RITES OF PASSAGE AND COURTING

LUISENO INDIANS

IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA THE LUISENO BOYS HOLD INITIATION RITUALS FOR THEIR YOUNG MEN THAT LASTED SEVERAL WEEKS. THE DRANK JIMSON WEED AND DANCED UNTIL THEY WENT TO SLEEP. THE OFTEN EXPERIENCED A GUIDING VISION. THEIR INSTRUCTION AFTER THIS WAS THAT HOLY MEN SHOWED THEM A SAND PAINTING AND EXPLAINED THE VARIOUS MEANINGS OF IT. THEY TAUGHT THEM PROPER BEHAVIOR AND TO REMEMBER THEIR SPEECH. WHEN YOU DIE, YOU WILL BE SPOKEN OF AS THOSE OF THE SKY.

ESKIMO

BOYS ON MINWOK ISLAND WERE REQUIRED TO KILL A BEARDED SEAL. WHICH WAS A GREAT HUNTING FEAT. AFTER HE RETURNED HE WENT TO THE KASHIM, THE CEREMONIAL LODGE FOR THE MALES. HE SANG A HUNTING SONG AND THE SEAL'S MEAT WAS GIVEN TO THE HUNTER'S. THE SKIN AND BLADDER WAS HUNG FROM THE CEILING. A BLADDER FESTIVAL WAS A CELEBRATION HELD EACH DECEMBER TO HONOR THE ANIMALS THAT WERE GIVEN UP TO FEED THEM DURING THE YEAR. THEY BELIEVED THE SOUL OF THE SEAL WAS KEPT IN THE BLADDER. ALL OF THE BLADDERS WERE RETURNED TO THE SEA.

THE BOY HAD SPECIAL TABOOS BETWEEN HIS HUNT AND THE BLADDER FESTIVAL. HE DID NOT EAT THE SEAL MEAT., NOR REMOVE HIS CLOTHES AT NIGHT FOR SLEEPING. HIS MOM'S BEHAVIOR WAS DIFFERENT ALSO - THEY BOTH HAD TO WEAR MITTENS OUTSIDE AND FASTED DURING THE 5 DAY BLADDER FESTIVAL. IT INCLUDED DANCING, COSMIC SPEECHES, AND SONGS. ON THE FINAL NIGHT THE YOUNG MAN RAN NAKED ON THE BEACH. HIS CHILDHOOD OFFICIALLY ENDED. INDIAN WOMEN USUALLY MARRIED OLDER MEN.

IROQUOIS AND CHEROKEE MARRIAGE PRACTICES

MARRIAGE MARKED A MAJOR CHANGE IN LIFESTYLE. THE MEN HAD TO SEEK A WIFE OUTSIDE OF THE COMMUNITY. AFTER MARRIAGE THE HUSBAND WAS OBLIGED TO LEAVE HIS FAMILY AND MOVE INTO HIS WIFE'S HOUSEHOLD. HIS POSITION WAS INFERIOR TO HIS WIFE'S BROTHERS AND FATHER. THEY SPENT 1/3 OF THEIR TIME ON HUNTING AND TRADING TRIPS AND AS A WAR PARTY MEMBER. THERE WERE ABOUT 350 MEMBERS PER VILLAGE. MANY TIMES THE PARENTS DECIDED WHO THEIR CHILDREN WERE GOING TO MARRY.

CROW CUSTOMS

FOR THE CROW MARRIAGE INCLUDED PURSUING THE WOMAN THEY DESIRED BY REQUESTING THE WOMAN'S HELP ON A BUFFALO HUNTING TRIP OR DURING A JOURNEY TO THE MOUNTAINS TO GET TIPI POLES. THEY WORKED TOGETHER AS THEY WOULD IN MARRIAGE.

THEY ALSO HAD A BERRY SCRAMBLE. THE YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN GATHERED NEAR A BERRY PATCH. EACH BOY APPROACHED THE GIRL OF HIS CHOICE. THE BOY ASKED THE GIRL PERMISSION TO CARRY HER BAG. IF SHE SAID NO HE FELT BAD, BUT IF YES HE FELT GREAT. THE GIRLS LINED UP AND RACED TO BE THE FIRST TO CLAIM THE THICKEST BERRY PATCH. THEY BROKE OFF SEVERAL BRANCHES AND TOOK THEM TO THEIR SUITORS. THEY EXCHANGED HORSES AND WENT BACK TO CAMP SINGING.

SOME FOLKS USED LOVE CHARMS TO WIN THE AFFECTION OF THE THEY WISHED TO WED. SOME MEN BLEW ON A FLUTE LIKE INSTRUMENT THAT SOUNDED LIKE AN ELK . SOME MEN USED MEDICINE MEDICINE BUNDLES AND SACRED OBJECTS ACQUIRED AS THE RESULT OF A VISION TO CAST LOVE SPELLS. ONE MAN NAMED TRAVELS WAS REJECTED BY A LADY HE LIKED. HE WENT TO THE MOUNTAINS TO FAST. ON THE 5TH DAY HE HAD A VISION OF AN ELK MAN WEARING A PAINTED ROBE. HE TOLD HIM TO MAKE A ROBE AND WALK IN FRONT OF THE GIRL. SHE WILL NOT REFUSE YOU. HE DID AS ELK MAN SAID. HE WORE THE ROBE FOR A DAY AND THE WOMAN CAME TO HIS TIPI AND SAID SHE WANTED TO BE HIS WIFE.

PLAINS NATIVE COURTSHIPS

ARAPAHO AND CHEYENNE MEN SPENT SEVERAL YEARS COURTING THEIR BRIDES. ADOLESCENTS OF OPPOSITE SEXES WERE NOT PERMITTED TO OPENLY ASSOCIATE WITH EACH OTHER. A YOUNG MAN MIGHT WAIT TO ALONG A PATH NEAR THE GIRL'S HOME, HOPING TO ENCOUNTER HER AS SHE WENT TO GET WATER OR WOOD. THEN HE'D PULL ON HER SKIRT OR WHISTLE. THE GIRL EITHER IGNORED HIM OR REJECTED HIM OUTRIGHT., OR SHE SPOKE WITH HIM. THEY CONTINUED TO HAVE MEETINGS NEAR THE GIRL'S TIPI. WHEN A MAN FELT SURE ABOUT THE CHOICE FOR A WIFE HE'D CONSULT HIS RELATIVES. IF THEY APPROVED THEY COLLECTED SOME VALUABLE ITEMS AND A FAMILY MEMBER SENT THEM TO THE PARENTS OF THE BRIDE TO BE. THEY WOULD SPEAK AND SMOKE TOBACCO. AND LEAVE BEFORE AN ANSWER. THE GIRL'S MALE RELATIVES DISCUSSED THIS POSSIBILITY. IF THEY ACCEPTED, THE GIRL WAS DRESSED IN A NICE OUTFIT AND THEY RECIPROCATED NICE GIFTS TO THE BOYS FAMILY. THE GIRL, HER MOM AND ANOTHER WOMEN GAVE THESE GIFTS TO THEIR FAMILY. AND A MARRIAGE FEAST FOLLOWED.

VIRGINIA ALEXANDRIA























VIRGINIA ALEXANDRIA