The Elbert County tribune., 1907-10-24
TAKE MATES ON TRIAL
MARRIAGE QUESTION SUCCESS
FULLY SOLVED BY ESKIMO.
Explorer on Return from Far North
Says Tribesmen Are Welded Two
or Three Times and Family
Discord Is Unknown.

Washington.-Trial marriage among
the Eskimos of Alaska and In the re
gion of the Mackenzie river is a com
plete success and the life and morals
OF these people excel those of any
civilized country, in the opinion of v
Stefansson, ethnologist of the Letting
we'll -Mikkelsen polar expedition, who
has just returned from the far north
According to Mr.. Stefansson the en-
tire problem of conjugal relations has
been solved by these people and di
vorce and family troubles are unknown
to them except In some localities
where missionaries have instilled
Ideas of Christianity and civilization
into the Eskimos. Where Christianity
has invaded the country there is con
siderable discord and family troubles
In every instance. declares Mr.. Stef
ansson. those farthest away from re
ligion and civilization as exemplified
by the white man have much higher
moral and physical standard than
those who have been Christianized
and civilized.
This conviction. he says. is borne
out by the almost unanimous testi
mony of the traders and the Canadian
mounted police, who penetrate this
country. Their exemplification of tho
family. he asserts is superb.
when a boy reaches the age of IL
or 16 years he marries a girl of about
the same age, or year younger
says Mr.. Stefansson. There is no
ceremony In this union. and 1t is sell
dom permanent one. Cases are rare
where couples first united have re-
manned together. It is sometimes the
second. and generally the third union
which proves lasting.
This last marriage usually takes
place when the couple reach young
manhood and womanhood. and its ties
are rarely. If ever, broken. If couple,
upon first mating. for any reason
proved uncongenial. the one wishing
TO do SO simply marries some one else;
There are no i'll feelings and there,
Is no complaint. as 1t is considered
that neither party has cause for com.
plant.
> "A peculiar feature of these matches
is the fact that young couples are. as
a rule, not very affectionate. which is
a peculiar contrast, as when perma-
nently settled and reaching the age of
from 25 to 35. they become affection
ate and loving in the extreme and
never unnecessarily leave one anoth7
FRS side.
Naturally one asks what becomes
Df the children springing from the
3rfn nj v,1or In l.trf n 10 10 oil nuiI
disposed of and in most satisfactory
way.
children are few In this region
from various physiological reasons. In
some instances they remain with the
mother. in others with the father, but
"a majority are adopted by other and
settled couples.
Their care Is no burden or expense,
as these people are communists in
every sense of the word and even
should a mother be crippled or un-
able to keep her own children. they
would never want, as food and cloth
ling of every need of life is held in
common by the community.
Z The Christianized Eskimos COM
pare unfavorably with the so-called
savage brothers. for where civilization
has tanned them they are selfish and
unwilling to share.
"On the other hand IL a family liv-
ing in the remote regions has food
enough to keep it only one day. and
is staring 1t in the face, 1t
would no more think of refusing to
share its food with anyone who came
along than a Washingtonian would
have to refusing n stranger a drink of
water at the public pump. This COM
munistic idea is absent only where
traders and missionaries, innocently
enough. have taught them white mems
methods and manners"