Polyandry+in+the+Himalayas

Polyandry as Practiced in the Himalayan Mountains

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The practice of Polyandry occurs most frequently among the people in the mountains of Tibet (known as the Pahari people), and certain regions of the Western Himalayas of north India (Berreman, 1975).
====The most common version of polygamy in this region is fraternal polyandry. In fraternal polyandry, a woman participates in a marriage ceremony with the eldest of a group of brothers, and becomes betrothed to all of the brothers (Grammarist, 2014). Although participating in a fraternal polyandrous marriage is not mandatory, most younger brothers choose to join in. No one person decides whom they will marry - marriage is a family decision, with the consent of all involved (Berreman, p.127-130).==== ====The eldest brother might dominate in respect to domestic matters, but does not have exclusive sexual or reproductive rights over his brothers. All husbands participate in household duties, like cleaning, cooking, and childcare. Any children born recognize the group of brothers to all be their fathers; there are no “uncles” (Berreman, p. 131).====

====Sex among unmarried people is tolerated if discreet, though data suggests that premarital sex is limited. The average married woman has 3.3 children, and unmarried 0.7. Economic motives to abstain from premarital sex: a man must provide items such as a yak, clothes, a sword and plots of land for every child he fathers. Open conversations among younger men emphasize the cost of sexual affairs, thus encouraging restraint.====

====In an ideal polyandrous arrangement, the wife will split her time equally among all of her husbands; in other words, the eldest is not a primary partner. Problems can arise when there are large age differences among the brothers, causing sexual and emotional incompatibility.====

====After centuries of isolation, this region of the Himalayas has experienced incredible change in the last 50 years (Polgreen, 2010). Roads, cars, telephones, television, cellphones and internet access have all contributed to the diminished presence of polyandry today. The practice still exists in small, isolated pockets in the Himalayan mountains, but by all accounts is dying out quickly.====

Grammarist. (2014). Polygamy vs. Polygyny vs. Polyandry. Retrieved from []
====Goldstein, M. (1976). Fraternal Polyandry and Fertility in a High Himalayan Valley in Northwest Nepal. Human Ecology. 223-233. National Geographic. (2007). Multiple Husbands [Video file]. Retrieved from []====

Polgreen, L. (2010). One Bride for Two Brothers: A Custom Fades in India. New York Times. Retrieved from []
====SocialScienceNews.org. (2013). Women With Multiple Husbands: Benefits of Fraternal Polyandry in Himalayan Societies. In Global Communities, Lifestyle, Gender & Identity. Retrieved from http://www.socialsciencenews.org/2013/11/06/women-with-multiple-husbands-the-socioeconomicbenefits-of-fraternal-polyandry-in-himalayan-societies-2/====