Marriage among San, Yanomamo, Sherpa and N.Y.C. People

Paper Summary:

This paper compares and contrasts the marriage patterns and ceremonies among four very different societies the Yanomamo of South America, the San people of the Kalahari, the Sherpas of Nepal and the residents of the sidewalks of New York City. It examines the traditions of each society in turn from how the strictures prohibit marriage among parallel cousins because Yanomami descent is traced patrilineally to polygamy amongst the Sherpas. It show how in an age where globalization is suspect, the similarity in rules governing who to marry, the role of women in the rituals of dating and marriage and the "ownership" of women by their husband's family all show how few concepts in the world remain as truly global as patriarchy.

From the Paper:

"Like the Yanomamos, the Sherpas of Nepal have exogamic restrictions governing marriage. Ethnographer Sherry Ortner identifies 18 distinct clans among the Sherpas. Clan identity is inherited from the father and there are strict rules against marrying within the same clan. Unlike the small communal society of the Yanomamo, the Sherpas are divided into different castes. Traditional marriages arranged by parents are still the norm. However, Sherpa life moved away from agriculture as "most Himalayan expeditions throughout the twentieth century have relied on people called Sherpas for general portering, skilled high-altitude portering, and all-around expedition support" (Ortner). The consent of marriage partners became more important and there are also increasing instances of Sherpas marrying Nepalis from outside the Sherpa community."

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