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WHERE MARRIAGE IS __ AFFAIRNuptials in New Guinea Attended by ponsiderable Dickering.By Henry Cl*y.San Francisco, Cal., March 27.—If two young men, eligible for maTriage in German New Guinea, happen to have sisters, who either are or arc not desirous of wedlock—it makes, no difference, for women don't count over there—they can swop the sisters and start up housekeeping. If no sisters are available, cousins will do. The necessary features of the matrimonial negotiations is to have two female relatives of marriageable age.This is one of the interesting tribal customs of the brown natives of the tropical regions as discovered by Dr. Richard Thurnwald, the German scienr tist who for several years has studied the New Guinea natives and learned much of their peculiar racial ceremonies. Dr. Thurnwald is in San Francisco, waiting for a chance to return to Germany, after a series of thrilling experiences in an unmapped wilderness.“Marriage among the New Guinea na-MA±f fS/pODR. RICHARD THURNWALDtives is rather a complicated affair, said Dr. Thurnwald, “although on the face of it the transaction seems simple enough. The ceremonies are performed with religious exactness and the wedding vows arp seldom broken. Wives are not bought in the region I explored, although in other parts of the country the custom is followed.“When two young men have found the girls of their choice, they mention the fact to their sires and the two fathers meet to talk the matter over. If everything is satisfactory it is agreed that the betrothal ceremony shall commence at a stated time. The two girls make exchange visits at the homes of their prospective bridegrooms as the second step in the eeremdny, which is performed with great formality and seriousness. The bjjdes-to-be carry food made from the sago tree. The parents of the bridegrooms taste the food; then the young men sample it and following them the girls are permitted to eat a little. This done, the betrothal is sealed.. ‘‘The young men get busy preparing homes for their brides and the village is iust as interested over the event as an American village, for instance, would be over the wedding of two popular belles. After the first child is born tho marriage is at last considered complete. The first born is known a.s the ‘Ghost Child,’ for some peculiar tribal reason. A friend of the bridegroom's father acts as cod father to the baby.“In most of the villages one sees several houses. They are made from various woods, built on high poles, the roofs and walls being made from the
Newspaper Details
Fort Wayne Sentinel
Fort Wayne, Indiana, US
Mon, Mar 27, 1916
Page 12
Full Page
Clipped by
Alvin T.
NA, NA 29 Sep 2024
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