Ka Her
Dr. Luke Matthews
Cultural Anthropology & Human Diversity
The Nyimba People: “Be Honest”
The concept of marriage differs from culture to culture, whether it may be monogamy, polygyny, or polyandry. These concepts are usually cultural constructed as society changes through its values, religions, or way of life.
Since their arrival from the Tibetan plateau about 200 years ago, the Nyimba people of northwest Nepal have adapted a polyandry marriage culture. Meaning, for every family of brothers, they have one wife.
Now, this concept of marriage is extremely different from monogamy and polygyny that one typical hears about. In a monogamist setting, it is one person married to another person regardless of gender. In a polygyny setting, it is one man to multiple women of whom are not related to each other usually. However, due to the lifestyle of the Nyimba, polyandry works best for them as the family’s inheritance is passed from brothers to brothers. Thus, ensuring the land and responsibilities to all the brothers of a family and their wife.
In the instance of one particular …show more content…
In polyandry, not only to they share a wife but the land as well. By sharing the land they are able to divide the responsibilities of the maintaining the land and the family between the brothers. So as Sonam goes to school in Kathmandu, his eldest brother tends to the herds of sheep and goats on the mountainside, his second oldest brother prepares to become a priest, and his younger brother assists the women in the fields, therefore covering all the needs of the family: financially, spiritually, and physically. In addition, sharing the land ensures that the land/wealth will stay with family and it will not be divided as it is in valley. For it is through the dividing of the land that has made the families of the valley to become
Dr. Luke Matthews
Cultural Anthropology & Human Diversity
The Nyimba People: “Be Honest”
The concept of marriage differs from culture to culture, whether it may be monogamy, polygyny, or polyandry. These concepts are usually cultural constructed as society changes through its values, religions, or way of life.
Since their arrival from the Tibetan plateau about 200 years ago, the Nyimba people of northwest Nepal have adapted a polyandry marriage culture. Meaning, for every family of brothers, they have one wife.
Now, this concept of marriage is extremely different from monogamy and polygyny that one typical hears about. In a monogamist setting, it is one person married to another person regardless of gender. In a polygyny setting, it is one man to multiple women of whom are not related to each other usually. However, due to the lifestyle of the Nyimba, polyandry works best for them as the family’s inheritance is passed from brothers to brothers. Thus, ensuring the land and responsibilities to all the brothers of a family and their wife.
In the instance of one particular …show more content…
In polyandry, not only to they share a wife but the land as well. By sharing the land they are able to divide the responsibilities of the maintaining the land and the family between the brothers. So as Sonam goes to school in Kathmandu, his eldest brother tends to the herds of sheep and goats on the mountainside, his second oldest brother prepares to become a priest, and his younger brother assists the women in the fields, therefore covering all the needs of the family: financially, spiritually, and physically. In addition, sharing the land ensures that the land/wealth will stay with family and it will not be divided as it is in valley. For it is through the dividing of the land that has made the families of the valley to become