The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-09-15
nrLEs surnEun Ar HOWE.
Indian woman Has some Rights Her
white sister Hasn't.

From The Now York Times
"Thc rights and privileges Of an Indian
woman" said q man who has lived much
ln Arizona ana New Moxico. compare
very favorabiy with those OF her more
civilized slst rs Notwithstanding tho gem
oral Impression 20 the contrary. She can-
not practice medicine. nor does she dab
Die ia law bat she IS absolute mistress
~ her household. her property rlshts are
Or, adler ond better defined than those Of
white woman. she owns her good man,
body ANA soul. her children are under her
own exclusive control and she dominates
ia an those activities which are common
Is termed Womans sphere. I refer par
ucuiar'y to the women OF the Pueblo
tribes OF the Southwest but the same
statements. slightly modified. could b.
mace Of the other tribes"
Continuing. The same man pointed OUT
some Of the advantages the Indian woman
enjoyed
Practically an property. both real ana
pcrsonni belongs 20 the women and they
aleue can dispnsa of o.. The crops in
the fields are the special charge % the
man u the house. but only SO long as
they are lu the ground. when the harvest
is gathered ard brought la 10 becomes
tho ~ MAN. property and the man cam
NOS dispose Of d even in the way 81 q
social entertainment or feast without first
securing tho wifs's consent. 80 ease has
ever been known where a man has at
tempted 90 override those arrangements
aud assume control for the result would
BE- expulsion from the family. and prob
ably also from the tribe Whom man
marfies o. goes 90 tho house Of his wife e
people ard hts standing there IS so pc
cul'ar and 30 insecure. as iJ were. that
he darcs not attempt 90 break through
the rules which have governed him and
bis ancestors FOR many generations.
Husband is only Guest.
Ia fact the standlug OF a man In his
wife's hous. mold o. but u he better than
that Of au houored guest The Puehlos.
like am the other Indian tribes. are or
ganlzcd on the elan system-that is. the
Descendants. real or supposed. e com
mon ancestor constitute a family group,
named after some animal or some object
ike the Rattlesuake gems. the Corn pco-
Pile aud 30 GA. Bu, descent is rcckone1
only ia the female line. ana the chill
dfen. therefore. always belong TO the
mather's gems. By an ancient rule, still
81
permitted Thus 1t comes about that tn
man D.. as IL were. "in the house OF his
enemies" for la any difference Of opinion
the whole house is arainst him.
Each gems. or huge artificial family,
lives by itself IN the village. all OF rs
houses being connected with each other.
bur not with those OF any other gems.
The houses Of the Puchlos are arranged
ln long rows. or IN bee-hive-like cluster.
the rooms being placed one above the
other. so as 90 form terraces Ike a great
stairway. when family increases new
rooms are huih. but they always adioin
ana are connected with those already
standing There is no way. therefore. On
which "a man can escape the dominating
influence OF hts wife's people The gems
sometimes numbers 80 members or more,
~ animated by the same motives ana
bound 20 stand by each other. No mat
ter how aggressive the man may be. he
Is necessarily ~ q different family, and
fhe immense majority against him makes
his ease hopeless Under these conditions
family jars are extremely rare. for only