Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-05
o.

far distant past, and IN an early stage OF
culture the underlying sentiment which
produced 1t had its expression in certain
well-defned cUstoms-notably in what one
may term the mother-in-law taboo. This
curious custom is found in Africa, and also
In our own Indian tribes.
Among the Navajo Indians of northeast
| crn Arizona man cannot under any cir
cumstances speak 10 or even look upon his
mother-in-law. Should his eye rest upon
her even for a moment the superstition is
that he will by accident become blind. 1t
seems impossible that such an idea should
be actually held by a large number of peo-
pie. The law must he broken repeatedly
by accident without the payment of the
penalty. Yet the idea is current today, and
is in full force and effect. exercising ap
probable influence On the social conditions
Of the people.
Ponies for Wives.
There are many laughabie and some pa
thetic Incidents growing out of it. Marriage
is by purchase in this tribe. 1t is simple
matter of paying your money AMI taking
your choice, only your money is always
horses; for the rite of marriage has passed
or is passing from commercial transac-
ton into the ceremonial stage, and an Of
fer of certain number of horses for a
bride Is a formal proposal of marriage.
Anything of a horse kind Is horse be it
slperannuated old charger or a yearling
colt. The commercial side however. is not
entirely lost sight Of; the horses are in
tlcn is conSummated.
On Its face this custom would imply that
women occupied a degraded position in
the tribe; such Is not the case. The Nava-
Jos are not an agricultural people, their
farming operations are limited, and Of re-
cent origin, and the young women very
seldom work in the fields except at harvest
time. Most of the wealth Of the tribe is IN
sheep and horses, principally the former,
ard the sheep belong exclusively to the wo-
men; they are their personal property.
Moreover. descent and Inheritance are in the
female line; the children belong to the
mother and are members of her clan, the
father has no rights in the matter
The purchase money, or rather purchase
horses, are of no direct benefit to the
parents; payment Is made to the uncles
and brothers Of the bride in certain pro-
pc rtions. Should domestic troubles arise
which are due to some fault of the woman,
the horses are returned. but should the
fault lie with the man the woman can
and does return to her people; in that case
the horses are retained in her family.
Many Mothers-in-Law.
The mother. therefore, has no direct in
terest in her daughters marriage, but the
interest arising from maternal love might
often complicate or even make impossible
the usual procedure, and as people in prim-
tive society always seek and use the most
dir ect means to an end. the possible i'll eff
fects Of maternal affection upon established
ways and customs were reduced to q mini
mum by the establishment of the mother
in-law taboo, which gradually grew into
fixed custom or law. What harm could an
lutely prohibited from speaking to her
daughters husband? And on the other
hand what show would man have If left
unprotected to the mercy of three or four
mothers-in-law. for polygamy is commonly
practiced in the tribe? Some such law is an
actual necessity in primitive societies
The complications brought about by this
peculiar condition are many and various.
An accidental meeting. for example, is
very awkward to both. If other Indians
are present, frantic warnings to hide him.
self are shouted to the mag. and If he is on
horseback he will strike out as II for his
Nfe The woman Is warned and threatened
ard, II possible. hurried off and concealed
behind rock or bush. II no way of es-
cape Is possible, the man drops down upon
the ground. huddled up into as small
space as possible, and drawing his blanket
over his head. remains thus hidden until
the danger is past. Should a woman who
Is mother-in-law catch a glimpse in the
distance of her daughters husband, she
Will dart on to one side of the road like a
frightened rabbit, and crouch down behind
some bush, or grovel on the ground while
%AAS AAieAIi poSSSo ny WITH llS lace turned
away. Even in those cases where, for good
cause separation between man and wife
has taken place, the taboo still remains in
full effect. The position of the man who
has several wives, and has, perhaps, dis
carded two or three-not an unusual case
ard has half dozen mothers -in-law. who
might crop out in the most unexpected
places. is certainly not an enviable one.
The boosted freedom of the savage is to
him cruel myth. for be it remembered,
ne most firmly believes that should he SO
much as look upon the mother of one of his
women, the results will be most disastrous
to him. ~
She Must Keep Away.
The sympathies of the people are with
the man. and every effort is made to
protect him from the baleful Influences
arising from the proximity of his mother
in-law. Should he visit house where she
Is. although it is her own, the woman must
retire when he Ia seen approaching, and
ONE OF THE,