Cultural rules and regulations can sometimes be a bit of a pain. Sometimes they can be viewed as rather ridiculous by those outside of the culture itself, but there is an Aboriginal cultural rule that many would probably find pretty helpful.
It's the rule of avoiding your mother-in-law! It's the strongest kinship avoidance rule in Aboriginal custom throughout Australia. This rule doesn't only ban a person from ever speaking to one's mother-in-law, it forbids you from even seeing her.
This goes as far as avoiding all women in the same skin-group as the mother-in-law, and she in turn, must avoid all men in the same skin-group as her son-in-law. If they happen to be at the same ceremony, they have to sit with their backs to each other and if speaking to each other is unavoidable, it's done through the spouse.
This custom is still practiced by Aborigines in Australia to a greater or lesser extent and is seen as a mark of respect. One reason for it is that traditionally women get married very early – just after puberty – while men get married in their late twenties. Mothers-in-law and sons-in-law are therefore likely to be of about the same age and this rule will prevent 'illicit relationships.'
It has been suggested that the custom originally developed to overcome a common cause of friction in families.
