A History of Matrimonial Institutions, Vol. 1 of 3Howard, George Elliott
History
A History of Matrimonial Institutions, Vol. 1 of 3
Howard, George Elliott
Families; Marriage -- History
[437] Polygyny is found, for example, among the Innuit, but
monogamy is the rule, though marriages are often of very short
duration. Occasionally there are two, three, four, or in very
rare cases even five wives: TURNER, "Ethnology of the
Ungava District," _XI. Rep. of Bureau of Eth._, 182, 188, 189.
Among the Point Barrow Eskimo Murdoch found usually one wife, and
never heard of more than two: "Point Barrow Expedition," _ibid._,
411. "Rich men" among the Thlinkets often have two wives:
NIBLACK, "Coast Indians," _Rep. Smith. Inst., 1888_,
367, 368; KRAUSE, _Die Tlinkit Indianer_, 220. The Pima
Indian has more than one wife when he can support them, for "the
wife is the slave of the husband": GROSSMANN, "The
Pima Indians of Arizona," _Rep. Smith. Inst., 1871_, 415, 416.
A Ponca chief married four wives at one time, took them at once
to his wigwam, and all got on well: _Rep. Smith. Inst., 1885_,
64. The Wyandottes allow polygyny if the wives are taken from
different _gentes_, but polyandry is prohibited: POWELL,
"Wyandotte Society," _A. A. A. S._, XXIX, 681. Sometimes
"duogamy" is found among the Seminoles: MACCAULEY, in
_V. Rep. of Bureau of Eth._, 495. Among the Sioux "a plurality
of wives is required of a good hunter, since in the labors of
the chase women are of great service": DORSEY, "Siouan
Sociology," _XV. Rep. of Bureau of Eth._, 225; but the "maximum
number of wives that one man (an Omaha Sioux) can have is three,
_e. g._, the first wife, her aunt, and her sister or niece, if
all be consanguinities. Sometimes the three are not kindred":
_idem_, "Omaha Sociology," _III. Rep. of Bureau of Eth._, 261;
and compare KOHLER, _Zur Urgeschichte der Ehe_, 65 ff.,
82, who finds here an evidence of group-marriage. One wife is the
rule among the South American Abipones: DOBRIZHOFFER,
_Account_, II, 209, 210; and Appiacás: GUIMARÃES,
"Memoria," _Revist. Trimens. Hist._, VI, 307; and in general
it is the prevalent form in South America: MARTIUS,
_Ethnographie_, II, 104; _idem_, _Rechtszustande_, 53. Two wives
is the average number among the _Seri_: MCGEE, in _XVII.
Rep. of Bureau of Eth._, Part I, 279.
[438] For a collation of the facts as to the ratio of
polygynists to the whole population among polygynous peoples,
consult WESTERMARCK, _op. cit._, 438-42; _cf._
HELLWALD, _Die mensch. Familie_, 413, 414.
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