Family Relationship Terms

Ismael K. Isikel 24/02/2017
25/05/2017 Edition

This post is on family relationship terms used in Kuanua covering both nuclear and extended family. My gratitude to Simon R. P Kaumi Jr for prompting this post by raising concern in the "misuse" of the honorific term maku.  There are variations in pronunciations and spelling depending on dialect and I may have missed out one or two terms because i am writing based on my dialect. The prefix bar  and suffix na changes a specific relationship term to generic- a general term that covers two persons or more in a relationship. For example, tama is the Kuanua word for father and bartamana means: 1. father and mother (wife and husband); 2. father, mother, and children; 3. father and child or children.

Family Relationship Terms

Barnana - Mother and child or children
Barnana is also pronounced bartana and bartinana. This is the same for most of the terms that are presented here.
Mama/Nana - Mother

Ngalagu or Nagu - My mother
Ngalam - Your mother
Ngalana or nana - His/her mother 
Ngalai diat or Nai diat - Their mother

Bartamana 1. Father and mother (wife and husband); 2. Father, mother, and children; 3. Father and child or children. 5. Family
Tama - Father
Tamagu - My father
Tamana - His/her father
Tamai diat - Their father.
Tamam -Your father

Bartubuna - Granny and grandchild or grandchildren.

Bubu/Papu/Pupu - Granny
Tubum - Your
Tubugu - My
Tubuna - His/her
Tubui diat - Their
Tubui dat - Our

Papu ma ailima na tubuna

Barlabana - Great granny.

Bartanawavina - Sisters
Wavi - Sister

Tanawavigu - My sister
Tanawavim - Your sister
Tanawavina - Her sister

Barturana - Brothers

Turan - Brother

Turana - His/her brother

Turam - Your brother

Turagu - My brother

Barnauvana - Cousins
Nauva - Cousin
Nauvam - Your
Nauvagu - My
Nauvana - His/Her

Barmatuana - Uncle (general)
Matua - Uncle
Matuam - Your
Matuagu - My
Matuana - His/her

Barnimuna - Father/mother inlaw
Nimuan - Inlaw
Nimum - Your
Nimuna - His/her
Nimugu - My


Barenana - Sister in-law

Bartamaiana - Brother in-law (female addressing male)

Barpalikana - Brother in law (male addressing male)
Barmaku -  Brother in-law.

Maku is one of those relationship terms that has taken on another meaning . And here is the post on Facebook that prompted this article:

Maku
The tolai word MAKU is a honorific term used strictly amongst men, meaning, brother-in-law but is also used by a woman's brothers to address a niece's husband and vice-versa.

Nowadays, tolai women and even non-tolai meris are using it loosely to address their tambus whether male or female .

It's become a kinda slang and has taken on a whole new meaning.

Niupla level.........NIMUM

Simon R. P Kaumi Jr. December 30, 2016 at 7:23pm 

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The next set of terms below is a tough one. It is tough because the term aunt (vivi) in Kuanua refers to your father's cousin sister as your aunt. At least that is what i remember and appears mixed up with the English meaning that says an aunt is the sister of one's father or mother or the wife of one's uncle. Added to that is the informal English meaning commonly used by children and young adults calling an unrelated female friend aunt.

Barvivina. Relationship between you and your father's cousin sister.
Vivi   Aunt
Vivim   Your
Vivina   His/Her
Vivigu   My

Barniuruna. The general term for relationship and relative in Kuanua is Barniuruna.
Niurugu My
Niurum Your
Niuruna His/Her

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Note to readers:
Readers (those who write and speak Kuanua fluently) may add other relationship terms, by commenting,  that i may have missed out. Variations in dialect are also welcomed.This post will be updated from time to time. Some missing terms are yet to be added.

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