Marriage

Marriage

Discuss marriage and relationships in indigenous cultures (“Traffic in Women” pp 3-5) relate this topic to the text. What does the article say about the topic

According to the indigenous tribes, marriage has less cultural relevance compared to family. Not all clans or tribes hold wedding ceremonies, and the marriage concept and definition are derived locally. When defining family and marriage, variety exists among the different tribes. Most clans have a system that involves itself in childbearing with elders engaging in family life. For example, the elderly are involved in educating the children on the history and culture of the specific clan. Among the Navajo, fellow clansmen and grandparents are considered sisters or brothers and viewed as part of the family. They also carry the family members’ responsibility.

In addition, some indigenous cultures exchange gifts, dowry, and dower. In the reciprocal gift-giving amongst the American Plains tribe, the groom gives horses to the parents of the bride. The bride’s family would, in turn, give gifts to the groom. Based on the chapter reading, the groom, in this case, is the beneficiary. The groom gets the bride and gifts as well, and the societal relationship and kinship are enhanced.

List and summarize 5 main points in response to this.

1. Mauss proposed that gift-giving plays a significant role in that it affirms, creates, or expresses a social link between persons in an exchange. When gifts are given, the participants are conferred a special trust relationship, mutual aid, and solidarity. In offering a gift, a person can solicit a friendship, and when the other accepts the gift, then it means one is ready to confirm the relationship.
2. Mauss also proposed that gifts are the social discourse threads and the means through which societies are bound.
3. Lévi-Strauss points to the primitive reciprocity theory, where marriages are viewed as the simplest gift exchange form where the most precious women are the gifts. However, kinship is also established on this reciprocity.
4. Because women are the ones being transacted, men are the ones who are involved in the exchange. A woman is not a partner but a conduit. Women cannot experience any benefits as long as men exchange women, and hence men are the ones who benefit from the exchange of the ‘products.’
5. Exchanging women in expressing the kinship system’s social relations specify that men and not women have certain rights. Women do not have similar rights to themselves or their kin. Hence, when women are exchanged in this system, they lack their full rights. The exchange of women is viewed as a cultural necessity.

ORDER A PLAGIARISM-FREE PAPER HERE

We’ll write everything from scratch

Topic for Group IV: Relationships, Marriage, Romance, and Love.

Here are prompts:

Discuss marriage and relationships in indigenous cultures (“Traffic in Women” pp 3-5) relate this topic to the text. What does the article say about the topic. Also list and summarize 5 main points in response to this.

Marriage

1.

2.

3.

4.

Note:

• My professor wants a list of ideas on my topic that are derived from the passage in the required reading.

Required Readings