Dobu - Kinship

Kin Groups and Descent. The most important unit of Dobu social organization is the three-generation matrilineage ( susu, "breast milk"). Each susu claims descent in the female line from one of several mythical bird ancestors of which the commonest are Green Parrot, White Pigeon, Sea Eagle, and Crow. The susu of a village putatively belong to a single matriclan, descendants of the same totemic bird. The matriclans of a locality are randomly associated and dispersed throughout the Dobu-speaking area.

Kinship Terminology. Iroquois-type cousin terminology is used while a father is alive, but after his death, Crow-type cousin terms are used (since a sister's son succeeds to his mother's brother's kinship status), and the dead man's son calls his father's sister's son "father."