156 THE BELLA COOLA INDIANS
TERM DIRECT ADDRESS INDIRECT ADDRESS
Mother’s sister’s hus-
bands so 3255.22. Same as father’s sister’s husband.
Brother’s son’s wife... Same as son’s wife. Same as son’s wife, or
a tei xnes di emts, “Wife
Sister’s son’s wife..... = oc of my emts.”
Brother’s daughter’s
husband: o05 33:3 csi: Same as daughter’s husband. Same as _ daughter's
of husband, or di kwfa-
Sister’s daughter’s hus- msts di emts, “Husband
bands. een ee = es ss of my emts.”

In case of adoption, the same kinship terms are used as
if the adopted person were a member of the family by birth.
A more complicated situation arises when a child who is
regarded as the reincarnation (I, p. 616) of a recently deceased
elderly relative, is given the latter’s name. In such a
case the child is addressed by the kinship terms applicable to
his namesake. In recent years, at any rate, this application
is without social significance, and, as far as could be learned,
this has always been the case. Bella Coola sentiment is that
it is fitting for a child to receive the name of one of its ances-
tors. When a parent sees the child, and thinks of his name,
he thinks of the late deceased, hence it is natural to use kinship
terms accordingly. This is more obvious when the child is
regarded as a reincarnation, though even in such a case he does
not receive any of the marks of respect paid to his namesake;
the reincarnation is physical, not social. In course of time this
is forgotten and the child takes his place among others of his
own generation, though it may be remembered in rhetorical
speeches on ceremonial occasions.

The kinship terminology of the Bella Coola combines
features of the family and classificatory systems. The recip-
rocal terms for parents- and children-in-law, brothers- and
sisters-in-law, lack of sex differentiation for brothers and
sisters, and the importance of age in the designations applied
to persons of the same generation, are all features of the classi-
ficatory system. On the other hand, bilateralism, failure to