The Havre herald. [volume] (Havre, Mont.) 1904-1908, 1905-11-03
THE MOTHER-IN-LAW
HER STRANGE POSITION AMONG MANY
OF THE WORLDS PEOPLES.


Husband of Her Observation-Disclosures
About This Queer Custom.
Among the Arawaks of South Ameri.
ca it is unlawful for a young man to
see the face of his mother-in-law If
they live in the same house a partition
must be set up between them. If thew
go in the same boat she has to step in
| first, so as to keep her back turned on
him. Rochefort says: "Among the Ca
ribs all the women talk with whom
they will, but the husband dare not
converse with his wife's relatives ex-
cept on extraordinary occasions
In many parts of Australia a woman
will not look at her daughters husband
at all hazards. She hides whenever he
comes near her, going out of her way
to avoid him, and if it is impossible she
hides her face with her cloak. She
would not mention his name for any,
thing in the world. The Kaffir woman
hides behind bush and holds a shield
to her face. She would far rather
speak to stranger than to her son-in-
law.
Franklin, who gave much time to the
studies of the North American Indian
assures us it is considered extremely
improper for woman to speak to her
son-1n-laW, and when she has any i'm
portant communication to make it is
considered proper for her to turn her
back on him and speak by means Of a
third person. The same law holds good
among the Sioux and Dakotas. and if
violated the offender is punished by
having his garments torn from his
back and thrown away. With the Oma-
has neither the father nor mother has
anything to do with the son-in- law
nor he with them. They will not look
at one another Or speak his name.
In his travels to Timbuctoo Caillies
narrates that from the moment Of be-
trothal the lover is careful not to see
the father and mother of the bride
They avoid each other all the time. He
says, Il tried in vain to discover the
origin Of the whimsical custom. but
the only answer I could obtain was. 1T
is our way"
This custom extends beyond the re-
latlOns If the lover is of a different
camp he avoids all the inhabitants of
the Women's camp, except a few init
mate friends whom he is permitted to |
visit. A little tent is generally set up
for the son-in-laW, and when he is |
obliged to cross the camp he covers his
face This custom exists among In
dian tribes and extends far beyond.
IN the tribes of New South Wales the
young man, when counting a girl,
avoids her mother as much as he can
and grows more distant after he is |
married With some Victorian tribes |
he estrangement is even greater-the
mother and aunt as well may not look
1t the young man nor speak to him
rom betrotlal to death. When they
speak before each other they have to
Use turn language. Under no con-
1ition would the young man dare to
speak to his Wifes mother.
Maclean, who studied this custom
among the Zulus of Africa, says
laughter-in-laW must cut herself off
rom her husbands relatives. She is
lot allowed even to pronounce their
James mentally. This statement shows
hat in some countries the girl must
gnore her husbands relatives as much
Is he does her mother, but this is less
requent.
In Asia among the MOngOls and the
Jalmucks a woman dare not speak to
Ter father-in-law nor sit down in his
presence. Uallas in an interesting
york on the Ostiaks of Siberia declares
hat a young married woman avoids
Ter father-in~law whenever she can,
specially during the early years of her
married life. In the meanwhile the
husband is not expected to see any
hing Of his mOther-in-laW. If he
neets ner by chance he hides.
IN China, after the wedding day. a
IAN never sees the face of his daugh-
ar-in-laW. A similar custom exists in
sorneo and the Fiji islands.
Some people consider it absolutely
riminal for young man even to give
stray glance to his mOther-in-law.
owever good looking she is. They
ay that they must not look on her
est they go mad. 1t is the fashion
nth some tribes in central Africa to
it with bent knees in their presence
nd not to put their feet out. A KongO
roverb states: My mother-in-laW is
ngry with me, but what do l care?
We do not eat from the same dish"
ONE men will speak to their mothers
y marriage, but will not call them
= name. This is true of the people
the Torres strait.
Many more Instances might be men
oned, but these are enough to show
lat the position of the mOther-in-law
mong many peoples is strange. The
ause for it is not positively known.
ir John Lubbock feels that its origin
es i'll capture where man really
aiZed his wife. This aroused the in
ignation of the girls parents, who re-