Polyandry is
prohibited.
A man seeking a wife consults her mother, sometimes direct, and
sometimes through his own mother. The mother of the girl advises with
the women councilors to obtain their consent, and the young people
usually submit quietly to their decision. Sometimes the women
councilors consult with the men.
When a girl is betrothed, the man makes such presents to the mother as
he can. It is customary to consummate the marriage before the end of
the moon in which the betrothal is made. Bridegroom and bride make
promises of faithfulness to the parents and women councilors of both
parties. It is customary to give a marriage feast, in which the gentes
of both parties take part. For a short time at least, bride and groom
live with the bride's mother, or rather in the original household of
the bride.
The time when they will set up housekeeping for themselves is usually
arranged before marriage.
In the event of the death of the mother, the children belong to her
sister or to her nearest female kin, the matter being settled by the
council women of the gens. As the children belong to the mother, on
the death of the father the mother and children are cared for by her
nearest male relative until subsequent marriage.
_NAME REGULATIONS._
It has been previously explained that there is a body of names, the
exclusive property of each gens. Once a year, at the green-corn
festival, the council women of the gens select the names for the
children born during the previous year, and the chief of the gens
proclaims these names at the festival.
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