For the Yanomami tribe, there are no marriage ceremonies. They allow their partners to be a cross cousin and is actually the most common type of marriage. Most men participate in polygamous marriages. The elder wife is superior to the other wives and can assign the other wives what chores to accomplish. The older kin of the females arrange their marriage and they can create alliances with the other men in the tribe by marriage exchanges; they husband that they pick usually stay within the tribe. The girls are promised in marriage at a very young age so they do not have a say in who they want later on in their lives. It is seen as uncommon to love your spouse. Buhi yabrao [love] is not usually said in the Yanomami tribe. The girls are married after their roo [first menstrual period]. For men, they tend to marry in their early twenties. Marriage gives the women some chores that she is expected to accomplish. She is expected to do all of the work until she has a daughter to help her with the chores. They are expected to respond to their husband’s needs and wishes. If the women do not fulfill their duties correctly, the men can reprimand and hit their wives. If a woman is under the suspicion of infidelity, some men have shot or have even killed their wives. A women can leave her husband and turn to her brothers for help [shuwahimou] when her husband beats her. Then, her brothers give her to a different man.
No one’s status or property is inherited in the Yanomami tribe. The family of the deceased burn the personal property. The men are prideful in how many wives and children they have, the more the merrier. The women are in charge of taking care of their children. Even if the mother is working in the gardens, the child is on a sling attached to her as she works. The men are not as involved in taking care of the children but do play with them. Starting around the age of six, the girls start helping their mothers gardening and helping with preparing food. At that age, boys spend on playing and roaming in the forest. It is common for the parents to encourage their children to be assertive and have physical or verbal aggression. The men are taught to be fierce and are able to hit their parents and even the ill fated women in the tribe.
References:
Crystalinks
1995. Yanomami Indians of Brazil. Electronic Document, http://www.crystalinks.com/yanomami.html, accessed July 22.
Every Culture
N.d. Yanoamö - Marriage and Family. Electronic Document, http://www.everyculture.com/South-America/Yanomam-Marriage-and-Family.html, accessed July 22.
Tripod
N.d. Yanomamo Wedding and Marriage Traditions. Electronic Document, http://ginamicheli.tripod.com/, accessed July 22.
I can understand and respect the Yanomami’s views on marriage and family, however, I do not agree with it. I understand their views because they’re very old and traditional and societies did act that way. I do not agree with them because I believe that under any circumstance, no one should beat someone else. I feel that the women should have a better role in that society. With everything that the women are expected to do, I do not understand why they are beaten and have no say in who they marry. The girls at a young age already face more responsibilities than the boys, yet somehow they are not superior or at least equal to them. Another thing I do not agree with the culture of the Yanomami is their marrying age for girls. Although there are various things that I do not agree with their culture and society, I respect and understand why their views are that way.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on all counts. Violence against anyone, in particular, women, children or the elderly, physical o verbal should be condemned. However, remember this is a cultural anthropology course, so in your final reflection for your ethnographic post, which is a major part of the course grade, you should include more than the implicit (and valid) comment about respect for different traditions. Talk about your ethnocentrism, mention some of the roles discussed in class, perhaps a film or two -- if relevant, and mention that only through cultural relativism, or being aware of that, you were able to try to understand those differences and respect them. That is what I mean by course content. Good work there Regine, good refs, and nice and extensive reflection, just please add course content explicitly, and do not forget to do the same during the final presentation. Thanks!!
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