East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1916-09-23
The Indian Idea of Marriage

UhOle Sam has decreed that a
plurality Of wives among the Indians
Is no longer good taste and. while he
still recognizes the tribal marriage
ceremony he refuses to recognize the
Indian institution of divorce. If an
Indian desires TO abandon his first
wife and take another, he must Sc
cure a divorce in the white mans
court else he Is liable to go wifeless
for q time In white mans prison.
A number of the Indians on the
Umahlla reservation have discovered
Uncle Sans attitude to their sorrow.
They have been tried on statutory
charges and forced to serve sentences
in the federal prison at Portland,
This experience is leading more and
more to Indians wedding according to
the "paleface' ceremony and to appli-
cation for legal separation in the
''paleface' court.
A very interesting account of the
manner in which indian weddings
were celebrated in earlier days is con-
talned in a history or the northwest
published in 1883 1t reads as fol-
lows:
The young Indian spends no long
time In woo.ng and winning his bride |
Marriage among the aboringines was
largely commercial transaction.
Fathers frequently bought wives for
their sons while they were almost in
fants-long before puberty. 1t was
thought they would most likely live
more amicably and happily together
II brought up together. In many in !
stances girls were bought who were
a number Of years older than the
bridegrooms; and before the boy had
grown up to maturity the girl took |
notion 10 some other young brave,
and then there was liability of fam
lily row. II under such circumstances
the girl decided TO leave her legal 4
boy husband, and could not be pre-
vailed upon TO walt for him to come
the years Of maturity 1t was consider
ed very disgracefW affair; and the
girls father must return to the boys
father the purchase price of the dam
sell II the price was considerable,
then the girls parents were interest
AZ In 70 no
boy husband.
The more common mode of proceed
ure was this, A young man or boy
saw some girl whom ne fancied he
would like for his wife, and the sub
ject was mentioned to his father and
mother They conferred with the
girls parents and agreed upon q
price. The price of a wife was almost
always paid in horses among the east
ern tribes, the price oeing from five
TO fifty horses From ten to TWEEN
~ was a fair average among the "a
ern Washington Indians
II was always understood that j
good. round price would insure a
better article, as in other merchan-
disc. II was a prevalent idea that a
woman who had cost good many
ponies would prove more faithful and
be more desirable bride: besides it
was considered mark 9f dignity and
honor to pay a good price for a wife.
Such young men were looked up TO
and were on the way TO tribal dis
tinction.
When an agreement was reached
word was sent to the young man in
forming him Of the success of the ne
gotationS He was soon on his way
to the lodge OF his brides parents
some OF his relatives driving the stip-
ulated horses. BuffaIo, elk or deer
skins and beadwork or articles of ap-
parel were taken along as exchange
gifts"
Arrived at the lodge, a crier an
nounced that such and such parties
we're to be- married. The friends gath,
cred in and the ceremonies began.
The Indian weddins ceremony was
something considerably longer than
the ordinary operation of the justice
of the peace, Two rooes were spread