The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1908-11-27
MARRIAGE CUSTOMS
0F THE NAVAJOS.
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Gus III tendency. put as ne mas 10 pay
rouDdly Tor each wife only the most
wealthy Of the tribe can afford the
luxury Of several wives.
When young wife has grown old
and ugly the husband often discards
her. taking unto himself younger
and prsttier one Thus he takes his
wives tandem instead OF abreast. as
the Movmons did.
The Navajo secures his wife by
purchase. and the Navajo maiden
never lacks offers Of marriage. She
IS not al liberty 10 choose for herself,
but Is sort OF standing invitation
which her mother holds out for in
formal proposals
The Navajo mother-in-law is the
greatest on earth. for the daughter
belongs 10 her mother until married
when The bridegroom also becomes
the property OF his mother-in-law.
with whom he is required 10 live. As
he is also required never 10 look her
in the face. existence becomes a COM
plioatsd problem.
The young girl seldom gets z young
husband. and the Young man seldom
sets : young wife. Property among
the Navajos is mostly possessed by
the old men. SO they are. as a rule.
able 10 offer larger price for the girl
than is the young man who has not
YET had time 10 accumulate his for
tune. II requires several ponies and
s sood flock OF sheep 10 buy young
sad buxom Navajo maiden.
y recently witnessed 81 old sauaw
. leading : young sirl. about ten years
old, il the school grounds 81 the Ma
vaio agency" says s writer IN the In
dian School Journal. AS she an
preached the agents o4ca she fell
upon her face b. the sidewalk and
Immediately set Up loud, mourntul
wsiiins.
Some Of her people mus; be dead"
! said 70 the agent
Ne he replied. I know the old
lady well You see tha. little girl
sitting there OF the sidewalk beside
herr Well. that Is : girl about ter
yesrS old. 4 short tine ago her
mother sold her 10 al old man for his
wife.
Re is seventy ysa-s old and stone
blind The matter vas -soortsS TO
me. and ! ordered hs- . bring the
sirl 70 the agsacy sad put her in
school. and that Is What she is here
for. but she does not want TO give
the girl Up and that Is Why she is
wsi,ing.
She hopes . g: NJ sympathy.
but will nor stand Tor II The girl
must 50 10 school. where she be-
Longs
50 sayias, Il called : policeman
snd ordered TIE s5-l taken 70 school
sc6 turned over 70 The E2t-oa-'
Tie Nzvaso Wedding ceremony Is
thus described hE \ II. S-sphe2:
On the nigh. 81 for the Wedding
hoth families and their friends meat
:, The hut o. The brides family. Here
there Is much Teasing and singing
z26 n. brides family makes return
presents 70 the battle-ground people.
h, cot- g course. 70 the same
amount
The women o. re brides family
prepare co-n1szl ro--sigs. which Is
poured into the Welding basket. The
brides uncle then So-:aklss 3 cs-cu-
lar ring and crcss q the sacred blue
pollen ot the la-ksrzr opo, he po--
ridge 1sz- the o1ss- s5ss ana il tie
centre
Tie bride Sas hitherto bssa iyins
beside Lex Eo1As-- concealed under
e,z1se- o thz -o-z1's SIDE az the
hogan tAC-l. At.s- calling q he- 70
cone - hin hs- uncle SEATS he- 81
S1s Ees- side o. ces Int ant he
1-s1sS-oo2 Sis dow before ss-
wiki his tscs toward hers a-5 zhe
e1sxs- q 1'o--iigs So bsS=ssa then
4 sc1od q =zss- : tasa gre.
- 11s bride shc ro--s so-s % i o.
the or16sS-oa-'s sz75s ~hns -
washes -hs-. s-5 tAs1 ts performs
Ike o.cs :1- as-- With tie S-s-
two fingers Q. ths right hand - -ns-
ssszS : E1-cA q po--s5ss. Scz -ns-s
tie line q qolls7 so-cass tzs es-.,e
q tAs ssSs side He szcs this o.
V-ocA. s26 tie b-55s dips with hs-
1oSs- 1rC- tes &Es u.zcs
He 1so szkS i s-rxssss,- :
ri1c1 tro2 tAs o.hs- Places v.s-s
the lines co1ch tas cz-vls All
r--c1 t-o2 ths cso--s. ~ r-ss=-s
1o<s-s to2loEl1s liz he basket a..
vsa--o1ss : -As2 rssS-5 crs- n -
EcGoss- sEss-S Eeo S-.ss5Elr ss7o--
II via MARI elz-o-- : suSc- z-z1-
oso-s 10 65F15zog ne e-zsss xzks -
Welding Tos s-5s- rssz-srss q
TIE cso1V1= NV SITs z1zz -usH good
s11 Es-Sa-T z1E5s.s- All n -s--s-=
i co--1s-s
ne NzFz5os Il n. tz-r her
dead AZ lsGse 1hsT 10 ~ s--s-
tesz- Ne NzTz5cs srze-s-s-5,- -
vs--S hin tV7 sTs- 81 -zcs a
t-1cAs1S I 6sz5 h,osr-
So ns5o-s lis kz< s-sz-ss- rss- -
ccs-T 4 : wrapped II -sv ..s-k-
All CARED u SINE cc7Ts-5z-. -
c-1-sa Sz'oS- Fesrs L = 6s-sass-=s n
-c7 c. -As E-o1zas- FISCHER zs.h an
tie -e-Sc.z1 s@s.-s - "a Ss-sssss
211 Il z ~ n E-1sz- ia e-zsnz
srz7Es1s- s-c-- ara cs-ss-l1F ss-,-ss-z,s
sss11s SAs bod Enz1 1n=-s z-= -
aa1Ss- HI signs q he II Ia n.sr
S1o-sS z-s -cLs5 n z---s ara .-rs-