Native+Studies+kinship+terminology

Unit Two – Community and Kinship: Aboriginal Perspectives

Cree Kinship Terms A. Grandparents, mother, father, son, daughter, siblings – younger & older

nōhkom – my grandmother nimosōm – my grandfather nikāwiy – my mother nōhtāwiy – my father nitānis – my daughter nikosis – my son nicisān – my sibling nistēs – my older brother, my older male cousin (son of mother’s sister or father’s brother) nimis – my older sister, my older female cousin (daughter of mother’s sister or father’s brother) nisīmis – my young sibling, my younger cousin

B. Uncles, aunts, and cross-cousins UNCLES nisis – my mother’s brother, my father’s sister’s husband, my father-in-law, my father-in-law’s brother nohcāwis – my father’s brother

AUNTS nisikos – my father’s sister, mother’s brother’s wife, mother-in-law, father-in-law’s brother’s wife nikāwis – my mother’s sister

COUSINS (boy’s kinship) nīstāw – my male cousin, my father’s sister’s son, my mother’s brother’s son nītim – my female cousin, my father’s sister’s daughter, my mother’s brother’s daughter

COUSINS (girl’s kinship) nītim – my male cousin, my father’s sister’s son, my mother’s brother’s son nicāhkos – my female cousin, my sister-in-law

C. Other terms of kinship and friendship niciwām – has many meanings for kinship and friendship for male’s only niciwām – my brother, my friend, my male cousin nīcimos – my cousin

D. Other words nināpēm – my husband niwīkimākan – my spouse (wife/husband) nāpēw – a man nāpēsis – a boy iskwēw – a woman iskwēsis - girl