The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-11-21
POLYANDRY IN Tibet.
A Country Where n Woman May Have Any
where from Two to Six Husbands.

London Telegraph.
The most curious of the many remarkable
customs of the country with which our latest
war brought US in contact is polyandry. When
Warren Hastings sent his first envoy TO Thibet,
more than a century ago, he specially mentioned
this custom Of the people as one on which he de-
sired Information, and since that time IL mas
attracted the attention OF all travellers VINO
have come in contact with Thibetan social life.
One Of the most recent writer's on the subject Is
the late Mr.. Andrew Wilson, who, during his
wanderings among the western Himalayas. en-
tered Thibet at Shipki, and who devotes u chap
ter of his work, The Abode Of Snow" to
Tnibetan polvaudry. Polyandry is that species
bands than one, and it prevails wherever the
Thibetan language is spoken, even in districts
on the Indian side OF the mountains.
Poiyandry is found in many other places,
such as the interior of Ceylon, among the Todss
and Nairs of southern India. the Iroquois and
the aboriginal Tssmanians: but Thibetan poly
andry has the popularity that the husbands are
all brothers., or, at the least, very nearly related.
so that the woman becomes the wife OF a whole
family. Ii does not appear to be any way con-
nected with the Thibetan religion, but to owe
its existence to the poverty OF the country and
the desire to limit the population. it is prac-
ticed by all classes OF tue population, rich and
poor, and is only superseded by polyeamy, or
multplicy of wives. where the people have been
much in contact with Hindoos and Mohammed-
ans. Turner, the second of Warren Hastings's
ENJOYS to Thibet, says that the number of hus-
bands is not restricted or defined. As Teshu
Jumbo, the residence of the Teshu Lama, he
has known q family Of five brothers living hap
pity with one wife, and no thinks this probably
is the practical limit.
MIR. Wilson met a case in which one woman
was married TO six brothers, ono of whom WAS
quite a boy; but he thinks in most cases there
are only two husbands, not because five or
six were Objectionable. but because families
with moro than two brothers are not common.
He attributes the fact that the system works
peacefully to the calm and unimpassloned tenn
erament of the people, who subordinate all in
terests 10 those OF the family. Tn children are
regarded as scions of the house rather than of
any individual member Of IT,; all the husbands
are treated as the fathers OF the children. and
there is no noticeable difference in the relation
OF a child TO the different fathers. The surplus
women left by the system are provided for in
Lama nunneriee, where they learn to read and
copy the Thibetan Scriptures and to engage in
religious services. The choices OF q wife for the
family Is the right of the elder brother, aud the
contract he makes involves marriage contracts
with all tho other brothers.
Tho system 10 said TO have existed in Thibet
since prehistoric times, so that its origin IS lost
in ant guilty. 1t has been suggested that il
arose IN a state OF society where men were
forced to be away from home for long periods,
and where the duty OF protecting the family
would fall on the brothers in turn. The notable
end which ii serves Is that it restricts popula-
tion in regions where emigration is difficult and
where the means of subsistence cannot bs
easily increased. Moravian missionary settled
on the borders of Thibet defended the system
10 Mr.. Wilson, not as a good thing In the alb
stract. or one to be tolerated among Christians,
but as good for the heather in so sterile q conu-
try. where an increasing population would pro-
woke eternal warfare or eternal want, and Capt.
Turner says that ''the influence of this custom
on the manners of the people. as far as / could
trace, has not been unfavorabls. . To
the privileges OF unbounded liberty the wife
here adds the character of mistress OF the
family aad companion of her husbands" On
the other hand, II struck Mr.. Wilson that 90
many husbands meant for the women only SO
many more masters and 60 much more toll aud
trouble.