patrikin

Their right to do this stems from the unrefusable obligations of patrikin to their mothers' people and to their sisters' children.

Generally, in systems of patrilineal descent, upon her marriage authority over woman is transferred from her patrilineal relatives (father, brother, or paternal uncles) to her husband and his patrilineage, and her bride-price is received by her patrikin. If divorced, she is returned home empty-handed, and the bride-price reimbursed by her relatives.

The same tendency was evident among the Meriam of eastern Torres Strait some decades ago where 'first degree patrikin live on the same section; those more distantly related are generally residentially dispersed' (Beckett 1963:195-6).