communities and to the
land; and is a key part of identity for many Indigenous Australian people because of this.

Kinship is just as important today as it has ever been, as many Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Peoples live in cities, regional and remote areas, and are present in all communities,
not necessarily on their traditional lands or islands. This means that fostering connections is
crucial to these distinct groups.

How is Indigenous Kinship structured?

The individual approaches to kinship are different across
First Nations Peoples, and indeed across individual
communities. One common thread is this understanding
of community responsibility, both to each other and to
the world around us.

Indigenous Kinship might mean for example that you

could have many mothers, fathers, uncles and aunties
who are not related by blood. Similarly, your biological
mother’s sister would also be considered your mother,
rather than your aunt, while your cousins would be seen
as your siblings.

This communal closeness can also be directly related to

the sharing of the land, of relationships and even of
wealth.

It’s important to note that Kinship is not a ‘one size fits all’ thing for First Nations communities.
In fact, there are more than five hundred individual First Nations across Australia with their own
languages, social structures, customs and modes of behaviour. Kinship and religious practices
are both two areas with common threads for these individual nations, helping to form strong
multicultural bonds long before European colonisers ever arrived.

Kinship is formed through three key building blocks. These are:

 Moiety
 Aboriginal Totems
 Skin Names