Tagaro moiety

The Tagaro moiety is a component of a moiety system, a form of social organization where a society is divided into two complementary parts, or moieties. These moieties are often exogamous (requiring members to marry outside the group) and trace descent unilineally (through either the male or female line). The Tagaro and Supwe moieties on north Pentecost Island in Vanuatu are named after culture heroes and are said to embody their respective traits. Moiety systems can regulate marriage, organize ceremonial groups, and promote social cohesion by dividing communities into groups with reciprocal duties and rights. While sometimes confused with clans or phratries, moieties are distinct in that they always occur in pairs and do not necessarily emphasize common descent to the same extent as clans.1