Aboriginal Social Structure

Kinship provides Indigenous Australians with a strong and intricate social structure. Fryer-Smith (2002) describes Kinship as a complex social system which is essential to provide Indigenous Australians with an extended support structure. This support structure is broken down into a classification system called Kinship (p. 2:14). By employing this system of Kinship Indigenous Australians can determine their position in relation to another person within a society. Each of these positions have expected roles and responsibilities associated with them. Furthermore, Kinship has a set of rules and guidelines which determine how individuals within the support structure act and communicate. Matthews (1896) describes the structure of Kinship as being made of moieties, clans and classes. Within these structures there are strict rules on all social conventions which range from marriage rituals to communication within and between classes, moieties and clans (pp. 412-416). These conventions allow for Indigenous communities to interact with different …show more content…
The Dreaming provided Indigenous Australians with totems which were symbolic to an Indigenous community. These totems provided Aboriginal nations with specific rituals, ceremonies and sacred locations. Furthermore, Fryer-Smith (2002) states that totems serve as a symbol for the moieties, class and clan. Additionally, it is the responsibility of that Indigenous community to protect that totem (p. 2:6). This structure of totemism allows for Indigenous communities to be recognised by their totems. Similarly, this responsibility allows for the natural balance of the fauna and flora system to stay within tolerance within an Aboriginal nation. Overall, Kinship enforces social structure through different ways. Totemism provides Indigenous nations with the responsibility over the land, sea and skies whilst strengthening the overall social structure with the