Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 28, 1917.djvu/159

Rh and places it under a tree. When a boy attains the age of seven or eight, he is placed under the care of the father, who teaches him the brave deeds of his ancestors and other heroes of the village, in order that the boy may develop a warlike spirit. The father also teaches his boy the art of using a sword and fire-arms, and takes him out hunting. He also instructs him how to cultivate the land and to make baskets and other implements. In some cases the father will throw his son into a rapid from the top of a high cliff in order to force him to learn to swim.

In respect to marriage, the Taiyal strictly avoid marriage between blood relations. They also enforce strict monogamy. The age for marriage, both for a boy and girl, is sixteen or seventeen years. When a woman is married, or has attained the marriageable age, she is required to be tatooed on both cheeks. Normally a wife is held to enter into her husband's family, and is thus debarred from subsequent marriage with his lineal descendants or other blood relations. In one group, however, this rule is relaxed, namely among the Gaogans, east of the central mountain range. Among them a stepson may marry a step-mother when the father is dead. But in this case it is necessary to perform the Kanma-ishi or purification ceremony.

In the Taiyal family the parents have absolute control over their children, and arrange their marriage. It is the duty of children to obey the order of their parents, but, in case there already exists mutual love between a boy and a girl, they generally ask the consent of their parents. It is a rule among them that the marriage proposal should be made by the boy's family; the term for the proposal is Shimijai. The marriage negotiation extends in some cases over a month, and very often it requires a year to arrive at a settlement. Generally the girl's family does not give a ready consent, and the request must be repeated several times. It is considered an honour to receive