| ni-ga:-'yung | nu:-'ba-gi-yung, | nu:-'bi-ni | na-nganjal-yij, | ||
| as for him | that (MSg) | those (MDu) | WiMoBr and SiDaHu | ||
| na-walya-wa:, | nu:-'bi-ni | *na-nganjal-gija, | nganjal-yij, | ||
| two men | those (MDu) | WiMoBr and SiDaHu | WiMoBr and SiDaHu | ||
| nganjal-yij, | wu-gu-ni | nu:-'bi-ni | na-nganjal-yij, | ||
| WiMoBr and SiDaHu | they (MDu) | those (MDu) | WiMoBr and SiDaHu | ||
| wu-gu-ni | yagi | wini=yambi-nyji-Ø, | wu-gu-ni:-'yung, | ba-gu | |
| they (MDu) | not | they will speak to each other | they (MDu) | there | |
| anybaj | ambu:=ya:-ri:, | a-ga:gu-yinyung | ba-gu | anybaj | ambu:=ya:-ri: |
| other | they will goc | of MoMo(Br) | there | other | they will goc |
| yagu, | a-banga-yinyung | ba-gu | ambu:=ya:-ri:, | ba-wa-yung | mari |
| but | of SiCh | there | they will goc | they are there | and |
| ambu:=yambi-nyji:-na, | |||||
| they will speak to each otherc |
That man (the WiMoBr of another man). Those two, related to each other as WiMoBr and (the reciprocal,) SiDaHu. Those two should not speak (directly) to each other. Someone might go to another place, that of his MoMo and MoMoBr. Someone might go there, or to the place of his SiCh (sister's child). Someone might go there and speak with them.
Note: What I label here as 'WiMoBr' also includes such kinsmen as MoMoBrSo, and 'SiDaHu' also includes such kinsmen as FaSiDaSo. A man who travels to visit his MoMo(Br) is likely to find his 'WiMoBr-s' in the same location; although the visitor may speak to his MoMo(Br) and certain other kin without restriction, the 'WiMoBr-s' (as well as 'WiMo-s') must be avoided.
* The ending -yij seen in lines 1 and 2 is the regular dyadic suffix for kin-pairs. The synonymous ending -gija is from the local creole and apparently reflects English 'together'. Some kin terms, such as banga 'SiCh' in the fourth line on this page (above), are also from the local creole; the Nunggubuyu for banga is marig.
| wu-gu-ni | nu:-'bi-ni-yung | na-nganjal-yij, | ambini=ya:-ri:-maji: | |
| they (MDu) | those (MDu) | WiMoBr and SiDaHu | if they (MDu) goc | |
| yagi | wini=yambi-nyji-Ø, | angga:='ri | ana-lha:wu, | |
| not | they will speak to each other | it will be absent | words | |
| janda-wugij | ambini=yi-nyji:-na, | ambini:-'-dagal=ngarayi-nyji:-na, | ||
| only back | they will give each otherc | they will look awayc | ||
| wu-gu-ra:-'yung | a-ga:gu-yinyung | ba-gu | ambu:=ya:-ri:, | ba-ni-yung |
| as for them | of MoMo(Br) | there | they will goc | it is there |
| mari | ambu:=yambi-ny, | ambu:=yambi-nyji:-na | ||
| and | they (Pl) will speakp | they will speak to each otherc | ||
| nu:-'ba-gi-yung, | nu:-'bi-ni-yung, | ni-ga | an-u-gu-ni | na:-'nyba-jung |
| that (MSg) | those (MDu) | he | to there | other (MSg) |
| ambunu=yambi:-na | ni-ga:-'yung, | ambini=ya:-ri:-maji: | ||
| they will speak to himc | as for him | if they (MDu) goc | ||
| na-nganjal-yij | yagi | wini=yambi-nyji-Ø | angga:='ri | |
| WiMoBr and SiDaHu | not | they will speak to each other | it will not be | |
| ana-lha:wu. | ||||
| words |
If those two, WiMoBr and SiDaHu, go (and meet), they should not speak to each other. Words are not allowed. They should just turn their backs to each other and look away (avoiding eye contact). On the other hand, if someone goes to one's MoMo(Br)'s country, the two (e.g. man and his MoMoBr) can speak to each other. That man can speak to the other. However, if two men related as WiMoBr and SiDaHu to each other go (and meet, they should not speak to each other, words are not allowed.
The strong avoidance relationships are between a man and his MoMoBrCh, MoMoBrSoCh, and MoMoBrSoSoCh, real or classificatory, since these men and women are potential wife-bestowers for him. (Strictly speaking, this is less true of MoMoBrSoCh, who are in the man's own generation, but the terminology is the same because of downward cross-generation skewing and the behavioral concomitants are also extended to some degree.) The relationship is much less significant in the case of two women; it is quite significant in the case of two men; it is most significant of all in the case of a pair consisting of a man and a woman, especially if there is an actual or definitely prospective affinal relationship.
The relationship is regulated essentially by shame and extreme deference rather than hostility. A man presents gifts periodically, through intermediaries, to important kinspersons in these relationships to him. In the event that a man accidentally stumbles into a close contact with an avoidance relative of these types, a compensatory small gift may be in order. The extent of avoidance/respect declines significantly when both parties are elderly; two men in the nganjal relationship can eventually sit and speak together in their old age, but maintain appropriate levels of deference and courtesy. Because the avoidance/respect system was traditionally closely bound up with the bestowal of wives, and because young men and women now usually pair up as spouses on their own (respecting only moiety exogamy and the like), the avoidance system has been gradually breaking down in the post-European period.