Taboo and genetics : $b A study of the biological, sociological and psychological foundation of the familyKnight, Melvin M. (Melvin Moses)
Science
Taboo and genetics : $b A study of the biological, sociological and psychological foundation of the family
Knight, Melvin M. (Melvin Moses)
Sex (Biology); Sex (Psychology); Taboo; Women
This attitude which primitive man takes toward woman at the time of her
sexual crises--menstruation, pregnancy, childbirth--are but an
intensification of the feeling which he has toward her at all times.
Conflicting with his natural erotic inclinations are the emotions of awe
and fear which she inspires in him as the potential source of contagion,
for there is always some doubt as to her freedom from bad magic, and it
is much safer to regard her as unclean.[27] Thus the every-day life of
savage tribes is hedged in by all manner of restrictions concerning the
females of their group. The men have their own dwelling in many
instances, where no woman may enter. So, too, she may be barred out from
the temples and excluded from the religious ceremonies when men worship
their deity. There are people who will not permit the women of their
nation to touch the weapons, clothing, or any other possessions of the
men, or to cook their food, lest even this indirect contact result in
emasculation. The same idea of sympathetic magic is at the root of
taboos which forbid the wife to speak her husband's name, or even to use
the same dialect. With social intercourse debarred, and often no common
table even in family life, it is veritably true that men and women
belong to two castes.
Of the primitive institution known as the "men's house," Hutton Webster
says: "Sexual separation is further secured and perpetuated by the
institution known as the men's house, of which examples are to be found
among primitive peoples throughout the world. It is usually the largest
building in a tribal settlement ... Here the most precious belongings of
the community, such as trophies and religious emblems, are preserved.
Within its precincts ... women and children ... seldom or never
enter ... Family huts serve as little more than resorts for the
women and children."[28]
Many examples among uncivilized peoples bear out this description of
the institution of the men's house. Amongst the Indians of California
and in some Redskin tribes the men's clubhouse may never be entered by a
squaw under penalty of death. The Shastika Indians have a town lodge for
women, and another for men which the women may not enter.[15] Among the
Fijis women are not allowed to enter a _bure_ or club house, which is
used as a lounge by the chiefs. In the Solomon Islands women may not
enter the men's _tambu_ house, and on some of the islands are not even
permitted to cross the beach in front of it.[29] In the Marquesas
Islands the _ti_ where the men congregate and spend most of their time
is taboo to women, and protected by the penalty of death from the
pollution of a woman's presence.[30]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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