A division of a society into two social categories or groups, characteristically by a rule of patrilineal descent (patri-moiety) or matrilineal descent (matrimoiety)
an anthropology term that literally means 'half' Moiety describes the belief that all things in the cosmos belong to each of two complimentary social and religious halves (this is not anything like the notions of Yin and Yang or similar dichotomies) All people, clans, ancestral figures, songs (including rhythms and clapstick beat patterns), designs, objects, phenomena, flora and fauna belong to one of each of the two moieties These are also intermarrying units In eastern Arnhem Land these moieties are named Dhuwa and Yirritja - in other regions, as per the table below Eastern Arnhem Land (Yolngu) Dhuwa Yirritja Western + Central Arnhem Land (Bining) Duwa Yirridjdja Central Arnhem Land (Anbarra) Jowanga Yirrichinga SE Arnhem Land (Nunggubuyu) Mandhayung Mandirritja Groote Eylandt (Wanindilyaugwa) East Wind Side (Mamarika) West Wind Side (Barra)
One of two basic complementary tribal subdivisions Among some people, the members of one moiety were responsible for burying the dead of the other moiety
moiety
Heceleme
moi·e·ty
Telaffuz
Etimoloji
() From the Old French meitié (French moitié), from Latin medietas “half”, from medius “middle, half”