Yakimara Weddings

The importance and way how the Yakimara regard marriages and weddings differs from the Taika and Chonobi. On a local base, there can be a lot of differences between Yakimara tribes and clans. But on this page, the general base shall be explained.

## Marriage Laws

The first major difference why Yakimara marriages differ is because they don't have any religious aspect attached to them. It is more of a contractual agreement, which has made them into diplomatic options to craft alliances and to end feuds between families, tribes or clans. More so, various laws and traditions are in place that have made the Yakimara regard marriage much different than many Taika or Chonobi do.

For one, illegitimacy doesn't 'exist' within the Yakimara concept. Many Yakimara tribes and clans have laws that are set to make clear the rights of the husband and wife, and protect the property rights of both parties. This alone is much different from the Taika. But it doesn't stop there. For the Yakimara have around seven known marriages that, that will likely puzzle any outsider, each diminishing in importance, legal rights and desirability:

1. First degree union takes place between partners of equal rank and property.
2. A second degree union in which a woman has less property than the man and is supported by him.
3. A third degree union in which a man has less property than the woman and

 has to agree to management of the woman’s cattle and fields.

1. A fourth degree union is the marriage of the loved one in which no property rights changed hands, though children’s rights are safeguarded.

1. A fifth degree union is the mutual consent of the man and woman to share their bodies, but live under separate roofs.
2. A sixth degree union in which a defeated enemy’s wife is abducted. This marriage is valid only as long as the man can keep the woman with him. - Though this hasn't been used ever since the waning days of the Warring Clans Era.

1. A seventh degree union is called a soldier’s marriage and is a temporary and primarily sexual union

Under the law, women have the right to choose their husbands and can not be forced to marry. Although, given the nature of some of the types of marriage listed above, and the likely influence (read: threats) of family members, one has to wonder how much choice some women really had or still have. Dowries are very important, as brides are purchased from their fathers by their husbands for what is known as a bride-price. Some of this is kept in reserve for the woman, should her marriage end at the fault of her husband, so she will not be left destitute. There is also a virgin-price that guarantees the wife’s purity. It’s also interesting to note that if two people of unequal rank wanted to marry, the person of lower rank was responsible for the financial burden. One can assume this is meant to keep Yakimara nobility from “marrying down.”

## Old Traditions

Though the following traditions were once quite common, they have lost most of their meaning or use in the present day. Certainly seeing that some do contradict the Imperial law, causing them to be illegal. However, most of these traditions aren't forgotten or forsaken by many tribes and clans of the Yakimara.

### Trial Marriages

The concept is rather simple. A trial marriage is an agreement that last for a year and a day. These marriages are usually favoured by nobility but aren't entirely uncommon to the commoners as well. At the end of the trial, the heads of the family will come together for a meeting. They will begin to discuss if the marriage will hold and if there are signs that the marriage is faltering, they can end it without any shame brought on either party. Any treaty that was attached to the marriage is also considered to be void.

### Legal Murder

Polygamy wasn't entirely uncommon to the Yakimara - though this has declined with the influence of the Way of Fire. Certainly not with influential leaders or their nobility. However, there have been laws which dictated that the first wife could legally murder the any new spouse, if it occurred within the first days of marriage. She would have to pay a fine to her husband but would otherwise be in her right. Though Imperial law makes the practice of these laws and traditions a bit hard, it is very likely that the Yakimara haven't yet abandoned this practice.