Reconciliation and Social Justice Library
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THE RECOGNITION OF ABORIGINAL CUSTOMARY LAWS - 709. Kin Obligations.
Disputes at Yirrkala covered a wide range of matters, including
failure to fulfil obligations to kin, [109] domestic disputes,
including disputes both as to existing and prospective marriages and
other matters. While breaching contractual obligations is listed by
Dr Williams as a primary cause of grievances or disputes, she notes
that other causes of dispute were (1) the failure to recognise a
person's specific rights over certain women, land, natural resources
or ritual objects, (2) breaches of religious restrictions, (3) the
failure to carry out sanctions imposed during a previous dispute and
(4) allegations of sorcery. [110] In her view, physical assault is
not regarded as an offence in itself. Rather it is seen as related
to some other underlying issue.
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