The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1889-03-07
SIX HUSBANDS.
That Is What One Woman Had Where
Polyaniry Is Practiced.


Polyandry Is Practiced.
When Warren Hastings sent his
first envoy to Thibet, more than a CEN
fury ago he specially mentioned this
custom of the people as one on which
he desired information, and since that
time it has attracted the attention of
all travellers who have come in con-
tact 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 Thibct as Shipki, and who de-
votes a chapter of his work, 1.-THE
Abode of Snow" to Thibetan poly
andry.
Polyandry is that species of poly
gamy III which the wife has more hus-
bands than one, and it prevails wher-
ever the Thibetan language is spoken,
even in districts on the Indian side of
the mountains.
Polyandry is found in many other
places, such as the interior of Ceylon,
among the Todas and Nairs, of south
ern India; the Lroquois and the
aboriginal Tasmaulans. But Thibetan
polyandry has The popularity that the
husbands are all brothers; or, at least,
very nearly related, 50 that the wo-
man becomes the wife OF q whole
family.
1t does not appear TO be in any way
connected with the Thibetan religion
but owes its existence to the poverty
of the country and the desire to limit
the population. 1t is practiced by
all classes of the population, rich and
poor and is only superseded by poly
gamy, or multiplicity of wives, where
the people have been much in contact
with Hindoos or Mahomctans.
Turner, the second of Warren Hast
ings' ENJOYS to Thibet, says that the
number of husbands is not restricted
Or defined At Teshu Jumbo, the
residence of the Teshu Llama, he has
known family of five brothers living
happily with one wife, and he thinks
this probably is the practical limit.
Mr.. Wilson met case in which one
woman was married to six brothers,
| one Of whom was quite boy; but he
thinks in most cases there are only
Y" " AAL4SOGthNlo, llOb bCCuuSC LLNC VI S1A
were Objectionable, but because fani-
lies with more than two brothers are
not common.
He attributes the fact chat the sys-
tenn works peacefully to the calm and
unimpassioned temperament of the
people, who subordinate all interests
! to those of the family The 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 rela-
ton of child to the differeat fathers.
The surplus women left by the sys-
tenn are provided for in the Lamar
nunneries, where they learn to read
and copy the Thibetan Scriptures and
to engage in religious services.
The choice of wife for the family
is the right of the elder brother, and
the contract he makes involves mar
riage contracts with all the brothers
The system is said to have existed il
Thibet since prehistoric times, so tina
its origin is lost in antiquity.
1t has been suggested that it arost
in state of society where men were
forced to be away from home for Ions
periods, and where the duty of pro
tectlng the family would fall on the
brothers IN turn.
| The notable end which it serves il
that it restricts population in regions
where emigration is difficult anC
where the means of subsistence can
not be easily increased. -Louisvill
Commercial.