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MARRIAGE AND RELATIONS OF SEXES 149
to the bridegroom and his people, the bride takes with her an
axe, a mat, and a turtleashell knife. These are her property
given to her by her father, and in the event of her husband's
death she takes them with her when she leaves her husband's
house. There is no record as to when during the marriage ritual
these are handed over to her.
Premarital Relations and Adultery
It a man lives with a woman without marrying her, her
father or brother would be angry and would beat, or possibly
kill the delinquent. There is apparently no prostitution carried
on as a regular occupation and source of income.
No proof of virginity is required before marriage, but it is
expected in one who is a bride for the ï¬Årst time. If a marriage
price has been ï¬Åxed by the parents of the prospective parties,
and the man hears later, from reliable sources, that the girl is
not a virgin, his father will meet her father and suggest that the
price should be reduced. The girl’s father is then ashamed,
perhaps as much because he has attempted a deception, as
because of his daughters conduct, and generally lowers the
bride-price.
Cohabitation is not permitted between a man and his wife
until after the pigs for her have been given to her father} If
on her marriage night the girl is discovered not to be a virgin,
her husband is angry and makes her disclose the name of her
lever (6% lovers). He would then be considered justiï¬Åed in
seeking ‘to ‘avenge himself on this man, and he might even kill
him, but to go to'such lengths would be generally held to be
excessive. He may announce the fact of his wife's unchastity
to his friends, and thereby make her ashamed of herself, but
usually he does not even do this. Should he be angry with her
at any time, however, he may in public fling at her the taunt
that she was not a virgin when he married her.
Probably the most frequent source of murders, local
disturbances, and quarrelling, is the " stealing â€ù of women, or
clandestine adultery with the acquiescence of the woman, and
usually the knowledge of the friends of the offending parties.
' 1 "rims seems to be some slight discrepancy in thernotes as to when a. husband
and wrie ï¬Årst hav i t . A ha e se n this sometimes ha ens in the
_ e n ei-course s we v e pp
bush during‘ the return of the newly-married pair to the husband's village.
Elsewhere, owever, it is said not to occur until the night-ï¬Åme.—C. H. W.
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