okdemaol
, n.maternal uncle; any older male relative; term of respect addressed to any older male.
a
el
er
a
a
re
el
a
ra
el
er
era
dui
er
sel
okdemelekn.poss.1s
okdemelemn.poss.2s
okdemeleln.poss.3s
a
a
el
er
a
er
okdemelamn.poss.1pe
okdemeledn.poss.1pi
okdemeliun.poss.2p
okdemelirn.poss.3p
Examples:
> He is my uncle because he's my mom's brother.
Proverbs:
> Your mother's brother's head is discarded at Emerert.
In head-hunting days villages on the same side-haven as Koror, or otherwise allied, would visit Koror last with heads taken in raids or ambush after visiting several allied villages for dances and money collections marking a successful hunt. By and large, the purpose of head-hunting was economic, with money paid the men of the successful raiding club at each allied village where the heads would be displayed. The collection went to the coffer of their village chief. By the time the warriors reached Koror, then, the heads would often be quite odorous and unpleasant (economically useless). So they would be discarded at a place called Emerert in Koror. From the standpoint of any male ego the mother's brother (okdemaol; okdemelem: your mother's brother) is always significant, since one such individual usually acts as guardian and financial advisor for the younger clan member. The idiom, then, is used by the people of Koror to insult persons of other, generally hostile, villages.
More Examples:
> My cousins and I helped with some money for my uncle's wife.
> My uncle's wife has an obligation to go to today.
> Our uncle received the money for my mom's funeral.
> What is your uncle's name?
> Our uncle recieved her alimony.

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