 The usage derives from the tradition of having the stroke (the rower closest to the stern of the boat) oar on the port side of the boat.Most human cultures use relative directions for reference, but there are exceptions.Australian Aboriginal peoples like the Guugu Yimithirr, Kaiadilt and Thaayorre have no words denoting the egocentric directions in their language; instead, they exclusively refer to cardinal directions, even when describing small-scale spaces.