Ancestors (erha) are considered living members of the family.
Roles:
   1. Spiritual protection
   2. Moral enforcement
   3. Blessings and punishment
   4. Ritual language acknowledges ancestors during:
   5. Birth
   6. Marriage
   7. Death
   8. Festivals
Kinship and Respect Language
Titles and Honorifics
   Kinship terms are often combined with titles to show respect.
Examples:
   1. Elder prefixes
   2. Praise names
   3. Clan identifiers
Name Avoidance
   Younger people rarely call elders by name. Kinship terms replace names to
   reinforce hierarchy.
   Kinship Language in Daily Life
Edo kinship terms are used in:
   1. Greetings
   2. Conflict resolution
   3. Public meetings
   4. Storytelling
   5. Proverbs
Language shapes behavior and moral conduct.
Kinship and Moral Education
Children learn values such as:
   1. Respect (ukpon)
   2. Obedience
   3. Responsibility
   4. Loyalty
Kinship language acts as a moral classroom.
Kinship and Inheritance
Inheritance follows kinship lines.
Determines:
   1. Land ownership
   2. Titles
   3. Ritual responsibilities
Language clarifies rights and obligations.
Kinship in Naming Practices
Children’s names often reflect:
   1. Lineage
   2. Birth order
   3. Ancestral honor
   4. Family events
   5. Names preserve kinship history.
Kinship and Conflict Resolution
   Family elders mediate disputes using kinship authority. Language emphasizes
   unity over punishment.
   Kinship in Festivals and Ceremonies
Rituals reinforce family bonds through:
   1. Collective participation
   2. Ancestral acknowledgment
   3. Public recognition of lineage