Kinship painting

Aboriginal people place kinship at the heart of their culture and have long observed complex kinship systems. A person’s place in the kinship system defines not only their family relationships but their relationships with all others, and their place in the universe. The first level of kinship comprises two halves known as moieties. Here in Nyoongar country, the two moieties are the manidj, or white cockatoo, and the waardong, or crow (raven). People inherit their moiety from their mother and must ensure marriage partners are from the opposite moiety to adhere to kinship lore. This painting represents the manidj and waardong moieties.