Australian Aboriginal avoidance practices facts for kids

Aboriginal avoidance practices are special customs in traditional Aboriginal society. These customs mean that certain family members or clan members need to avoid each other. This is done as a sign of deep respect. Many of these customs are still followed in parts of Australia today. There are also rules about not making eye contact and not saying the names of people who have passed away.

Special Family Rules

Across many Aboriginal language groups, there are a few common avoidance rules. These rules help keep peace and show respect within families.

Mother-in-Law and Son/Daughter-in-Law

One of the strongest avoidance rules is between a person and their mother-in-law. In some Aboriginal customs, a person cannot talk directly to their mother-in-law. They might even avoid seeing her.

• A mother-in-law will also eat separately from her son-in-law or daughter-in-law.
• If they are at the same event, they might sit with their backs to each other.
• They can still communicate, but usually through the husband or wife. This person acts as a go-between.
• Sometimes, special language customs are used in these relationships.

This rule can also extend to other people. For example, a son-in-law might avoid all women from his mother-in-law's skin group. A mother-in-law might avoid men from her son-in-law's skin group. Experts believe this custom helps prevent arguments and keeps families strong.

Brother and Sister Avoidance

Another important avoidance rule is between brothers and sisters. This usually starts after a boy's initiation ceremony. Before this, brothers and sisters often play together freely. These rules are part of the larger Australian Aboriginal kinship system, which is how families are organized.

Respecting the Deceased

Traditionally, it was a sign of respect not to say the name of a person who had died. This was also done to help the grieving family. It was thought to be too painful to hear the name of someone they missed.

Today, this practice continues in many Aboriginal communities. People also avoid sharing photos or recordings of the person. Many television stations in Australia show a warning. This warning tells Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers that the program might show images or voices of people who have died. This is a recommendation from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The period of avoiding a name can last for a year or more. During this time, the person can still be talked about in other ways. For example, they might be called "that old lady" or by their general skin name. Their first name is not used.

In some communities in Central Australia, if a girl named Alice dies, the name "Alice" might be avoided in all situations. So, a town like Alice Springs might be referred to indirectly. People who have the same name as someone who died might use a different name for a while. For example, "Kuminjay" is used in the Pintubi-Luritja language, and "Galyardu" is used in the Wajarri language for this purpose.

This practice can be challenging today. In the past, people lived in small family groups, so fewer people had the same name. Now, many Aboriginal people live in larger communities. This makes it harder to avoid certain names. Because of this, some communities use more unusual names, especially in Central Australia. This helps to deal with the challenge of name avoidance.

See also

• Australian Aboriginal culture
• Australian Aboriginal kinship
• Australian Aboriginal sign languages
• Avoidance language
• Taboo against naming the dead