 |
|
Läŋani Marika (left)
the eldest surviving member of the Marika family with Witiyana Marika
and children. |
Clans and kinship
All Yolŋu people are related to each other by a kinship system.The principal element of this system is the clan, which like every thing else in the Yolŋu world, is either Yirritja or Dhuwa. You belong to the clan of your father and marry someone belonging to a clan of the opposite moiety.
Clan members share hereditary ownership of areas of land and sea and many Yolŋu live at homeland centres on their own or their close relatives' clan land. With the right of ownership, they also share the reponsibility of managing their clan's land and sea country.
| Dhuwa moiety clans | Clan homeland | Yirritja moiety clans | Clan homeland |
| Dätiwuy Djambarrpuyŋu Dhudi-Djapu Djapu (Gupa) Djarrwark Gälpu Golumala Marrakulu Ngaymil Rirratjiŋu |
Rorruwuy Ruwak Dhuruputjpi Wandawuy Bälma Ngaypinya Ngadayun Gurka'wuy Yäŋunbi Yalaŋbara |
Dhalwaŋu (Nuŋburundi) Dhalwaŋu (Narrkala) Gumatj (Gupa) Gumatj (Yarrwidi) Gupapuyngu Madarrpa Maŋgalili Munyuku Wangurri Warramiri |
Gängan Gurrumurru Biranybirany Bawaka Yandhala Yilpara Djarrakpi Rurraŋala Dhalinybuy Dholtji |
Note: This table is a simplified representation of Yolŋu clans and their homelands. For example: Garrthalala homeland is on Gumatj (Gupa) country but is looked after by the Djapu (Gupa) clan, the child clan of the Gumatj (Gupa) clan.