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blog 31

blog subject:

Tell us about the process and nature of marriage among your people group.

 

reading:

 

resource questions for blog research:

marriage

How do they treat their children?
What kind of festivities take place?
Who initiates the marriage festivities?
Who serves as master of ceremonies?
How do people feel about romantic love, being alone, pleasure, family pride, friendliness, achievement, communal solidarity?
Who wants more children, the husband or the wife?
Who should be punished in adultery? Who performs the punishment?
Are women ever stolen to become wives? Will such a woman ever run away? What is her status then?
What may a pregnant woman do or not do?
Were wives ever killed when the husband died?
Can women ever be inherited?
What characteristics do women look for in a man?
How is the family related to other structures in society: to the neighbourhood? to kin? to community organizations?
Is virginity expected before marriage?
How does courtship take place? Who takes the initiative?
What type of contacts between sexes are permitted before marriage?
Do parents seek to protect the girl?
Is virginity a cultural ideal? If it is not realized, how is this rationalized?
Do all girls get married?
How long must one wait before one can remarry after the death of the marriage partner?
To which clan do the offspring belong?
How many children does one want?
Is divorce possible?
Is there any education for marriage? Who gives it?
Is marriage an agreement between the two young people or between the families?
Who makes the approach for marriage, the young man, the young woman, the parents, the uncle, or some other individual?
How is the marriage arrangement made?
Which acts are termed adultery?
Who punishes the adulterer?
Is there any type of engagement?
What is one’s relationship with one’s in-laws?
Which kind of marriages would be preferred?
What are the ideals of engagement?
How companionable is the husband-wife relationship? How much trust, respect, and understanding is there? How much disrespect, deception, or tension?
What is the goal of marriage?
What is considered beautiful?
What is the relationship between the respective sets of parents?
What is the status relationship between husband and wife?
Who experiences shame in the case of adultery?
What is the ideal of marriage? What is the practice?
Is there trial marriage? For how long a period? Under what conditions? Is it considered good or bad?
What are the beliefs concerning how a woman becomes pregnant?
What type of “spiritual” receptivity does a woman need to become pregnant?
Can a woman prevent pregnancy? What types of contraceptives (medical, traditional and spiritual) does she use?
Do wives or husbands ever bewitch their spouses? For what reasons? How? What must then be done?
Why does a man become unfaithful to his wife? (bewitchment? Too strong sex drive? Stolen by another woman?)
Why does a woman become unfaithful to her husband?
Who punishes the wife if she makes a mistake?
What is called handsome in a man?