Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1892-02-26
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SIX huseAnps.


That u What One woman aaa uhS
Poisauary " praetiaed.
When Warren Has.Inrs sent II.
hrst envoy 60 Thibct, more than 4 " N.
fury ago, he specially mentioned this
custom Of the people as one on which
" desired information. and since that
liine II has attracted the attention N
an travellers who have come in con
tact with Thibetsn social life,
one OF the most recent writer's on
u, inc, subject is the late Mr. Andrew
wilson, who, during his wandcrinrs
among the western Himalayas. en-.
tered Thibet as Shipki. and who de-
votes a chapter Of his work. .The
Abode Of Snow" to Thibetan poly.
andry. r''
Polyandry is that species Of poly
gamy IN which the wife has more hts-
bands than one. and il prevails wher.
ever the Ififbetan 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 Cevlon
among the Todas and Nairs, Of south
ern India; the Iroquois and The
aboriginal Tasmaulans But Thibetan
polyandry has the popularity that Inc
husbands are all brothers; or, at least,
very nearly related, SO that the wo.
man becomes the wife Of whole
family. ~
1t does not appear to be in any wav
connected with the Thibetan religion.
but owes its existence to the poverty
OF the country and the desire to limft
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poor, and is only superseded by poly,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 contac,
with Hindoos or Mahome:ans.
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 Lama, 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 10 six brothers,
one OF whom was quite boy; but he
| thinks in most cases there are only
two husbands, not because five or six
were Objectionable, but because fami-
lies with more than two brothers are
not common.
He attributes the fact that the sys-
tenn works peacefully to the calm and
unImpassioncd 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 different 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 a 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 in
Thibet since prehistoric times, so that
its origin is lost in antiquity.
1t has been suggested that it arose
in state Of society where men were
forced to be away from home for long
periods, and where the duty Of pro
tecting the family would fall on the
brothers in turn.
The notable end which it serves i:
that it restricts population in regions
where emigration is difficult anc
where the means of subsistence can
not be easily increased. Louisville
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