Social categories and local descent  groups

•    Social categories

A Social category is a way of classifying people into distinct groups. The expression is usually applied to Australian Aboriginal moieties, sections and subsections.

•    Local Descent Groups

It is important to distinguish this kind of social category from local descent groups or clans

•    Connections between social categories and local descent groups

However there are important connections between the social categories and local descent groups.

•    Non-local descent groups

There are also groups recruited by descent not associated with ownership of a tract of land, like matriclans.

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