The origin and development of the moral ideasWestermarck, Edward
Philosophy
The origin and development of the moral ideas
Westermarck, Edward
Ethics; Ethics -- History; Prehistoric peoples
The Samoans considered it cowardly to kill a woman;[59] and even in
Fiji the "enlightened party" objected to the killing of women, urging
that it is "just as cowardly to kill a woman as a baby."[60] The
Abipones, in their wars, "generally spared the unwarlike, and carried
away innocent boys and girls unhurt."[61] An old Spanish writer tells
us of the Guanches of Gran Canaria that, "in their wars, they held it
as base and mean to molest or injure the women and children of the enemy,
considering them as weak and helpless, therefore improper objects of
their resentment";[62] and similar views prevail among the Berbers
(Shlu[h.]) of Southern Morocco, as also among the Algerian Kabyles[63]
and the Touareg.[64] Though the Masai and Wa-kikuyu "are eternally at
war to the knife with each other, there is a compact between them not
to molest the womenfolk of either party."[65] "The Masai," says Mr.
Hinde, "never interfere with women in their raids, and the women cheer
{336} loudly and encourage their relatives during the fight."[66]
Among the Latukas, though women are employed as spies and thus become
exceedingly dangerous in war, there is nevertheless a general
understanding that no woman shall be killed.[67] The Basutos maintain
that respect should be paid during war to women, children, and
travellers, as also that those who surrender should be spared and open
to ransom; and, though these rules are not invariably respected, the
public voice always disapproves of their violation.[68]
[Footnote 59: Turner, _Nineteen Years in Polynesia_, p. 304.]
[Footnote 60: Seemann, _Viti_, p. 180.]
[Footnote 61: Dobrizhoffer, _op. cit._ ii. 141.]
[Footnote 62: Abreu de Galindo, _History of the Discovery and Conquest
of the Canary Islands_, p. 66.]
[Footnote 63: Hanoteau and Letourneux, _La Kabylie_, ii. 76.]
[Footnote 64: Hourst, _Sur le Niger et au pays des Touaregs_,
p. 223 _sq._]
[Footnote 65: Thomson, _Through Masai Land_, p. 177.]
[Footnote 66: Hinde, _The Last of the Masai_, p. 6, n.*]
[Footnote 67: Baker, _Albert N'yanza_, i. 355.]
[Footnote 68: Casalis, _op. cit._ p. 223 _sq._ For regard paid to
women, old people, and children in war, see also Richardson, _Arctic
Searching Expedition_, i. 367 (Western Eskimo); Catlin, _North
American Indians_, ii. 240; Azara, _Voyages_, ii. 145 (Payaguas).]
Sometimes custom even requires that the life of the captive shall be
spared.
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